Shangela facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shangela Laquifa Wadley
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Shangela at RuPaul's DragCon NYC, 2017
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Chantaize Darius Jeremy Pierce
November 22, 1981 Lamar County, Texas, U.S.
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| Other names | D.J. Pierce |
| Education | Southern Methodist University (BA) |
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Chantaize Darius Jeremy Pierce (born November 22, 1981), known by his stage name Shangela, is an American drag queen, actor, and television star. A drag queen is a person, usually male, who performs in a highly stylized or glamorous way. Shangela is famous for competing on the reality show RuPaul's Drag Race.
Shangela was the first contestant to be on three different seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race. She first appeared on season two, returned for season three, and came back again for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars season three. She has also appeared in many TV shows and movies and performs for audiences across the United States and Canada.
Besides Drag Race, Shangela has acted in shows like Glee and The X-Files. She also had roles in movies like Hurricane Bianca and the award-winning film A Star is Born. In 2019, she made history as the first drag queen to walk the Academy Awards red carpet in drag. From 2020 to 2022, Shangela co-hosted the popular HBO reality series We're Here.
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Early Life and Background
Pierce was born in Lamar County, Texas, and grew up in the city of Paris, Texas. He was the only child of a mother who worked for the United States Army. Because of his mother's job, she traveled often. Pierce was raised by his single mother and his grandfather, who was a cowboy on a cattle ranch.
In high school, Pierce was a cheerleader. He also started dressing in drag for creative projects in his English classes, showing his early interest in performance.
A Star is Born: Shangela's Career
How Shangela Began
Pierce's drag character, Shangela, was created in January 2009. He was helping with a drag performance of the song "Single Ladies" for a charity event. When one of the performers couldn't make it, Pierce stepped in. The club's manager was so impressed that he asked Shangela to perform again the next week. This was the start of her amazing career.
Competing on RuPaul's Drag Race
After only five months of performing, Shangela was chosen for season two of RuPaul's Drag Race. She was eliminated in the first episode but was invited back for season three, where she placed sixth.
Shangela made history by returning for a third time to compete on RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars season three. She was a top contender for the crown but finished in third/fourth place. Her time on the show made her a fan favorite. In 2019, New York magazine named Shangela the second "most powerful drag queen in America" out of 100 former contestants.
Shangela's drag mother, who is like a mentor in the drag world, is Alyssa Edwards, another famous contestant from RuPaul's Drag Race.
Famous Catchphrase
Shangela is known for her famous catchphrase, "Halleloo!" The Los Angeles Times called it one of the top terms learned from reality TV in 2010. She also created a comedy character named Laquifa, who became popular on the show.
Shangela on Screen
Television and Film Roles
Shangela has appeared in many TV shows. She coached her goddaughter on Toddlers & Tiaras and had roles in Glee, Bones, and 2 Broke Girls. She also appeared in a commercial for Orbitz.
In 2016, Shangela acted in the comedy movie Hurricane Bianca with other Drag Race stars. She returned for the sequel in 2018. That same year, she had an important role as a drag bar emcee in the hit movie A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
Dancing with the Stars
In 2022, Shangela competed on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with professional dancer Gleb Savchenko. They made it all the way to the finals and finished in fourth place.
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' scores | Total score | Result | |||
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| 1 | Salsa | "When I Grow Up" — The Pussycat Dolls | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
| 2 | Quickstep | "Shake, Rattle and Roll" — Elvis Presley | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
| 3 | Rumba | "GoldenEye" — Tina Turner | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 30 | Safe |
| 4 | Charleston | "Dig a Little Deeper" — Jenifer Lewis | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 5 (Night 1) |
Foxtrot | "Roar (Acoustic)" — Katy Perry | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 5 (Night 2) |
Cha-cha-cha | "Waiting for Tonight" — Jennifer Lopez | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| Hustle & Lindy Hop Marathon |
"Hot Stuff" — Donna Summer & "Jump, Jive an' Wail" — The Brian Setzer Orchestra |
N/A | 10 | |||||
| 6 | Tango | "Hollywood" — Michael Bublé | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 45 | Safe |
| 7 | Jazz | "Look What You Made Me Do" — Taylor Swift | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Safe |
| Freestyle (Team Wicked) |
"The Witches Are Back" — Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 33 | ||
| 8 | Samba | "Spice Up Your Life" — Spice Girls | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 37 | Safe |
| Cha-cha-cha (Dance relay) |
"Ice Ice Baby" — Vanilla Ice | Winner | 5 | |||||
| 9 | Paso doble | "The Edge of Glory" — Lady Gaga | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Bottom three |
| Viennese waltz | "I Have Nothing" — Whitney Houston | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 37 | ||
| 10 | Quickstep | "Queen Bee" — Rochelle Diamante | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Fourth place |
| Freestyle | "Survivor" — Destiny's Child & "Call Me Mother" — RuPaul |
10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | ||
Hosting We're Here
From 2020 to 2022, Shangela co-hosted the HBO show We're Here with fellow Drag Race stars Bob the Drag Queen and Eureka O'Hara. On the show, the three drag queens traveled to small towns across America. They helped local residents put on their own one-night-only drag shows. The series was very popular and won awards for its positive message.
Music and Other Projects
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Shangela has released her own music, including the singles "Call Me Laquifa" and "Werqin' Girl." She has also been featured in music videos for famous artists like Lady Gaga and Cher. In 2019, pop star Ariana Grande included Shangela's voice on the song "NASA" from her album Thank U, Next.
Pierce is also active in helping others. He has worked to raise awareness for important causes. In 2020, he started a charity called "Feed the Queens" to help other drag performers who were struggling. He is one of the most popular queens from Drag Race, with over 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
Images for kids
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Pierce in 2020
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See also
In Spanish: Shangela para niños
