THE DIVA X : MY LIFE ON THE X-LIST

ABOUT

Who I Was, Who I Am

THE STORY OF X

The Diva X

Drag Entertainer, Emcee, Creative Director, Promoter

Fresno, Ca


Host of…

Fridays Are A Drag - July 2021 - Present 

 The Xotica Show - March 2004 - March 26, 2019


SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter


MUSIC INTERESTS

MADONNA, Cher, P!nk, Jill Scott, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Floetry, Tori Amos, Selena,  Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Toni Braxton, Tamar Braxton, Lizzo, Solange, SZA, Kylie Minogue, Drake,  J.Lo,  Lil’ Debbie, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Amy Winehouse


CULTURE INFLUENCERS

OPRAH, David LaChapelle, Rachel Maddow, RuPaul

Diva started not so long ago. I started dressing up going to raves and just having fun during the time that I was in high school. The social circle that I have was very diverse and well lets just say I learned lots.


I attended my first rave when I was a sophomore in high school which was very exciting cause all at that point is when I can honestly say I found myself. I found myself having fun, I found myself belonging to a culture that was enjoyable and accepted widely. I hit the "rave culture" head on. At the time it was all about P.L.U.R. (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect). I would have to say that the most memorable out of town rave that I attended was Feel Good Forever. It was over in the Bay Area. My friends and I from the Fresno were promoters for this event in Fresno and well we had the time of our life. I think the most memorable moment was actually sleeping at the rave and waking up to music still blaring and the sun coming up and beautiful people still dancing. Then we all cleared the venue and home we went.


After exploring the out of town movement there was a boom in the Fresno party scene and there I was. There was many different opinions on what events were real rave and which were fake. There was the events thrown at more commercial venues like the fair grounds and the rainbow ballroom, etc. Those were fun and then there was those other events that you had to be in the know to hear about. One of the first events that I attended locally was held somewhere over in Sunnyside. That is where I met Claudia, the fiercest biotch that I have ever met. I was in ahhh by her presence. Little did I know at that point that this person that I met would play such an important role in my life. More on that later. I remember was at an empty venue located on van ness across from club fred. It was wonderful. Lots of wonderful people there. The weirdest place I attended an event was at the San Joaquin River.


It was for Annie's birthday and there we where partying till the early morning. Shortly after that DOME Entertainment started. It was cool cause we kinda ran the shit. We planned the events, decorated, promoted, u name it we did it. During this time I started interacting more with different people starting adding more to the outfits, more sparkle, more glam, more make-up. More and more I would have contact with Claudia who every time just blew me away with her presence. Me and Claudia talked more and more as we worked at the same location. When ever I got a chance I would head over to the M•A•C counter and do a little chit-chat session about the weekend parties or make-up tips. Needless to say DOME Ent. went away. Which was cool cause at that time I was becoming more who I am today.


I started attending the clubs at this point. The hottest spot then was still the hottest spot now, was then known as The Express, then 708, then Deja Vu and now again The Express. I started going to the drag shows they had there and broke into that scene. Who would have guessed it, Claudia was not only that fierce ass Go-Go mama at the events, She was also one of the hottest performers at the drag shows. More and more there was more inquisition on my part about the show. During this time I learned that Adam was going to be moving to New York which was really exciting to me, cause he was going there to pursue a dream. And well I'm all about going after your dreams. He was organizing a farewell show and I stepped up and asked if I could host the show. I DID WHAT?? For my first official debut I was hosting an event that would be attended by many many people. What was I thinking?? What I was thinking was this is my time.


So there I was in my big ass heels and a mic in hand handling this shit. What inspired me to do this? On night after a performance of Destiny's Child Jumpin Jumpin Claudia said to me something along the lines of "I think it's funny how people come and they cheer for all the other girls, and when my big drag queen self goes on stage they go crazy." That was what I need to hear to know I can do this. I must say It came as quite a shock to me that at the end of the show, Claudia announced me as her drag daughter. Okay I know for some people reading this, It might sound lame. But it was a big deal, not only to me, but to many of the other queens. There was a group of queens that just hated me for it cause they all thought that they should of been announced as Claudia's drag daughter. But I proudly tell everyone who mad me possible. I became close with one the show owners and from there found my way to the stage. My first performance was a medley that I mixed together of a J.Lo slow song into Lets Get Loud.


Yes I thought it was funny how people came and they cheer for the other girls, and when my big drag queen self goes on stage they go crazy." It was my moment. .Ever since then I've tried to be my best, I say my best and not the best, cause I am not in competition with no one. Despite popular belief. After getting involved with a show and kinda learning the ins and outs I began to take a more active role in making the show something great. I did more with the performances than others and really tried to make the performances that I put on a reflection of who I am. After so long things change and new queens migrate in and I think there was a loss of focus of home. Glitz and glam can be blinding. The night that Toxic was performed I was approached to start my own show...


As that progressed more drama came. The drama of being in competition with another prospective show. Then there was the drama about the rumors that I had been masterminding the removal of the previous show. Which was not the situation at all. In the end the Xotica show prevailed by having more people in attendance for it's trial runs.

Now that Xotica is approaching it's year anniversary I look back and think.

I'M FUCKING NUTS.


In the end...

I do what I can do and If people

like it then they do.

I try to make the things I do memorable.


Update: 9/17/06

As of October 2005 I've embarked on a new adventure in life and been handling the promotions for Deja Vu.

Surreal Productions is my baby in the making still. As we near a year it's amazing how many wonderful events that I, we, have put on. Mainly I'm the think tank behind the event as act them out as I design them. With big shout out to my friends who help the actual process in putting the events up and tearing them down. The events that I have been complimented on my visitors of the club from different locations, most recently one L.A. promoter paid the club a compliment on how put together the events are.


On the Xotica front it seems we have been doing something right. The show is just months away from our 3 year anniversary and no matter how many times other shows have tried to start, we still have had a steady crowd and are steady trying new things. Recently we were hired to do a birthday party for one of our regular customers and she is interested in booking us for other events. Which in it self is a compliment to me and the art form that we work in. With the popularity of MySpace it's good to see how many people love the work that we do and it's great to hear from all the wonderful people.

In addition our Madonna Madness series of show received some major press. Below are thumbnails of the article that ran in the Fresno Bee. Click on them to see the larger article. 

Also to see some of the television coverage check out the D-T.V. section.

 

Update: 7/6/09

Here we are in July of 2009 and who would have guessed that The Xotica Show would be now in it's 6th year of existence and really doesn't show any signs of going anywhere anytime soon. As the world changes, so do the artist I perform and the things that make me happy. I'm currently on a mission to make bigger and better thing happen for myself. Hopefully more great updates will follow.


Update: 3/27/14

Celebrating 10 years of The Xotica Show was a magical night. This night was one that I had planned since the 5th year anniversary,. I knew then that if The Xotica Show was still in existence that the show needed to be HUGE and that it would need to bring back some of the past members of Xotica to commemorate the occasion. On this night we were joined back by 3 favorite past cast members from different  eras of the Xotica Show, Most Recent - Janae, Mid-Era - Iris, and from the Beginning - Asia. 

Truly one of my proudest moments of The Xotica Show.


Update: 3/31/19

Celebrating 15 years of The Xotica Show was a bittersweet night. The end of an era. The House of Xotica
2019 The Finale was the conclusion of The Xotica Show.


Update: 7/2021

Returning to the stage with some other familiar faces as part of Splash Fresno’s Fridays Are A Drag!