Onya Nurve, the winner of RuPaulās Drag Race season 17, describes her work as āa form of theater, art, and performance,ā calling it āephemeral.ā Her proudest achievement this year, besides being crowned Americaās Next Drag Superstar, was landing the role of Lola in a national tour of Kinky Boots.
Even after managing to personify charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, Nurve still finds that āthe biggest obstacle that I honestly face every day is just getting out of my own head and getting out of my own way. Itās always easier said than done, but itās something that I try to practice every single day.ā
Looking beyond Kinky Boots, Nurve is ready to work her way to Broadway, snag a recurring role on TV, and perhaps even star in a film.
The reigning Drag Race queen and now Out100 honoree also sends a message to her fans, āespecially to my young Black queers out there: Dreams do come true. As long as you keep working hard and believing in yourself, your dreams are bound to become reality. Just believe it.ā @onyanurve
