Peppermint | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Peppermint in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
|
| Born | (1980-01-31)January 31, 1980 (age 45) |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, drag queen, singer, songwriter, activist |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | Official website |
Peppermint, orMiss Peppermint[2] (born January 31, 1980),[3][4] is an American actress, singer, songwriter, television personality,drag queen, and activist. She is best known from thenightlife scene and, in 2017, as the runner-up on theninth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race. In 2018, Peppermint made her debut inThe Go-Go's-inspired musicalHead Over Heels as Pythio, becomingBroadway's first outtrans woman to originate a lead role.[5]
As a recording artist, she has released two studio albums,Hardcore Glamour, released in 2009, andBlack Pepper, released in 2017, as well as five EPs, includingA Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers, which was released in 2020. In December 2023, she was announced as a part of the cast of thesecond season ofThe Traitors.[6]
Peppermint was raised inHershey, Pennsylvania, andWilmington, Delaware.[7] She felt hergender non-conformity was policed, so she tried to fit in with others' expectations.[8] Shetransitioned after moving to New York City andcame out in 2012,[9] before she appeared onRuPaul's Drag Race. While a contestant onDrag Race, Peppermint revealed that when she had been a high-school cheerleader, she had been beaten up by a male member of her high school's basketball team.[2]
Peppermint started performing as a child in youth theatre, playing roles atOpera Delaware, Delaware Children's Theatre, and The Brandywiners Community Theatre. She continued performing at Wilmington High School where she was also on the cheerleading team.[10] For a time, she also worked as a makeup artist forMAC Cosmetics.[1]
Peppermint moved to New York City to studymusical theatre atAMDA. While in college she got a job at the nightclubTunnel's Kurfew parties, ultimately becoming a fixture in New York City nightlife.[11] She started recording music in 2005 forJonny McGovern's mixtapeJonny McGovern Presents: This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape. She contributed the song "Servin' It Up", which was produced byAdam Joseph.[12] The song was later released as Peppermint's debut single in 2006.
Peppermint was featured in the web seriesQueens of Drag: NYC bygay.com in 2010. The series featured fellow New York drag queensBianca Del Rio,Dallas DuBois,Hedda Lettuce,Lady Bunny,Mimi Imfurst, andSherry Vine.[13][14] She also appeared as a drag-version ofTyra Banks onAmerica's Next Top Model Cycle 14, Episode 5: "Smile and Pose" introducing a drag-theme runway challenge at Lucky Chengs in New York City.[15]
Peppermint talked about being trans publicly for the first time on an episode ofThe Daily Show called "The Trans Panic Epidemic" in April 2016.[16]
On February 2, 2017, Peppermint was announced as one of the fourteen contestants on theninth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[17] Though other transgender women have competed onRuPaul's Drag Race, she was the first to havecome out prior to the show airing,[18] having come out in 2012.[9]
She won the Roast Challenge in episode 8. She placed in the bottom two in two challenges, lip-synching toMadonna's "Music" and theVillage People's "Macho Man", winning both. Her performances earned her the favorable nickname "Lip Sync Assassin". Ultimately, she finished in second place after winnerSasha Velour, after they both lip-synced toWhitney Houston's "It's Not Right but It's Okay (Thunderpuss Remix)".[19]
Peppermint's debut studio albumHardcore Glamour was self-released in 2009 and preceded by the singles "Servin' It Up" and "Thought Ya Knew".[20] In 2011, Sherry Vine and Peppermint released a parody of theLady Gaga andBeyoncé song "Telephone" titled "Make Me Moan". Following the viral success of the music video, Peppermint later released other parody songs, including a parody ofAzealia Banks' song "212", titled "21/12".[21] Her song "If I Steal Your Boyfriend" was used in the 2011 filmEating Out 5: The Open Weekend.[22]
On April 3, 2017, Peppermint released a six-track EP of remixes of various songs she had released up to that point, including the single "Dolla in My Titty". Her second studio albumBlack Pepper was released in June of the same year. A three-song EP with producerCazwell calledBlend was released in 2018. In 2019, Peppermint appeared on fellow Drag Race alumTrinity the Tuck's single "I Call Shade", which charted at number 13 on theBillboard Comedy Digital Tracks chart.
On February 11, 2020, it was announced that Peppermint was working on a new album, and the lead single "What You're Looking For" was released on February 14, 2020.[23] In an interview withEntertainment Tonight on August 28, 2020, Peppermint stated that the album would in fact be a trilogy of EPs, and that a full studio album was previously planned for a May 2020 release but was delayed due to the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic. The first of these EPs,A Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers, will be released on October 16, 2020, with the lead single "Best Sex" being released on October 2. Of the project, she said "it really does focus on my life -- who I am as a trans woman -- and everything that's happening right now [with]Black Lives Matter, Black Trans Lives Matter and a lot of the issues that we are dealing with socially." She also confirmed that the project would feature collaborations withLaith Ashley,Jerome Bell, Daniel Shevlin ofWell-Strung,Matt Katz-Bohen ofBlondie, Corey Tut andAdam Joseph.[24]
The EP garnered Peppermint a nomination for Outstanding Music Artist at the 2021GLAAD Media Awards.[25]
On November 17, 2023, Peppermint released the debut single "STILETTO" with her newly announced pop music supergroup TransSisterRadio consisting of fellow members CASio (Clint Ashley Spires) original member of NYC underground music groups DaLipstyxx (Paper Magazine's Sounds of the City), THE KIKI TWINS and Synthia (Stephan Alexander) stage performer and recording artist.
TransSisterRadio released their highly anticipated follow-up single “TASTY” on March 22, 2024. They subsequently made their debut performance and first public appearance on April 4, 2024, at the party LolliPOP at the club RedEye NY. As of April 20, 2024 “STILETTO” and its remixes by DJ Erik Elias & NOAH along with “TASTY” have amassed more than 200,000+ streams on Spotify.
Peppermint made herBroadway debut inThe Go-Go's-inspired musicalHead Over Heels usingthe songs of The Go-Go's. The plot of the show is somewhat based onThe Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia written by SirPhilip Sidney in the 16th century. The show began previews in June 2018 and officially opened July 2018, at theHudson Theatre; playing the role of Pythio, Peppermint became the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway.[5]
Writing forDeadline Hollywood, Greg Evans summed up his impression of the musical as "occasionally amusing, occasionally cloying", expressing disappointment that many popular Go-Go's songs appeared to have been flattened over the years the musical spent in development.[26] InEntertainment Weekly, Kelly Connolly viewed the show more favorably, praising "the charismatic cast" and Michael Mayer's "joyful production"; she gave the A− score overall.[27]The New York Times's criticBen Brantley's review drew criticism astransphobic andmisgendering of Peppermint's character.[28][29][30] TheTimes subsequently edited the review and Brantley apologized for it, writing that he had tried to "reflect the light tone of the show".[31] The show closed in January 2019.[32]
Peppermint has had appearances onPose andSaturday Night Live,[33] and in October 2019 played the role of Pastor Olivia, "the [transgender] leader of an LGBTQ-friendly congregation", in a two-episode arc ofGod Friended Me.[34]
From 2019 to 2020, she co-hostedIt's a Mess podcast with Cazwell.[35]
Peppermint is a co-founder ofBlack Queer Town Hall along with Bob The Drag Queen.[36][37] The inaugural event featured speakers such asLaverne Cox andAngela Davis and raised over $270,000 forThe Okra Project.[37][38]
On June 2, 2021, Peppermint was announced as a cast member ofOUTtv'sCall Me Mother, where her and fellow "Drag Mothers"Crystal andBarbada de Barbades adopt and mentor up-and-coming drag talent over an eight-week journey as they compete to win the title of "First Child Of Drag" and a $50,000 prize package. In the show, Peppermint will be representing the House of Dulcet.[39]
In September 2023, it was announced that Peppermint would be a contestant onPeacock'ssecond season ofThe Traitors. The season was released in January 2024.[40]
She does not use her birth name, and asks that publications notdeadname her.[7][41] For several years, she went by the name "Angel", which derived from her portraying Angel in aone-act production ofRent.[42]
| Peppermint discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 2 |
| EPs | 5 |
| Singles | 14 |
| Comedy albums | 1 |
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Hardcore Glamour[20] |
|
| Black Pepper[43] |
|
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Si-SIGH-Ety Effects[44] |
|
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Sugar & Spiked |
|
| Blend(with Cazwell)[45] |
|
| A Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers |
|
| Letters (The Remixes) |
|
| Moment of Weakness: Letters to My Lovers |
|
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Servin' It Up" (featuringCazwell) | 2006 | Hardcore Glamour |
| "Thought Ya Knew" | 2007 | |
| "Dolla in My Titty (Part 1)" | 2013 | Non-album singles |
| "C.L.A.T." (withAja,Alexis Michelle andSasha Velour featuring DJ Mitch Ferrino) | 2017 | |
| "Civil War" | Black Pepper | |
| "Too Funky" (with Ari Gold) | ||
| "#Liftmeup" (withAmanda Lepore,Debbie Harry, Greko, andSharon Needles) | 2019 | Non-album singles |
| "What You're Looking For"[23] | 2020 | |
| "Lift Them Up 2020" (with Amanda Lepore, Debbie Harry, Greko, and Sharon Needles) | ||
| "Best Sex" | A Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers | |
| "A Girl Like Me" (Electropoint remix) | 2021 | Letters (The Remixes) |
| "(Put Your) Gay Hands Up" (withJan andAlaska)[50] | Non-album singles | |
| "Here for It" | ||
| "Broken Home" (featuring Jerome Bell) | 2022 | Moment of Weakness: Letters to My Lovers |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Comedy Dig. [51] | |||
| "Category Is" (RuPaul featuring Peppermint,Sasha Velour,Shea Coulee, andTrinity the Tuck) | 2017 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Thirsty" (Adam Joseph featuring Peppermint) | — | ||
| "I Call Shade" (Trinity the Tuck featuring Peppermint) | 2019 | 13 | Plastic |
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "We Three Queens" | 2017 | Manila Luzon andAlaska Thunderfuck | Christmas Queens 3 |
| "What Child Is This" | Thorgy Thor | ||
| "R U Mad" | 2018 | Michael Blume andShea Coulee | Cynicism & Sincerity |
| "Pretty Girl Anthem" | Jiggly Caliente | T.H.O.T. Process | |
| "Vision of Nowness" | Original Broadway Cast of Head Over Heels | Head Over Heels (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | |
| "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" | Jeremy Kushnier,Rachel York, and Original Broadway Cast of Head Over Heels | ||
| "Whoever You Might Be" | 2020 | Jackson Teeley | Within Earshot: Anthems for the In-Between |
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Servin' It Up" (featuringCazwell) | 2006 | Unknown |
| "Thought Ya' Knew" | 2008 | |
| "Working Girl" | 2009 | |
| "Excuse My Beauty" | 2010 | Brendan Kyle Cochrane |
| "Let You Have It" | Karl Giant | |
| "Fresh" (featuringAdam Joseph andCazwell) | 2011 | Unknown |
| "Dolla in My Titty" | 2014 | |
| "Too Funky" (featuringAri Gold and the cast ofRuPaul's Drag Race Season 9) | 2017 | Marsin |
| "Civil War" | Mikhail Torich | |
| "Blend" (featuring Cazwell)[52] | 2018 | Brenden T. R. Gregory |
| "Black Pepper"[53] | Assaad Yacoub | |
| "Vision of Nowness"[54] | 2019 | Tyler Stone |
| "The Most Office"[55] | 2020 | Jake Wilson |
| Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Make Me Moan" (Sherry Vine and Peppermint) | 2010 | Blake Martin |
| "JLo Papi" (Sherry Vine and Peppermint) | 2012 | Francis Von Legge |
| "3D End of Time" | Unknown | |
| "21/12" | Francis Von Legge | |
| "Epic Broadway Medley Parody" (Sherry Vine and Peppermint) | 2017 | Unknown |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Beyond the Ladies Room Door | Herself | Short film | |
| 2006 | Fur | |||
| 2011 | Finding Home | Herself | ||
| 2019 | Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts | Herself | [56] | |
| 2019 | Ru's Angels | Herself | Short film | [57] |
| 2020 | Nubia: Amplified | Themself | OutTV original | [58] |
| 2021 | Being Bebe | Themself | Archive footage | [59] |
| 2021 | The Bitch Who Stole Christmas | Bea Eeep | [60] | |
| 2022 | Fire Island | Peppermint | [61] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | CSI: NY[20] | Sex Worker | Season 3, Episode 14: "The Lying Game" |
| 2009 | The Real World: Brooklyn[62] | Herself | Episode 2: "The Outs and Ins of Brooklyn" |
| 2010 | America's Next Top Model | Tyra Banks | Cycle 14, Episode 5: "Smile and Pose"[15] |
| 2010 | Ugly Betty[63][20] | Season 4, Episode 13: "Chica and the Man" | |
| 2010 | The A-List: New York[64] | Herself | Season 1, Episode 6: "Texting and Tears" |
| 2012 | She's Living for This | Herself | Season 1, Episode 2: "The Peppermint Episode" |
| 2016 | The Daily Show | Herself | Season 21, Episode 86. "April 6—Angelica Ross"[65][66] |
| 2017 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Contestant | Season 9, Runner up |
| 2018 | Herself (guest) | Season 10, Episode: 10s Across the Board[67] | |
| 2017 | Breakfast Television Toronto[68] | Herself | Guest |
| 2018 | Saturday Night Live[33] | Drag Queen | Guest Appearance; Episode: "Steve Carell/Ella Mai" |
| 2019 | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | Drag Queen | Guest Appearance |
| 2019 | Pose | Euphoria | Guest Appearance |
| 2019 | God Friended Me | Pastor Olivia | Guest Appearance (2 Episodes) |
| 2019 | Hey Qween | Herself (guest) | Guest appearance |
| 2020 | Deputy[69] | Daisy | Episode 1: "Graduation Day" |
| 2020 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen[70] | Herself | Season 17, Episode 43 |
| 2020–present | I Am Jazz[71] | Herself | Recurring |
| 2020–present | Translation[72][38] | Herself | Co-host |
| 2021 | The Sherry Vine Variety Show[73] | Herself | Guest |
| 2021 | Call Me Mother[39] | Herself | Drag Mother |
| 2021 | Schmigadoon![74] | Madam Vina | Guest, Episode: "Schmigadoon!" |
| 2023 | Survival of the Thickest[75] | Peppermint | Recurring role |
| 2024 | The Traitors | Contestant | Season 2, 21st place |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Macbeth | Three Witches | [76] |
| 2021 | Hot White Heist | Camilla Toe | [77] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Queens of Drag: NYC | Herself | Produced bygay.com | [13][14] |
| 2017 | Untucked | Herself | Companion show toRuPaul's Drag Race | [78] |
| 2018 | Drag Babies | Herself | Drag Mentor | [79] |
| 2019 | Bestie$ For Ca$h | Herself | Guest, withCazwell | [80] |
| 2019 | Out of the Closet | Herself | Guest | [81] |
| 2019 | Jag Race | Herself | byAttitude | [82] |
| 2019 | Black Girl Beauty | Herself | ByVH1 | [83][84] |
| 2020 | The Only Review | Herself | By The Only Productions | [85] |
| 2020-23 | The Pit Stop | Herself | Guest, 3 episodes | [86][87][88] |
| 2020 | The Rocky Horror Picture Show | Dr. Frank. N. Furter (singing double forTim Curry) | Fundraiser for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. | [89] |
| 2021 | Wanna Be On Top? | Herself | Podcast, guest | [90] |
| 2021 | DRAMA | Herself | Podcast, guest | [91] |
| 2022 | In Transit | Herself | Guest | [92] |
| 2023 | Marque and Hector turn Trash into Treasure | Daffy | Guest | [93] |
| 2024 | The Traitors Postmortem | Herself | Guest | [94] |
| Year | Song | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "When We Get Together"(The Ones) | Karl Giant | |
| 2013 | "Christmas on the Dance Floor"(Greg Scarnici) | Greg Scarnici | [95] |
| 2017 | "C.L.A.T" | Assaasd Yacoub | [96] |
| 2017 | "Faces"(Mila Jam) | Frank Boccia | [97] |
| 2017 | "Expensive (Deluxe Version)"(Todrick Hall) | Todrick Hall and Matthew Macar | [98] |
| 2017 | "Let It Snow" (Christmas Queens) | Brad Hammer | [99] |
| 2019 | "Scores"(Kahanna Montrese) | Brad Hammer | [100] |
| 2019 | "I Call Shade"(Trinity the Tuck) | Tyler Stone | [101] |
| 2020 | "Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs"(Todrick Hall) | Todrick Hall | [102] |
| 2020 | "Always"(Waze & Odyssey) | Unknown | [103] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Head Over Heels | Pythio | San Francisco, California, Curran Theatre |
| 2018–2019 | Broadway,Hudson Theatre |
[...] established queens on the city's robust drag circuit, one of whom the 37-year-old says told her she'd never make it on her chosen career path
[...] I was born in the 70s
Luckily, the legendary Miasha Forbes and Pepper Mint were able to join the panel.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)| National | |
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