Laganja Estranja | |
|---|---|
 Laganja Estranja atRuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023 | |
| Born | (1988-12-28)December 28, 1988 (age 36) |
| Education | California Institute of the Arts (BFA) |
| Occupations | |
| Website | laganjaestranja |
Jay Evan Jackson, known professionally asLaganja Estranja (born December 28, 1988), is an American choreographer anddrag queen based in Los Angeles. Laganja competed on thesixth season ofRuPaul's Drag Race, finishing in eighth place. She came out astransgender in 2021.
Laganja was born to Nancy Lynn Ferrin Jackson and David Michael Jackson,[3][2] was raised inDallas, Texas, and attended theBooker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.[1] Both of her parents worked as high schoolguidance counselors for over 30 years.[4] She obtained a BFA in dance from the California Institute of the Arts.[5]
Laganja Estranja's drag debut was atCalifornia Institute of the Arts (CalArts) production of "Cal Arts is Burning" in 2010, opening the door to what is now her persona. Then at Micky's West Hollywood on November 7, 2011.[6] After winning the Amateur Competition, Laganja became an official "Showgirl" with a monthly gig at Micky's. Laganja went on to win "Queen of Queens" at 340 Nightclub in Pomona, CA and "Best Newcomer" in West Hollywood.[7]
In April 2013, Laganja Estranja auditioned forRuPaul's Drag Race.[8] She was accepted in the show, and filmed in the summer of 2013. In 2014, thesixth season ofdrag-oriented reality competitionRuPaul's Drag Race aired onLogoTV.[9] Laganja performed moderately well on the show, winning a challenge when she was partnered with the eventual runner-up,Adore Delano.[10] Laganja was eliminated in the eighth episode of the season, placing her in a small category of contestants in the show's history who were eliminated the week after winning a challenge.[10] At the outset of the show, Laganja received quite a lot of attention on social media for her entrance.[11] During the show, Laganja became infamous for her over-the-top dramatics, catchphrases, and emotional breakdowns. Eventual winnerBianca Del Rio credited Laganja as the root of every memorable quote from thefollowing season ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[12] Laganja's mannerisms have since been parodied by fellow drag queens, includingAlaska Thunderfuck.[13]
Laganja Estranja is the drag daughter ofAlyssa Edwards, and the drag sister ofShangela[9] andPlastique Tiara —all of whom competed onRuPaul's Drag Race, Edwards appearing onseason 5 and season 2 ofRuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, Shangela appearing onseason 2 and3 andAll Stars season 3, and Tiara onseason 11 andAll Stars season 9. Under the moniker of the Haus of Edwards, they have internationally toured and performed together on multiple occasions,[14] most notably at the pre-show warm-up for the finale episode of theseventh season ofRuPaul's Drag Race.[15] Laganja currently hosts her own web show on the drag-centric platformWorld of Wonder, the same production company behindRuPaul's Drag Race,RuPaul's DragCon LA, andRuPaul's DragCon NYC.[16]
Laganja appeared as a Lip-Sync Assassin in the third episode ofRuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6, winning the lip-sync against fellow season 6 contestant,Trinity K. Bonet. She was a featured performer duringJennifer Lopez's performance at the2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards.[17]
In 2014, Laganja contributed vocals to a cover of RuPaul's "Jealous of My Boogie", for the albumRuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz. Throughout 2014, Laganja was featured on three singles, contributing a rap verse to each song. In 2015, she released her debut single as a lead artist, titled "Legs", which featured American rapperRye Rye. In June 2015, "Legs" was rated as the third best song by aRuPaul's Drag Race contestant byPitchfork Media.[18] In June 2015, Laganja was featured on fellowRuPaul's Drag Race star,Alaska Thunderfuck's debut album,Anus, on the track "Gimme All Your Money".[19]
In 2016, she released both her third single "Tease 4U" and a Christmas Album with the Haus of Edwards. Her single on the album is entitled "Green XXXmas," and the video featured exotic dancer Candace Cane.[20] In September 2018, she released her fourth single "Look At Me" featuring J. Tyler, and an accompanying video. The video took a stance against arrests for marijuana possession.[21] In November 2018, she released a lyric video for her fifth single "Smoke Break".[22]
As a cannabis rights activist, Laganja has hosted conversations on cannabis legalization at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and at Impulse in San Francisco.[23] She has also been featured twice inHigh Times Magazine as well as on the cover ofDope Magazine,[24] making her the first LGBTQ+ advocate on the cover of a cannabis magazine.[25] In 2014, Laganja launched a collection of marijuana-themed merchandise including a jewelry line named Laganja Estranja Is My Enemy.[26] Laganja has also collaborated with Blunted Objects on a marijuana-themedstatement necklace.[27]
In September 2018, Laganja was interviewed[28] by Civilized Magazine about her music video[29] forLook at Me that “slammed” the war on drugs. The interview by Civilized — a magazine reported to be for the millions of adults who choose to enjoy cannabis recreationally[30] — covered a number of aspects behind the imagery of Laganja's music video.Leafly, the world's largest cannabis information site, featured Laganja on its in-house podcast in January 2019.[31] The podcast,The Hash, explored, alongside Laganja, topics like homophobia in the cannabis industry and what it's like to often be the only queer person in a room.
The Laganja Estranja lifestyle brand includes a collaboration preroll joint with San Francisco's The Hepburns, called "LAhepburns."[32] Laganja also partnered with FRUIT SLABS, a company making cannabis infused, vegan, real-fruit squares for their 2019 PRIDE collection. Laganja worked with FRUIT SLABS to create a one-of-a-kind flavor to be offered for a limited time.[33]
Graduating from The California Institute of the Arts in 2011 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance and choreography, Laganja is a skilled choreographer, teacher, and dancer. A Presidential Scholar in The Arts, Laganja performed her original work “not today” at theKennedy Center in 2007.[34] Laganja is also a YoungArts Silver Winner[35] and returns every year to the program to mentor high school students in Miami, Florida. Laganja's choreography credits includeGermany's Next Top Model,NYC Cosmetics FACE Awards, and for commercial artists such as Miley Cyrus andBrooke Candy.[36]
In mid-2017, Laganja led a dance theatre project on gender expression with artists across Europe assembling in Nottingham, UK for a four-day workshop and showcase exploring the boundaries of gender identity.[37] “G[END]ER” was in collaboration with Backlit Gallery, Kitty Tray, andNottingham Contemporary. In the fall of 2018, Laganja elaborated on this idea of gender expression with her dance residency at YoungArts.[38] The immersive experience included live vocals, original compositions, and curated set design. In late-2018, Laganja was partnered with thePérez Art Museum Miami (Pamm)[38] to present the art of drag for a one-day Poplife Social YoungArts Takeover. The event at the world-renowned art museum included an invitation from Laganja herself, “Onto Pamm’s terrace to warm up their dance muscles, ‘sissy that walk’ across the space and participate in a fan dance inspired by traditional Japanese performance.”
In 2016, Laganja's Dance School, an international high-heels masterclass and confidence workshop, was founded with partner Kristen Lovell.[39] The master class has been held in dozens of cities in the United States and as an international experience, has traveled to Manchester, Nottingham, London, Newcastle, Dublin, Lima, Mexico City, and Amsterdam.[40][41] In 2019, the documentaryLaganja's Dance School was released. The documentary was directed by Selene Kapsaski and chronicles Laganja Estranja teaching a dance class in London.[42]
Laganja spoke out againstDonald Trump while the latter was running for president of the United States.[43] In 2021, she came out as atransgender woman.[44]
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| "Legs"[45] (featuringRye Rye) | 2015 |
| "Hotbox"[46] | |
| "Tease 4u" | 2016 |
| "Look at Me" (featuring J. Tyler) | 2018 |
| "Smoke Break" |
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| "Got Beat"[47] (Kraax featuring Laganja Estranja, Cool B. & Lissa Wick) | 2014 |
| "Oh No She Better Don't"[48] (RuPaul featuringDrag Race Season 6 Cast) | |
| "Gold Grill BBQ"[49] (Krysta Youngs featuring Laganja Estranja &Melanie Fontana) | |
| "Gimme All Your Money[50] (Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 featuring Laganja Estranja) | 2015 |
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Jealous of My Boogie"[51] | 2014 | RuPaul | RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz |
| "Gimme All Your Money"[19] | 2015 | Alaska Thunderfuck | Anus |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Bitch Who Stole Christmas[52] | Herself |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself (Contestant) | Season 6 – 8th place | [9] |
| Untucked | Herself | Companion show toRuPaul's Drag Race | [10] | |
| 2015 | Skin Wars | Season 2 - Guest | [53] | |
| 2017, 2019 | Bong Appétit | Season 1, Episode 6 - Guest | [54][55] | |
| 2018 | Germany's Next Topmodel | Season 13, Episode 14 - Guest | ||
| The Browns | Guest appearance | [56] | ||
| 2018–19 | So You Think You Can Dance | Herself (Contestant) | Season 15 | [57][58][59] |
| 2019 | Queen of Drags | Herself (guest) | Episode 6 | |
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 6) | Herself | "Lip Sync Assassin" (episode 3) | [60] |
| RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked (season 3) | ||||
| Chopped 420 | Herself (judge) | Judge | [61] | |
| 2022 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself | Season 31, Episode 11 - Guest | [62] |
| 2025 | 2025 MTV Video Music Awards | Herself | Performer withSabrina Carpenter,Willam,Symone,Denali, andLexi Love | [63] |
| Title | Year | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Jealous of My Boogie" | 2014 | Jay Jackson | [64] |
| "Got Beat" | Kristen R. Lovell | [65] | |
| "Gold Grill BBQ" | Kristen R. Lovell | [66] | |
| "Legs"(featuring Rye Rye) lyric video | 2015 | [67] | |
| "Gimme All Your Money"(featuring Laganja Estranja) | 2016 | Justin Andrew Honard | [68] |
| "Green XXXMas" | Kristen R. Lovell | [69] |
| Title | Year | Director | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "No Bueno" (Angel Haze) | 2013 | Frank Borin | [70] |
| "Expensive" (Todrick Hall) | 2016 | Todrick Hall | [71] |
| "Gimme All Your Money" (Alaska Thunderfuck 5000) | Justin Andrew Honard & Nick Laughlin | [72] | |
| "Mask, Gloves, Soap, Scrubs" (Todrick Hall) | 2020 | Todrick Hall | [73] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Be$tie$ for Ca$h | Herself | Guest | [74] |
| Transformations | [75] | |||
| 2018 | Wait, What? | [76] | ||
| Puff Puff Sessions | Host | [77] | ||
| 2019-23 | The Pit Stop | Guest | [78][79] | |
| 2020 | Working Out Is a Drag | [80] | ||
| Bootleg Opinions | [81] | |||
| 2021 | Binge Queens | [82] | ||
| Out of the Closet | [83] | |||
| 2023 | Game Changer | Guest, "Game Changer: Battle Royale Pt. 4" | [84] | |
| Sissy That Talk Show with Joseph Shepherd | Podcast; Guest | [85] |
