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On August 29, 2018, Gia's second single "#LaChinaMasLatina" was released, featuring Alaska.<ref>{{Citation|last=Gia Gunn Entertainment|title=Gia Gunn - #LaChinaMasLatina ft. Alaska Thunderfuck [Official Video]|date=2018-08-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMejbu1HWm0|access-date=2018-08-31}}</ref> The music video, released the same time, features Gia in drag versions of traditional Japanese and Latino and hip-hop costumes as Gia and Alaska travel from Japan to [[Los Angeles]]. She and Estranja appeared in the music video for [[Danielle Alexa]]'s "Spin in Circles."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newnownext.com/laganja-estranja-gia-gunn-danielle-alexa-spin-in-circles-video/04/2018/|title=Laganja Estranja And Gia Gunn Do A Drag King Makeover In Smokin' New Music Video|work=LOGO News|access-date=2018-06-14}}</ref>
On August 29, 2018, Gia's second single "#LaChinaMasLatina" was released, featuring Alaska.<ref>{{Citation|last=Gia Gunn Entertainment|title=Gia Gunn - #LaChinaMasLatina ft. Alaska Thunderfuck [Official Video]|date=2018-08-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMejbu1HWm0|access-date=2018-08-31}}</ref> The music video, released the same time, features Gia in drag versions of traditional Japanese and Latino and hip-hop costumes as Gia and Alaska travel from Japan to [[Los Angeles]]. She and Estranja appeared in the music video for [[Danielle Alexa]]'s "Spin in Circles."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newnownext.com/laganja-estranja-gia-gunn-danielle-alexa-spin-in-circles-video/04/2018/|title=Laganja Estranja And Gia Gunn Do A Drag King Makeover In Smokin' New Music Video|work=LOGO News|access-date=2018-06-14}}</ref>


Gia was announced as one of ten contestants set to appear on ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season four)|RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars Season Four]]'' on November 9, 2018. Gia will premier as the first openly-transgender contestant; previously, drag queen [[Peppermint (drag queen)|Peppermint]] was the first to come out as trans prior to appearing on her season. The show will premier on December 14, 2018.
Gia was announced as one of ten contestants set to appear on ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 4)|RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars Season Four]]'' on November 9, 2018. Gia will premier as the first openly-transgender contestant; previously, drag queen [[Peppermint (drag queen)|Peppermint]] was the first to come out as trans prior to appearing on her season. The show will premier on December 14, 2018.


== Personal life ==
== Personal life ==

Revision as of 17:22, 8 December 2018

Gia Gunn
Born
Gia Ketaro Ichikawa

May 10, 1990 (age 28)
Occupation(s)Drag queen, musical artist, actress, activist

Gia Gunn is the stage name of American drag performer and activist Gia Ichikawa. She is best known for competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, the second season of The Switch Drag Race, and RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars season four.

Early life

Ichikawa was born Scotty Ichikawa[1] on May 10, 1990 and grew up in Carpentersville, Illinois. She is a fourth generation Japanese-American,[2] and as a young child, she performed Japanese traditional dance and kabuki in onnagata roles.[3] Through friendships and classmates, she was closely connected to Chicago's Latino communities, through which she learned Spanish.[citation needed]

In 2012, at the age of 22, she moved to Chicago and entered and won her first drag pageant, Miss Roscoe's 2012; she then won Miss Roscoe's 2013 and Miss Diosa 2013.[4] Her drag mother is trans drag performer Aly Gunn, their last name inspired by Tim Gunn; Gia's first name came from Gia Carangi.[3] She worked as a cosmetologist and hair stylist before appearing on Drag Race.[citation needed]

Career

Laganja Estranja, Jeffree Star, and Gunn (left to right) at RuPaul's DragCon LA 2018

Gunn was announced as one of fourteen contestants for the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on February 24, 2014. She covered RuPaul's song "Ladyboy" for RuPaul's album RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz to promote the season. On the show, she was known for her voguing, off-the-cuff catchphrases, reads and particular opinions, feminine style of drag, and friendship with fellow contestant Laganja Estranja. She underperformed as Kim Kardashian during the "Snatch Game" challenge, and was eliminated after losing a bottom two lip sync against Estranja to Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "Head to Toe,"[5] earning her tenth place.

Following the season, she released her first solo single, "Bring out the Gunnz," on July 31, 2015.[6]

In 2016, Gia was featured on the Alaska's song "Stun" from her album Poundcake.[7] A music video was released on April 24, 2017, and features several of Gunn's quotes from her first season of Drag Race.

In 2017, Gia was announced as a contestant on the second season of The Switch, the Chilean version of Drag Race,[8] alongside Drag Race alumnus Kandy Ho.[9] The series premiered March 25, 2018 with 15 contestants, including the winner of the first season. She earned ten challenge wins, making her the most-decorated contestant of the season, but ultimately earned runner-up to Miss Leona.[10]

Later that year, she walked the runway for MarcoMarco's fall 2017 fashion show with other Drag Race alumni.[11]

On March 31, 2018, Gia released 30 Days in Transition, a web series on her YouTube channel documenting aspects of her transition as a transgender woman. Shortly thereafter, she was announced to star in an internet documentary series by WOWPresents following her life as a trans person and drag queen; the series will be called Follow Me: Gia Gunn. A teaser was released on June 25, 2018, and features Isis King.[12]

With WOW Presents, she played Karrueche Tran's character Virginia in a recap video of the first season of Claws.[13]. Gia also frequently appeared in other WOW Presents productions, including Wait, What?, Besties for Cash, and Fashion Photo Ruview. She and Estranja appear both on WOW Presents and at other performances as the duo TeamTooMuch.

On August 29, 2018, Gia's second single "#LaChinaMasLatina" was released, featuring Alaska.[14] The music video, released the same time, features Gia in drag versions of traditional Japanese and Latino and hip-hop costumes as Gia and Alaska travel from Japan to Los Angeles. She and Estranja appeared in the music video for Danielle Alexa's "Spin in Circles."[15]

Gia was announced as one of ten contestants set to appear on RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars Season Four on November 9, 2018. Gia will premier as the first openly-transgender contestant; previously, drag queen Peppermint was the first to come out as trans prior to appearing on her season. The show will premier on December 14, 2018.

Personal life

In April 2017, Ichikawa came out as a transgender woman via her Instagram.[16] She later had the first name on her birth certificate officially changed to Gia in August.[17] She was one of many Drag Race alumni to criticize RuPaul's views on transgender and bio queens competing on the show in 2018.[18] She started a Gofundme page to cover $30,000 of her transition surgery.[19]

She was a member of the drag Haus of Edwards, with Alyssa Edwards, Shangela and Laganja Estranja.[20]

References

  1. ^ Peregrin, Tony (Feb 19, 2014). "Stun Gunn: Chicagoan up for 'America's Next Drag Superstar'". Windy City Times. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  2. ^ "Drag Queens That Could Convince Any Man To Go Out With Them". TheDailyBuzz. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  3. ^ a b "Season 6 Spotlight: Gia Gunn". Drag Official. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  4. ^ "Gia Gunn". RuPaul's DragCon. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  5. ^ "Last Words With RuPaul's Drag Race's Gia Gunn". 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  6. ^ Bring out the Gunnz (feat. Ryan Miistmak3r) - Single by Gia Gunn on iTunes, 2015-07-31, retrieved 2018-06-14
  7. ^ Stun (feat. Gia Gunn) by Alaska Thunderfuck, 2016-10-14, retrieved 2018-06-14
  8. ^ ""The Switch" Season Two Premieres: Watch Gia Gunn and Kandy Ho Compete for the Crown in Chile!". The WOW Report. 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  9. ^ "Fuera la primera draga boricua de "The Switch"". Metro (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  10. ^ @todotvnews (16 July 2018). "Mega triunfa con el final de su adaptación de RuPaul's Drag Race". ttvnews (in Spanish). todotvmedia. Retrieved 2018-07-16.
  11. ^ "Laganja Estranja and Gia Gunn STUN at the Marco Marco Fashion Show". 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  12. ^ WOWPresents (2018-06-25), TEASER | Follow Me: Gia Gunn - Available Now On WOW Presents Plus!, retrieved 2018-06-26
  13. ^ "This Claws Recap Starring Drag Race Queens Is Everything". E! Online. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  14. ^ Gia Gunn Entertainment (2018-08-29), Gia Gunn - #LaChinaMasLatina ft. Alaska Thunderfuck [Official Video], retrieved 2018-08-31
  15. ^ "Laganja Estranja And Gia Gunn Do A Drag King Makeover In Smokin' New Music Video". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  16. ^ Ferrendi, Brittany. "RuPaul's Gia Gunn Comes Out as Transgender". Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  17. ^ Bollinger, Alex (2017-08-20). "Gia Gunn announces that her birth certificate has been corrected". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  18. ^ "Transgender women on 'Drag Race'? RuPaul's remarks spawn backlash". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  19. ^ ""Drag Race" Star Gia Gunn Is Crowdfunding Her Gender-Confirming Surgeries". LOGO News. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  20. ^ "Alyssa's Secret: Gia Gunn Officially Joins the Haus of Edwards!". The WOW Report. 2016-01-04. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  • Media related to Gia Gunn at Wikimedia Commons
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