Tayce Szura-Radix (stage name Tayce; born 28 May 1994) is a Welsh drag queen, rapper and model from Newport, Wales.[1] She[a] is best known for competing in the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, in which she placed joint runner-up.[2]
Tayce | |
---|---|
Born | Tayce Szura-Radix 28 May 1994 |
Occupation(s) | Drag queen, model |
Years active | 2017–present |
Television | RuPaul's Drag Race UK (series 2) |
Height | 6.1 ft 0 in (186 cm) |
Website | tayce |
Career
edit2017–2020: Pre-Drag Race UK
editTayce moved to London in her late teens. After getting fired from a series of jobs, she became a full-time, professional drag queen in 2017.[3] In June of that year, QX Magazine referred to her as "London's most promising new drag star".[4] In 2018, she became Bougie Drag Brunch's[5] first featured queen, performing regularly alongside other well-known drag queens such as Honey Foxx and eventual Drag Race UK Series Five (2023) contestant Cara Melle.[6]
In January 2020, Tayce attended the inaugural RuPaul's DragCon UK, performing at the event alongside several other queens, including Chicago-based Drag Race Season 9 (2017) runner-up—and eventual winner of All Stars 5—Shea Couleé and Ore-Ho on the main stage.[7]
2020–2021: Drag Race UK Series Two
editIn December 2020, Tayce was announced as one of twelve contestants competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.[2] Tayce won the main challenge in Episode 5 "The RuRuvision Song Contest" (alongside A'Whora, Bimini Bon-Boulash and Lawrence Chaney). However, she also landed in the "bottom two" four times, and had to lip-sync in order to stay in the competition. She won her first three lip-syncs, and sent home Cherry Valentine, Sister Sister and A'Whora. Her performance in the lip sync against Cherry Valentine, to the Cats song 'Memory', went viral.[8] Her fourth lip-sync against Ellie Diamond was declared a "double-shantay", with neither queen being eliminated. Tayce was the first ever contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race UK to survive four lip-syncs and win three of them, and is therefore often called a "lip-sync assassin".[9] She made it to the finale and, alongside Bimini, placed joint runner-up to Lawrence Chaney.
2021–present: Post-Drag Race success; breakthrough into modelling, presenting, and music
editTayce frequently performs at nightclubs, predominantly in London and New York.[10] In May 2021, she was a featured performer at Drive Time Drag, a drag drive-in show which was the first of its kind in the UK.[11] Tayce embarked on the sold out United Kingdolls Tour (alongside A'Whora, Bimini Bon-Boulash and Lawrence Chaney) with promoter Klub Kids in July 2021,[12] and in February 2022 Tayce embarked on RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour (alongside the entire cast of the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK), in association with World of Wonder and promoter Voss Events.[13] In September 2022, Tayce launched a solo tour across the UK, The Assassination Tour, with promoter Klub Kids.[14] In September 2023, Tayce joined Voss Events' Night of the Living Drag tour across the US alongside international RuPaul's Drag Race alumni.[15]
Other ventures
editBrand campaigns
editIn March 2021, Tayce was announced as an ambassador for Coca-Cola's "Open That Cola!" campaign in the United Kingdom.[16]
In April 2021, Tayce, alongside fellow Drag Race contestant A'Whora, co-launched The Bluebella Pride Collection, a lingerie line by brand Bluebella. Proceeds from the collection were donated to the Kaleidoscope Trust, a British non-profit which promotes the abolition of anti-gay laws in the Commonwealth.[17] In June 2021, Tayce partnered with Boohoo owned fashion brand Nasty Gal for a 60-piece gender neutral capsule collection.[18][19]
In April 2022, Tayce teamed up with Absolut Vodka, Chet Lo, and the Institute of Digital Fashion for the #BornToMix campaign, in which Tayce modelled a digital dress designed by Chet Lo.[20]
Modelling
editTayce is currently signed with Models 1, the largest modelling agency in Europe.[21] She has walked runways for designer brands such as Richard Quinn, The Blonds, EgonLab, and Namilia.[22][23][24] She has also modelled in two Jean Paul Gaultier fragrance campaigns.
Hosting and radio
editTayce has been a frequent collaborator with the BBC (especially BBC Radio 1 and BBC Sounds). In August 2021, she presented the Saturday breakfast show slot on BBC Radio 1 from 9:30am, alongside Clara Amfo, as part of Drag Day also featuring Tayce's fellow Series 2 contestants: Bimini Bon-Boulash and Lawrence Chaney, as well as DJ Jodie Harsh.[25] Tayce has also presented a mindfulness-based programme in collaboration with BBC Radio 1 Relax (a BBC Sounds exclusive subsidiary of BBC Radio 1).[26] Since 2021, Tayce has hosted MTV's Queerpiphany alongside Munroe Bergdorf.[27] In June 2024 Tayce presented the Sky TV original documentary ‘’Striking With Pride - United at the Coal Face’’ [28] where she tells children the real story behind the 2015 hit film Pride
Music
editIn December 2022, Tayce released her debut rap single, "Swagzilla".[29] In November 2023, she was featured on Jan Sport's single "For You Only".[30]
Personal life
editTayce's father is Roger Radix, a former bass guitarist for Wham![31] She currently resides in Streatham, South London, England; she formerly lived and had a brief relationship with fellow RuPaul's Drag Race UK contestant A'Whora.[32]
On episode eight of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Tayce opened-up about how being diagnosed with chlamydia and gonorrhea at the age of 18 damaged her self-esteem, and altered her perceptions surrounding relationships and sexuality due to feelings of shame and guilt.[33] Tayce's openness when discussing this experience was commended for breaking stigmas around sexually transmitted infections, including by the Terrence Higgins Trust, a British charity.[34]
Tayce is gay, and uses she/her pronouns while in-drag, and he/him pronouns while out-of-drag.[35][36]
Filmography
editTelevision
editYear | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Your Face or Mine | Themselves | Series 5, Episode 6 | [37] |
2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK | Contestant | Series 2 Runner-up | [2] |
Richard Quinn A/W21 | Herself (cameo) | Fashion film | [38] | |
Celebrity Gogglebox | Herself | alongside Tia Kofi | [39] | |
Queerpiphany | Herself | Co-host | [40] | |
Be Here, Be Queer | Herself | Netflix special | [41] | |
2023 | The National Lottery's New Year's Eve Big Bash | Herself | alongside Baga Chipz, Cheryl Hole, Kitty Scott-Claus and Cara Melle | [42] |
2024 | Striking With Pride - United at the Coal Face | Herself | Sky Documentaries, Story Films, alongside Jonathon Blake, Beaufort male Choir | [43] |
Music videos
editAs lead artist
Year | Title | Ref |
---|---|---|
2023 | "Swagzilla" | [44] |
As guest appearance
Year | Title | Artist | Ref |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | "Levitating" (The Blessed Madonna Remix featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott) | Dua Lipa | [45] |
"Baby" | Madison Beer | [46] | |
2021 | "My House" | Jodie Harsh | [47] |
"Confetti" | Little Mix | [48] |
Radio
editYear | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Radio 1 Breakfast with Tayce & Clara Amfo | Herself | BBC Radio 1 | [25] |
Web series
editYear | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | The Gold Rush | Herself | TrashTV | [49] |
2021 | Cosmo Queens UK | Herself | Cosmopolitan UK | [50] |
2022 | God Shave the Queens | Herself | Featured queen | [51] |
Bring Back My Girls | Herself | Guest | [52] | |
2024 | Very Delta | Herself | Guest | [53] |
Discography
editAs lead artist
editTitle | Year | Peaks | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
UK [54] |
UK Big Top 40 [55] | |||
"Swagzilla" [29] | 2022 | — | — | Non-album singles |
As featured artist
editTitle | Year | Peaks | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
UK [54] |
UK Big Top 40 [55] | |||
"UK Hun?"[56] (among The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Season 2) |
2021 | 27 | 3 | Non-album singles |
"A Little Bit of Love"[57] (among The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Season 2) |
— | — | ||
"For You Only"[58] (Jan feat. Tayce) |
2023 | — | — | Non-album single |
Stage
editYear | Title | Promoter | Locations | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Drive Time Drag | The Parking Lot Social | Bristol, Cheltenham, Coventry | [11] |
2021 | United Kingdolls The Tour | Klub Kids | Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield | [12] |
2021 | MODE | Klub Kids | Amsterdam, Cardiff, London, Manchester | [59] |
2022 | RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour | Voss Events / World Of Wonder | Ipswich, Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Southend, Manchester, Sheffield, Blackpool, Llandudno, Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Plymouth, London, Derby, Bristol, Bradford, Aberdeen, Southampton, Stockton, Brighton, Newport | [13] |
2022 | United Kingdolls Tour | ITD Events / Klub Kids | Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington | [60] |
2022 | Tayce: The Assassination Tour | Klub Kids | London, Reading, Southampton, Bristol, Torquay, Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Dundee, Glasgow, Newcastle, Cardiff | [61] |
2023 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Night of the Living Drag | Voss Events | Niagara Falls, ON, Waterbury, CT, Portland, ME, Albany, NY, Roanoke, VA, Norfolk, VA, Atlantic City, NJ, Bethlehem, PA, Charleston, WV, Evansville, IN, Saint Louis, MO, Ames, IA, Fort Wayne, IN, Nashville, TN, Knoxville, TN, Chattanooga, TN, Shreveport, LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Mobile, AL, Birmingham, AL, Memphis, TN, Hammond, IN, Toledo, OH, Hanover, MD, Newark, NJ | [62] |
Notes
editReferences
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- ^ a b c "RuPaul's Drag Race UK series two". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "Tayce Is The Big-Hearted Welsh Queen Bringing New Meaning To The Word Fierce". British Vogue. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
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- ^ "Bougie Drag Brunch".
- ^ Ali, Joseph (7 March 2022). "'I need more already!' We went to the Bougie Drag Brunch and it was brilliant". WalesOnline. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ Yates, Jonathan (20 January 2020). "RuPaul's DragCon UK". MyLondon. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race UK's Cats lip sync makes judge cry but fans are divided". Digital Spy. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ Street, Mikelle (12 March 2021). "'Drag Race U.K.'s Tayce Joined An Elite Group With the Last Episode". Out. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ "Meet Tayce | RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 2". YouTube. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021.
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- ^ "TAYCE – The Assassination Tour – Clapham Grand, London – Clapham Grand". claphamgrand.com. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ "RuPaul's 'Night of the Living Drag' takes the stage at Stephens Auditorium for an October show". The Ames Tribune. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ Street, Mikelle (24 March 2021). "Drag Race U.K.' Finalist Tayce Is Now a Face of Coca Cola". Out. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (29 April 2021). "Drag Race UK stars Tayce and A'Whora tackle anti-gay laws in fierce Pride campaign". Gay Times . Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (23 June 2021). "Exclusive: Drag Race UK star Tayce is 'pushing out the gender spectrum' with first capsule collection". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Yates, Jonny (23 June 2021). "Drag Race's Tayce on her 'special' fashion range and who she'd go head-to-head with on All Stars". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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- ^ "Breaking Down Paris Men's Fashion Week For You". Voir Fashion. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
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- ^ "Tayce is our Radio 1 Relax dragony aunt! 💜🔮". Twitter. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
- ^ James, Alastair (1 September 2023). "Munroe Bergdorf and Tayce return with Queerpiphany Season 3". Attitude. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
- ^ "Sky Documentaries set to explore the real-life stories featured in the film Pride, in brand-new feature film, Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface". www.skygroup.sky.
- ^ a b SWAGZILLA, 9 December 2022, retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ Pearce, Tilly (18 March 2021). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK's Tayce reveals dad was in Wham! with George Michael and we are stunned". Metro. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- ^ "A'Whora and Tayce make bold statement about Drag Race UK season 2". GAY TIMES. 4 January 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 2 Episode 8". BBC iPlayer. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
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- ^ "Tayce & A'Whora Could Be 'Drag Race UK's Newest Power Couple". Bustle. 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
- ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (13 March 2021). "'Drag was always a protest, a political statement': RuPaul's Drag Race UK finalists open up". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
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- ^ McCormack, Kirsty (8 September 2021). "Celebrity Gogglebox confirms Ashley and Jordan Banjo for line-up with Drag Race stars". Mirror. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ Clark, Conor. "Munroe Bergdorf and Tayce co-host iconic queer pop culture MTV series". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Drag Race UK's The Vivienne, Tia Kofi and more discuss drag in the UK in new Netflix film". Attitude.co.uk. 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "The National Lottery's New Year's Eve Big Bash Episode 1 Week 01 | Press Centre". ITV.com. 4 January 2024. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Sky Documentaries set to explore the real-life stories featured in the film Pride, in brand-new feature film, Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface". www.skygroup.sky.
- ^ TAYCE - SWAGZILLA (OFFICIAL VIDEO), 5 January 2023, retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ "Dua Lipa - Levitating (feat. Madonna and Missy Elliott) [The Blessed Madonna Remix] (Official Video) - YouTube". www.youtube.com. 14 August 2020. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ "Premiere: Madison Beer recruits drag queens Crystal, Asttina, Bimini and Tayce for new Baby video". GAY TIMES. 20 October 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
- ^ Jodie Harsh (5 March 2021), Jodie Harsh - My House (Official Video), archived from the original on 12 March 2021, retrieved 21 March 2021
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- ^ a b "The Official Big Top 40 | Chart for 21 February 2021". The Official Big Top 40. Archived from the original on 23 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
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