Pearl (drag queen)

American drag queen (born 1990)

Pearl

Pearl at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2018

Born|

Matthew James Lent

(1990-09-11) September 11, 1990 (age 34)

St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.

Other names| Pearl Liaison
Occupations|

* Drag queen
* record producer

Years active| 2012–present

Pearl, occasionally known as Pearl Liaison, is the stage name of American drag performer and record producer Matthew James Lent,[1] who came to international attention on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race, finishing joint runner-up.

## Early life

[edit]

Lent grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with his mother and two sisters.[2] He spent time drawing "rich old ladies with big diamond rings and furs" and female nudes, which eventually morphed into his drag persona.[3][4] When first beginning her drag career, she was unable to afford anything besides "thrift store lingerie" and "cheap furs"; however, Pearl has stated that she cared more about her makeup and wigs than the quality of her outfits, and that the aesthetics of what she previously illustrated translated easier with her cheaper wardrobe than "fashionable garments".[4]

## Drag career

[edit]

After moving to Chicago, Lent began performing in drag in 2012, alongside Kim Chi and Trixie Mattel, using the stage name Pearl.[3] He first went out in public in drag while wearing a "she-devil" outfit for Halloween alongside Kim Chi.[4] He has described Pearl's persona as a "Stepford wife robot bitch".[5] Lent initially only planned to use drag as a hobby, but quickly began booking gigs at increasing frequency. He later moved to Brooklyn, New York.[3]

In December 2014, after a year and a half of performing in drag, Pearl was announced to be a participant on the seventh season of the Logo TV reality television series RuPaul's Drag Race.[6][4] She had hired a friend of hers who had produced videos for other Drag Race queens, such as DiDa Ritz, to create her audition video, and received her acceptance call 3–4 weeks after moving to Brooklyn.[4] Despite a slow start to the competition, Pearl rebounded to win two main challenges and eventually became a finalist alongside fellow competitors Ginger Minj and Violet Chachki.[7] In the season finale, Violet Chachki was crowned the winner, leaving Pearl as the runner-up.[8] After the series, Pearl claimed that her lack of enthusiasm towards the show while appearing on it was due to an early negative comment towards her by RuPaul which was off-camera : “Nothing you say matters unless that camera is rolling." As a result, she says she has not been invited back for an All Stars series.[9]

Pearl has been described as the drag mother of Scarlet Envy, who appeared on season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race.[10] Pearl denied this in an interview in July 2019, describing Scarlet as a good friend of hers.[11]

In mid-2019, she announced the possibility of moving to Hawaii to live with her boyfriend; however, as of 2023, she is located in Phoenix, Arizona.[4][12]

## Other ventures

[edit]

On June 2, 2015, Lent released the album Pleasure, along with a music video for its first single, "Love Slave".[13] Unlike other albums released by Drag Race alumnae, Pleasure does not feature any vocals from Lent; he instead produced the entire album. The album charted at number eleven on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart and number sixteen on the Heatseekers chart.[14]

On June 2, 2015, Lent announced the release of a fragrance, Flazéda, with perfume company Xyrena.[15][16] In doing so, he became the first Drag Race alumnus member to release a scent. The fragrance started shipping on June 30, 2015.[16]

## Discography

[edit]

Albums
Title  | Details  | Peak
chart
positions

|
|

Dance
[17] | US
Heat
[18]
Pleasure |

* Released: June 2, 2015[19]
* Label: Sidecar Records
* Formats: Digital download

| 11 | 16

Singles
Title  | Year  | Album

|
|

"Love Slave"[20]
(featuring Jaylee Maruk) | 2015  | Pleasure

Other appearances
Title  | Year  | Other artist(s)  | Album

|
|
|

"Hey Booty"[21][22] | 2015  | RuPaul, Miles Davis Moody  | RuPaul Presents: CoverGurlz2

## Filmography

[edit]

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2015  | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself (Contestant)  | Season 7 \- Runner-up  | [23]

### Web series

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

2015  | Untucked | Herself  | Companion web series to RuPaul's Drag Race | [24]

### Music videos

[edit]

Title  | Year  | Director  | Ref.

|
|
|

"Hey Booty"  | 2015  | Matthew James Lent  | [25]
"Love Slave"  | 2015  | Michael Serrato  | [26]

### Music video appearances

[edit]

Title  | Year  | Director  | Ref.

|
|
|

"Bettie"
(Violet Chachki) | 2015  | Michael Serrato  | [27]
"Nerves of Steel"
(Erasure) | 2020  | Brad Hammer  | [28]

## See also

[edit]

* LGBT culture in New York City
* List of LGBT people from New York City
* NYC Pride March

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lock, Isaac (Autumn–Winter 2016). "Pearl: Venus as a Boy". Dazed. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
2. ^ Van Horn, Shea (June 11, 2015). "Shea Van Horn Interviews PEARL". Brightest Young Things. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
3. ^ a b c Lindsay, Benjamin (February 27, 2015). "Flawless Pearl". Next Magazine. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
4. ^ a b c d e f "PEARL: EXPOSED (The Full Interview)". YouTube. July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
5. ^ Fernandez, Cory (May 27, 2015). "A Real Pearl". Out. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
6. ^ Nichols, JamesMichael (December 7, 2015). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season Seven Cast Revealed (PHOTOS)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
7. ^ "RuPaul reveals Drag Race final 3 in holographically dragtastic Born Naked video". Daily Mirror. May 27, 2015.
8. ^ Lee, Stephan (June 2, 2015). "RuPaul's Drag Race season 7 winner talks about being the 'shadiest queen'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
9. ^ "Pearl told she'll 'never return to Drag Race All Stars' following RuPaul drama". August 24, 2018.
10. ^ Rudolph, Christopher (April 5, 2019), "RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE INTERVIEW: SCARLET ENVY: "IF ANYONE WAS THROWN UNDER THE BUS, IT WAS ME"", MTV, archived from the original on April 6, 2019
11. ^ Shepard, Joseph (18 July 2019). "Pearl: Exposed". Youtube. Joseph Shepard. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
12. ^ @pearliaison; (June 23, 2023). "hiii, i'm looking for a sick'ning tattoo artist for large scale pieces in the phoenix, az area 🌵🏜️" - via Instagram.
13. ^ Nichols, JamesMichael (June 3, 2015). "Violet Chachki, Pearl And Ginger Minj, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Finalists, Release New Music". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
14. ^ "Pearl - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
15. ^ O'Donnell, Carey. "Pearl Releases New Signature Fragrance, Flazéda". Logo NewNowNext. Viacom International Inc. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
16. ^ a b "Flazéda By Pearl – Extrait De Parfum". Xyrena. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
17. ^ "Pearl – Chart History – Top Dance/Electronic Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
18. ^ "Pearl – Chart History – Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
19. ^ "iTunes - Music - Pleasure - Album by Pearl". iTunes. 2 June 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
20. ^ "iTunes - Music - Love Slave - Single by Pearl". iTunes. 2 June 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
21. ^ "iTunes - Music - RuPaul Presents CoverGurlz2 by RuPaul". iTunes. 3 February 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
22. ^ "RuPaul Teases "Covergurlz 2," New Album With Season 7 Queens, On Instagram". www.logotv.com. 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
23. ^ Malice, Michael (March 3, 2015). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' 7×1 Recap: No Shame in Being Shallow". Observer. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
24. ^ Untucked: RuPaul's Drag Race Episode 1 - Born Naked. YouTube. March 3, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
25. ^ Pearl - Hey Booty: RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz2. YouTube. February 3, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
26. ^ Pearl - Pleasure - Love Slave (Official). YouTube. June 1, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
27. ^ Violet Chachki - Bettie [Official]. YouTube. June 1, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
28. ^ Erasure (August 11, 2020). "Erasure - Nerves of Steel (Official Video)" (YouTube video). Archived from the original on August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pearl (drag queen).

* Official website Archived from the original on July 16, 2015.
* Pearl at IMDb
* Pearl discography on Discogs

* v
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RuPaul's Drag Race

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Episodes

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Season 2|

* "Snatch Game"

Season 3|

* "Snatch Game"

Season 4|

* "RuPocalypse Now!"
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* "Glamazons vs. Champions"
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* "Snatch Game"
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Season 5|

* "RuPaullywood or Bust"
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* "RuPaul's Big Opening"
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* "Shade: The Rusical"
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Season 7|

* "Born Naked"
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* "ShakesQueer"
* "Spoof! (There It Is)"
* "The DESPY Awards"
* "Ru Hollywood Stories"
* "Snatch Game"
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* "Grand Finale"

Season 8|

* "Keeping It 100!"
* "Bitch Perfect"
* "RuCo's Empire"
* "New Wave Queens"
* "Supermodel Snatch Game"
* "Wizards of Drag"
* "Shady Politics"
* "RuPaul Book Ball"
* "The Realness"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 9|

* "Oh. My. Gaga!"
* "She Done Already Done Brought It On"
* "Draggily Ever After"
* "Good Morning Bitches"
* "Reality Stars: The Musical"
* "Snatch Game"
* "9021-HO"
* "RuPaul Roast"
* "Your Pilot's on Fire"
* "Makeovers: Crew Better Work"
* "Gayest Ball Ever"
* "Category Is"
* "Reunited"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 10|

* "10s Across the Board"
* "PharmaRusical"
* "Tap That App"
* "The Last Ball on Earth"
* "The Bossy Rossy Show"
* "Drag Con Panel Extravaganza"
* "Snatch Game"
* "The Unauthorized Rusical"
* "Breastworld"
* "Bossy Rossy RuBoot"
* "Social Media Kings Into Queens"
* "Evil Twins"
* "American"
* "Queens Reunited"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 11|

* "Whatcha Unpackin?"
* "Good God Girl, Get Out"
* "Diva Worship"
* "Trump: The Rusical"
* "Monster Ball"
* "The Draglympics"
* "From Farm to Runway"
* "Snatch Game at Sea"
* "L.A.D.P.!"
* "Dragracadabra"
* "Bring Back My Queens!"
* "Queens Everywhere"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 12|

* "I'm That Bitch"
* "You Don't Know Me"
* "World's Worst"
* "The Ball Ball"
* "Gay's Anatomy"
* "Snatch Game"
* "Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical"
* "Droop"
* "Choices 2020"
* "Superfan Makeover"
* "One-Queen Show"
* "Viva Drag Vegas"
* "Reunited: Alone Together"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 13|

* "The Pork Chop"
* "Condragulations"
* "Phenomenon"
* "RuPaulmark Channel"
* "The Bag Ball"
* "Disco-mentary"
* "Bossy Rossy RuBoot"
* "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical"
* "Snatch Game"
* "Freaky Friday Queens"
* "Pop! Goes the Queens"
* "Nice Girls Roast"
* "Henny, I Shrunk the Drag Queens!"
* "Gettin' Lucky"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 14|

* "Big Opening Number 1"
* "Big Opening Number 2"
* "A Pair of Balls"
* "She's a Super Tease"
* "Save a Queen"
* "Glamazon Prime"
* "The Daytona Wind"
* "60s Girl Groups"
* "Menzeses"
* "Snatch Game"
* "An Extra Special Episode"
* "Moulin Ru: The Rusical"
* "The Ross Mathews Roast"
* "Catwalk"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 15|

* "One Night Only, Part 1"
* "One Night Only, Part 2"
* "All Queens Go to Heaven"
* "Supersized Snatch Game"
* "House of Fashion"
* "Old Friends Gold"
* "The Daytona Wind 2"
* "Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown"
* "The Crystal Ball"
* "50/50's Most Gagworthy Stars"
* "Two Queens, One Joke"
* "Wigloose: The Rusical!"
* "Teacher Makeovers"
* "Blame It on the Edit"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 16|

* "Rate-A-Queen"
* "Queen Choice Awards"
* "The Mother of All Balls"
* "RDR Live!"
* "Girl Groups"
* "Welcome to the DollHouse"
* "The Sound of Rusic"
* "Snatch Game"
* "See You Next Wednesday"
* "Werq the World"
* "Corporate Queens"
* "Bathroom Hunties"
* "Drag Race Vegas Live! Makeovers"
* "Booked and Blessed"
* "Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown – Reunited"
* "Grand Finale"

Season 17|

* "Squirrel Games"
* "Drag Queens Got Talent – Part 2"
* "Monopulence!"
* "Bitch, I'm a Drag Queen!"
* "RDR Live!"
* "Let's Get Sea Sickening Ball"
* "Snatch Game"
* "The Wicked Wiz of Oz: The Rusical!"
* "Heavens to Betsey!"
* "The Villains Roast"
* "Ross Mathews vs. The Ducks"
* "Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent Monologues"
* "Drag Baby Mamas"
* "How's Your Headliner?"
* "Lip Sync Lalaparuza Smackdown"
* "Grand Finale"

Contestants

| Winners|

* BeBe Zahara Benet
* Tyra Sanchez
* Raja
* Sharon Needles
* Jinkx Monsoon
* Bianca Del Rio
* Violet Chachki
* Bob the Drag Queen
* Sasha Velour
* Aquaria
* Yvie Oddly
* Jaida Essence Hall
* Symone
* Willow Pill
* Sasha Colby
* Nymphia Wind
* Onya Nurve

* Acacia Forgot
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* April Carrión
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* Ariel Versace
* Asia O'Hara
* Aura Mayari
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* Bosco
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* Chad Michaels
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