From villain to heroine, Kandy Muse has officially ascended to the heights of reality TV royalty. The two-time Drag Race runner up and House of Villains star has been named among 30 of reality TV’s most iconic women.
Variety included Muse on its annual list of “30 Most Powerful Women on Reality TV.” The drag star competed in the 13th season of Drag Race in 2021 and the 8th season of All Stars in 2023, landing herself in the top two spots both times. Most recently, she starred in the currently ongoing second season of House of Villains on E!, for which Variety honored her.
“A two-time runner-up from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ Muse has won the hearts of ‘House of Villains’ viewers with her charisma and fearless messiness,” the outlet wrote. “Her talents have found the exact right medium here, and to Kandy we say, ‘Sashay, you stay.’”
“Messiness” might be something of an understatement, as Muse became a favorite target for haters on the internet throughout her tenure on Drag Race. Known for being outspoken and unafraid to stir the pot, Muse has brought an electric energy to reality TV whether you love her or hate her.
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“I’ve always been very Latino, in your face,” Muse explained to INTO in a 2022 interview. “I’m from the South Bronx, born and raised in New York City — I can’t hide me being a queer, Brown, person of color. And when I started drag, that just amplified everything that I was times 10.”
Her confidence fit right in on House of Villains. The series is something of its own All-Stars, bringing together the most notorious villains from across reality TV to compete for the title of America’s Ultimate Supervillain.
Muse was recently eliminated (or ‘banished’) from the house, finishing in sixth place. But her appearance on the show did make history as she became the first ever drag queen featured on House of Villains.
Now, she’s looking to continue that momentum and expand her reach beyond the Drag Race ecosystem. Her next reality TV gig has her headed to the snowy north, where she and five other drag queens will live together on a winter retreat in the upcoming Canadian series Slaycation. She has previously stated she will never return to Drag Race after her experience with the dark side of the fandom.
The six episode first season of Slaycation premieres on Crave on December 31.
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