'RuPaul's Drag Race' star Chi Chi DeVayne dies at age 34, co-stars pay tribute to lip-sync assassin
Chi Chi DeVayne, a drag queen who competed on two seasons of ‘RuPaul's Drag Race’ died at the age of 34 on Thursday, August 20.
“I am heartbroken to learn of the passing of Chi Chi DeVayne,” RuPaul said in a statement. “I am so grateful that we got to experience her kind and beautiful soul. She will be dearly missed but never forgotten. May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all.”
The news of the drag queen's death comes less than a week after she informed her Instagram followers that she was in the hospital. “Keep me in your prayers. I'll be back soon,” DeVayne said in a video on her Instagram Story on August 15. But that wasn’t her first stint in the hospital. In July, DeVayne was hospitalized with high blood pressure and suspected kidney failure.
At that time, she informed fans that she had catheters to her heart and kidneys surgically installed before undergoing dialysis treatment. She was discharged later that month. DeVayne was diagnosed with scleroderma, a condition that attacks various internal organs in 2018.
Born Zavion Davenport, DeVayne was a native of Shreveport, Louisiana. She rose to national prominence on season 8 of ‘RuPaul's Drag Race’, finishing in fourth place. Her performance on the season led her to be invited back on ‘All-Stars’ Season 3, where she finished in sixth place.
In addition to her appearances on ‘RuPaul's Drag Race’, DeVayne had a role in season 1 of the Apple TV+ series ‘Little America’. She also appeared on fellow ‘Drag Race’ alum Yuhua Hamasaki's ‘Bootleg Opinions’ YouTube series. DeVayne is the second contestant from ‘Drag Race’ to have died since the show began. The first being the death of season 2 contestant Sahara Davenport, who died of heart failure in 2012.
Her death has led to a stream of broken hearts from friends and fans alike. Fellow ‘Drag Race’ contestant Trinity K. Bonet wrote on Instagram, “Well that just f***ed my week up...... my god... keep us covered and safe! Love you lil sister..rest on.”
Another ‘Drag Race’ alum Kennedy Davenport wrote on Twitter, “I'm so numb right now my heart is broken into pieces.. I couldn't even get to see her. I love you always chichi. My dancing angel..”
Im so num right now my heart is broken into peaces.. I couldnt even got see her. 😪😪 I love you always chichi. My dancing angel..
— Kennedy Davenport The Dancing Diva of Texas (@kennedyddoftx) August 20, 2020
‘Drag Race’ alum BeBe Zahara Benet wrote on Twitter, “Chi Chi. My heart is breaking. You were such a light, a rare talent, a kind, and generous spirit, and a force of nature on the stage. Rest well, sister.”
Chi Chi 💔 My heart is breaking. You were such a light, a rare talent, a kind and generous spirit and a force of nature on the stage. Rest well, sister. 🕊 pic.twitter.com/XRkxnjzisq
— BeBe Black Lives Matter Benet (@BeBeZaharaBenet) August 20, 2020
A Twitter user wrote, “I’m absolutely heartbroken right now, sending all my love to chichi’s friends and family, may she rest easy.”
i’m absolutely heartbroken right now, sending all my love to chichi’s friends and family, may she rest easy 💔 pic.twitter.com/tT2V4YycVG
— drag race struggle tweets (@rpdrstruggles) August 20, 2020
Many fans shared their favorite moments of DeVayne on ‘Drag Race’. One wrote, “Let’s remember chi chi as the lipsync assassin she is. Rest in power icon.” One of DeVayne’s claim-to-fame on ‘Drag Race’ was winning over hearts as a lip-sync assassin. Her most notable performance was Jennifer Holiday's ‘And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going’, a performance that has gone down as one of the best in the show’s history.
let’s remember chi chi as the lipsync assassin she is.🖤 rest in power icon😢 pic.twitter.com/JTHQ5PtS73
— dуℓαη | #1 Honeymoon stan 🤍 (@dyldodelreyy) August 20, 2020
