KEVIN AVIANCE
Beyoncé’s Renaissance provided everyone with their summer soundtrack and legendary drag performer Kevin Aviance had a little something to do with the album’s heat. Aviance, who uses both he and she pronouns, was thrusted back into the spotlight when Beyoncé sampled their 1996 song “Cunty” at the top of Queen Bey’s song “Pure/Honey.” Aviance admitted to Variety that he had no idea the song was being sampled and it was a friend who revealed that he had been given credit on the song. “She is a goddess to me,” Aviance said. The drag diva has had a long career and the resurgence of the number one Billboard hit has only given him more of a reason to continue providing the tunes and beats heard in clubs around the world. Let’s give the iconic Kevin Aviance his flowers. —K.M.