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Kevin Aviance
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Kevin Aviance (born Eric Snead on June 22, 1968) is an American drag queen, club/dance musician, fashion designer, and nightclub personality.[1][2] He is a personality in New York City's gay scene and has performed throughout North America, Europe and Asia.[3][4] He is a member of the House of Aviance, one of the most notable vogue-ball houses in the U.S.[5] He is known for his trademark phrase, "Work. Fierce. Over. Aviance!" He won the 1998 and 1999 Glammy Awards, the award for nightlife personalities in New York City.[6] He has worked with several artists, including Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston.[7] In December 2016, Billboard Magazine ranked him as the 93rd most successful dance artist of all time.[8]
Career
[edit]Aviance was raised in Richmond, Virginia, in a close-knit family of eight siblings.[6] His father provided for them as a landscape contractor.[9] From an early age, Aviance dedicated himself to the study of music and theatre, his first experience in drag was in the seventh grade.[5] His early influences were "punk, Boy George, Devo, and Grace Jones".[9] He moved to Washington D.C. where he worked as a hairdresser and did drag performances.[5] He developed a bad crack habit but with help of the House of Aviance he was able to overcome it, after his initiation in the house he took the name Kevin Aviance.[5] He later moved to New York City and made a name for himself as a dancer/performer at Sound Factory, a club mainly for queer Latinos and Blacks.[5] Major DJs and club promoters saw him performing and started hiring him, he became one of a handful of drag performers in NYC able to support themselves solely on performances.[5] His career as a performance artist and club personality began in Washington, DC, continued in Miami, and eventually landed him in New York City. The House of Aviance was founded in 1989 (in Washington, DC) by Mother Juan Aviance.[10] Kevin is regarded as Mother Juan and the House's "oldest daughter".[10] In 1993, Aviance, who was living in Florida at the time, was asked to move to New York City by Mother Juan. He accepted his House Mother's request and shortly after landed a cameo role in Madonna's 1994 Secret video.[10] In July 1999, Aviance performed as part of Billboard's sixth annual Dance Music Summit.[11]
Aviance has appeared in several films, including Flawless starring Robert De Niro and the independent film Punks. Besides his feature-film work he has made guest appearances on such shows as The Tyra Banks Show, and America's Next Top Model, also hosted by Tyra Banks, and worked with artists like Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston.[7] In 2015, Canadian filmmaker Raymond Helkio produced the documentary "WERK. FIERCE. OVAH. Aviance!" which premiered at the 2018 NYC East Village Queer Film Festival.
His songs Din Da Da, Rhythm Is My Bitch, Alive, Give It Up and Strut, have all reached Number 1 of the Billboard dance chart. The only one of his singles not to peak at Number 1 to date is Dance for Love. Aviance's most successful dance radio hit to date is Give It Up released in 2004. His second album, Entity is a more consistent effort than his first.
Hate crime incident
[edit]On June 10, 2006, while exiting the Phoenix, a popular gay bar located in the East Village section of Manhattan, Aviance was robbed and beaten by a group of men who yelled anti-gay slurs at him. Four suspects were arrested under New York's hate-crime law, but reports say up to seven men were involved in the attack.[12] Aviance was not dressed in his gender-bending performance clothes but as a boy. He had to have his jaw wired for a month.[13] He also suffered a fractured knee and neck injuries as well as blows to the face.[14] Despite suffering a broken jaw, he insisted on appearing in the city's gay pride parade later that month.[15]
The four suspects, who ranged between 17 and 21 years old, were charged with gang assault as a hate crime. On March 21, 2007, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between six and fifteen years in prison. Without the plea agreement, they had faced up to 25 years.[16]
Recent times
[edit]Recently, Aviance appeared on the song This is New York City (Bitch!) by the transgender rap group La'Mady from the album Jonny McGovern Presents: This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape.[17] In 2007, Aviance's song Strut was featured as the theme song for the documentary series Indie Sex. In April 2008, Aviance staged a comeback to the club scene and entertainment world, and was reunited on stage with Junior Vasquez, who previously worked together but had become estranged over a professional dispute. At Cielo, a club in New York known for its lighted walls, the tandem performance marked the return to the spotlight for Aviance, performing two of his new hit singles. He most recently recorded a cover of Britney Spears's Gimme More, produced by Jonny McGovern and Adam Joseph on The East Village Mixtape 2: The Legends Ball. In 2022, Aviance's hit song "Cunty" was sampled for 15 seconds on Beyoncé's seventh studio album Renaissance for the track "Pure/Honey".
Albums
[edit]Singles
[edit]- Cunty (The Feeling) (1996) [Strictly Rhythm]
- Hold On Me [with Tom Stephan & The S-Man]
- Din Da Da (1997)[20]
- Join In The Chant (1998)[21]
- Rhythm Is My Bitch (1999)[9]
- Dance For Love (2000)[21]
- Alive (2002)[22]
- Give It Up (2004)[18]
- Strut (2007)[23]
- Gimme More (Aviance) (2008) [Gay/Nerd Music]
- Avi'ously Aviance (2014) featuring EJ Aviance, Kevin Aviance, Perry Aviance and Mother Juan Aviance; produced by David Ohana Aviance. Released on Aviance Records[24]
Filmography
[edit]- Punks, UrbanWorld (2000) as "Miss Smokie" a club owner, Patrick-Ian Polk, director.[25]
- Freaks, Glam Gods and Rockstars, RyanIsland Films (2001), John T. Ryan director.[26]
- "Naked Fame", Regent Here! Films (2005), Christopher Long, director.[27]
- "WERK. FIERCE. OVAH. Aviance!", The Reading Salon, Raymond Helkio, director.[28]
- "Wig"', HBO Films (2019), Chris Moukarbel, director[29]
- "How Do I Look"', Art From The Heart Films (2008), Wolfgang Busch, director[30]
See also
[edit]- House of Aviance
- Mother Juan Aviance
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- Ball culture
- List of Number 1 Dance Hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- How Do I Look website, about the Harlem Drag Balls [3]
- Violence against LGBT people
References
[edit]- ^ Munoz, 423-42.
- ^ Lust, 177.
- ^ Munoz, 423-4.
- ^ Wright, 85.
- ^ a b c d e f Munoz, 435.
- ^ a b c Quohnos Mitchell, "Next: On the Verge- Kevin Aviance", page 106, Vibe, October 2000.
- ^ a b New York Times "Fourth Man Is Arrested After Attack on a Dance Recording Artist in the East Village", By KAREEM FAHIM and SARAH GARLAND (June 12, 2006) [1]
- ^ "GREATEST OF ALL TIME TOP DANCE CLUB ARTISTS" [in] Billboard Magazine
- ^ a b c Anderson jones, "Freaks and Beats", pages 59-60, The Advocate, April 11, 2000.
- ^ a b c House of Aviance
- ^ "Dance Music Summit Update", page 24, Billboard, July 10, 1999.
- ^ Singer Aviance leaves N.Y. hospital after beating from USA Today, date June 12, 2006
- ^ Boyd, 297.
- ^ Pezzote, 41.
- ^ Rain Can't Dim N.Y. Gay Pride Parade from the New York Daily News, date June 25, 2006
- ^ "Four Guilty In Kevin Aviance Gay Bashing". 365gay. 21 March 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2007.
- ^ "Gay Pimpin' with Jonny McGovern". Season 6. Episode 1. January 14, 2008.
- ^ a b Larry Flick, "The Dive Testifies: Gender Bender Kevin Aviance Talks About Dipping Into Both Dance Music And Gospel", page 62, The Advocate, November 11, 2003.
- ^ Stephen Daw, "Kevin Aviance Cements His Legacy With First Solo Album In Over Two Decades: 'Music Saved My Life'", https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/kevin-aviance-beyonce-hippopotamus-new-album-legacy-1236083486/, October 10, 2025.
- ^ Warwick, 90.
- ^ a b Larry Flick, "Nervous 'Future Progression' A Superlative Showcase", Page 40-1, Billboard, September 12, 1998.
- ^ Michael Paoletta, "Videoclips Gain As Tool For Dance acts", pages 1, 36, Billboard, March 22, 2003.
- ^ Michael Paoletta, "Inside Track: I Am What I Am", page 78, Billboard, July 1, 2006.
- ^ "AVI'OUSLY AVIANCE"' FEAT. EJ, KEVIN, PERRY & MOTHER AVIANCE PRODUCED BY DAVID OHANA AVIANCE [in] Aviance Records [2] Archived 2017-12-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Willis, 202.
- ^ Willis, 181.
- ^ Willis (2006), 194.
- ^ "WERK. FIERCE. OVAH. Aviance!". Raymond Helkio. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
- ^ "HBO's Wigstock Doc Remembers a Time 'When Drag Was Punk Rock'". 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Home". HowDoILooknyc.org.
Bibliography
[edit]- Boyd, Helen, She's not the man I married: my life with a transgender husband, Seal Press, 2007, ISBN 1-58005-193-6, ISBN 978-1-58005-193-4.
- Lust, Erika, Good Porn: A Woman's Guide, Seal Press, 2010, ISBN 1-58005-306-8, ISBN 978-1-58005-306-8.
- Munoz, Jose Esteban, "Gesture, Ephemera, and Queer Feeling: Approaching Kevin Aviance" in Dancing desires: choreographing sexualities on and off the stage, edited by Jane Desmond, Univ of Wisconsin Press, 2001, ISBN 0-299-17054-3, ISBN 978-0-299-17054-7.
- Pezzote, Angelo, Straight Acting: Gay Men, Masculinity and Finding True Love, Kensington Publishing Corp., 2008, ISBN 0-7582-1943-1, ISBN 978-0-7582-1943-5.
- Warwick, Neil, Jon Kutner, Tony Brown, The complete book of the British charts: singles & albums, Omnibus Press, 2004, ISBN 1-84449-058-0, ISBN 978-1-84449-058-5.
- Willis, John, Tom Lynch, Barry Monush, Screen World, Volume 53; Volume 2002, Hal Leonard Corporation, 2003, ISBN 1-55783-599-3, ISBN 978-1-55783-599-4.
- Willis, John, Barry Monush, Screen World Film Annual: Volume 57, r Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006, ISBN 1-55783-706-6, ISBN 978-1-55783-706-6.
- Wright, Kai, Drifting toward love: black, brown, gay, and coming of age on the streets of New York, Beacon Press, 2008, ISBN 0-8070-7968-5, ISBN 978-0-8070-7968-3.
External links
[edit]- Official Myspace Page
- Kevin Aviance at IMDb
- Kevin Aviance on Wave Music Archived 2010-12-05 at the Wayback Machine
- Kevin Aviance Bio Archived 2017-12-25 at the Wayback Machine in House of Aviance official website
Kevin Aviance
View on GrokipediaEarly Life
Childhood and Upbringing
Kevin Aviance, born Eric Snead on June 22, 1968, in Richmond, Virginia, grew up as the sixth of eight children in a close-knit family.<grok:render type="render_inline_citation">Entry into Drag and Nightlife
Aviance, born Eric Snead in Richmond, Virginia, displayed an early affinity for performance by lip-syncing Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" at an elementary school talent show around 1979, at approximately age 10, while dressed in his mother's makeup and clothing.[8] [7] Following high school, he relocated to Washington, D.C., where his professional entry into drag and nightlife commenced as a performance artist and club personality, drawing influences from Grace Jones, Boy George, and David Bowie.[3] There, he affiliated with the House of Aviance, a collective of drag performers, DJs, and artists founded by Juan Aviance, which facilitated his initial roles as a club promoter before transitioning to onstage performances.[3] [9] Aviance's career trajectory included a stint in Miami before he moved to New York City in 1989, joining the New York chapter of the House of Aviance under Mother Juan Aviance and quickly establishing himself in the underground club scene.[8] [9] In New York, he performed at venues such as Sound Factory, mentored by DJ Junior Vasquez, who featured him during voguing events and parties that defined the era's ballroom and club culture.[8]Career
Rise in New York Club Scene (1980s–1990s)
Kevin Aviance, having established himself in Washington, D.C.'s ballroom scene as a member of the House of Aviance during the 1980s, relocated to Miami in 1991 to further develop his performance skills before moving to New York City in 1993.[10][11] In New York, he continued affiliation with the House of Aviance, a collective originating from D.C. but influential in the city's nightlife, and quickly integrated into the underground club culture amid the post-disco era's shift toward house music and voguing.[3] His background in dance and theater, honed from childhood influences like Grace Jones and David Bowie, positioned him for prominence in venues catering to queer audiences of color.[3] Aviance gained traction as a dancer and drag performer at key Manhattan clubs, including Sound Factory, where he captivated crowds with high-energy routines tailored to queer Latino and Black patrons, and Arena at the Palladium, where he secured weekly main-stage slots under DJ Junior Vasquez starting around 1993.[12][10] These performances often featured rapid outfit changes—up to 12 per set—and unscripted voguing and lip-syncs extending into early morning hours, drawing from the era's ballroom traditions while adapting to house music sets by promoters like Vasquez and Victor Calderone.[10][3] By the mid-1990s, he expanded to clubs like Twilo and Roxy, solidifying his role in the "big room" house scene, which emphasized immersive, all-night events blending performance art with electronic beats.[3] His ascent reflected the diversification of New York's gay nightlife from 1980s exclusivity to 1990s inclusivity for performers outside mainstream circuits, though challenges like self-funding costumes and navigating promoter hierarchies persisted.[10] Aviance's distinctive style—marked by fierce, exaggerated femininity and phrases like "Work. Fierce. Over. Aviance!"—earned him status as a pivotal figure in the underground, influencing subsequent drag and club aesthetics before transitioning to recorded music.[3][13] This period laid the foundation for his broader recognition, with appearances at events like Wigstock and collaborations foreshadowing hits such as "Cunty" in 1996.[14]Musical and Performance Breakthrough (2000s)
In 2000, Aviance released the single "Dance for Love" on vinyl through Wave Music, extending his dance music output from the late 1990s.[15] This track featured house influences typical of his club-oriented style.[15] Aviance's second studio album, Entity, was released on September 16, 2003, comprising 15 tracks including "Alive," "You've Got the Groove," "Give It Up," and "Freak It (Live Out Loud)."[16] The album marked a progression in production quality and consistency compared to his debut, incorporating gospel elements in "Power" and electro styles in select cuts.[17] "Give It Up," issued around 2003–2004, emerged as his most successful dance radio hit to date, achieving notable club play and chart positioning in underground circuits.[18] During this period, Aviance maintained prominence through live performances in New York City's nightlife venues, including a cabaret appearance highlighted for its adaptation of his hits like "Din Da Da" to a stage format.[19] These shows blended drag performance with musical sets, solidifying his role as a multifaceted entertainer in the gay club scene, though no major international tours were documented.[19] The releases and gigs contributed to his growing recognition beyond local ballroom events into broader dance music audiences.Fashion Design and House of Aviance Involvement
Kevin Aviance is recognized as a fashion designer, with his work influencing the elaborate costumes and stylistic presentations integral to his drag performances and nightclub appearances.[20][21] His designs emphasize bold, handcrafted elements, such as spike-adorned bolero jackets, tailored for high-impact visual effect in the nightlife scene.[22] Aviance's fashion endeavors intersect with his longstanding role in the House of Aviance, a pioneering voguing house founded in August 1989 by Mother Juan Aviance in Washington, D.C.[23] The house established its reputation through nightly vogue and runway dance battles, blending competitive dance with fashion-forward runway walks that mimicked high-fashion catwalks.[23][24] As one of the house's eldest members, referred to as its "oldest daughter," Aviance has contributed significantly to its prominence in the ballroom community, where participants compete in categories emphasizing vogueing precision and couture-inspired attire.[7][25] The House of Aviance's activities, including runway performances, have helped sustain voguing's tradition of theatrical fashion expression since the late 1980s.[26]Recent Projects and Collaborations (2010s–Present)
Following his recovery from the 2006 assault, Kevin Aviance continued performing and releasing music sporadically in the 2010s, with a notable collaboration on the album Raw, co-produced with M. Arana and released on October 5, 2015, comprising 13 tracks that paid homage to underground nightlife aesthetics.[27] That same year, he received the Living Legend Award at the GLAM Awards, recognizing his enduring influence in drag and club culture.[3] These efforts aligned with his ongoing role in the House of Aviance, though specific fashion design projects from this period remain undocumented in primary sources. Into the 2020s, Aviance resumed higher-profile musical output, including collaborations with DJ Honey Dijon on "Honey (C*NTY)" in 2024 and the extended mix "Cunty" released February 6, 2025, both emphasizing house and dance genres.[28] He also featured in LP Giobbi's Femme House Radio 114 mix on July 21, 2023.[29] Performances during this decade included a Donna Summer tribute on March 24, 2018; an appearance at the Project GLOW Festival's Secret Garden in Washington, D.C., on April 29, 2023; and a set at the Horst Arts & Music Festival in Vilvoorde, Belgium, in 2023.[30][25][31] Aviance's most recent major project is the album HIPPOPOTAMUS!, released October 10, 2025, via Chervana Music, featuring 15 tracks including "HIPPOPALYPTIC" and collaborations such as with Amanda Lepore; produced by Mr. Gomi, it draws from diverse dance styles and builds on his nightlife legacy.[6][32] Supporting releases include the EPs PULLED and BLOODLINE in 2025.[33] Live promotions for the album encompassed a performance of "Pulled" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" at Sasha Velour's NightGowns on May 31, 2025, and a dedicated HIPPOPOTAMUS LIVE! event at (le) poisson rouge in New York on June 26, 2025.[34][35] These endeavors reflect sustained activity in electronic dance music and performance, with no verified recent fashion-specific collaborations beyond House of Aviance affiliations.Notable Incidents
2006 Assault
On June 10, 2006, Kevin Aviance was assaulted by a group of six or seven young men in Manhattan's East Village while walking home from the gay bar Phoenix on East 13th Street.[36][37] The attack occurred around 1:30 a.m. on East 14th Street near First Avenue, where the perpetrators shouted anti-gay slurs, threw garbage bags and a paint can at him, and then punched and kicked him in the face and body.[36][38] Aviance, who was not in drag attire at the time, sustained a broken jaw, bruised knee, and other injuries; passersby did not intervene as the assault unfolded.[39][40] Three suspects—Akino George, Jarell Sears, and an unnamed 16-year-old—were arrested shortly after the incident and charged with first-degree assault as a hate crime.[36] A fourth man was arrested the following day, bringing the total arraigned to four, all facing the same charges without entering pleas at the time.[41][38] Aviance was treated at Beth Israel Medical Center and released within days, expressing determination to continue his performances despite the trauma.[42][37] In March 2007, the four perpetrators pleaded guilty to hate crime and assault charges in a New York court, marking a legal resolution to the case.[43] The incident drew attention to anti-LGBTQ violence in urban nightlife areas, with advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign highlighting it as an example of targeted bias-motivated attacks.[43]Health and Recovery Events
In May 2025, Kevin Aviance was hospitalized in New York City after experiencing severe breathing difficulties over the Memorial Day weekend.[44] [45] He was rushed to the emergency room and diagnosed with septic poisoning and pneumonia, conditions that medical staff described as life-threatening.[45] [46] Doctors informed his team that Aviance was "incredibly lucky to be alive," attributing his survival to prompt intervention.[47] [48] Aviance remained under close monitoring in the hospital, receiving oxygen therapy as part of his treatment.[47] By early June 2025, he had been discharged from the intensive care unit and was continuing his recovery, with updates from his team confirming steady progress.[49] Public statements emphasized the severity of the episode, noting that the dual diagnoses of sepsis and pneumonia posed significant risks, including potential organ failure if untreated.[44] [46] No underlying causes beyond the acute infections were publicly detailed, though the rapid onset highlighted vulnerabilities associated with advanced age and prior physical traumas in Aviance's history.[45] By mid-June 2025, Aviance shared optimistic updates on his condition, describing a "beautiful return to life" amid ongoing rehabilitation efforts.[50] His team expressed gratitude for supporter outreach, which aided his morale during convalescence, though full details on long-term effects or preventive measures were not disclosed.[49] This event marked a notable health scare for the performer, underscoring resilience in the face of medical adversity following decades in high-energy nightlife environments.[48]Works
Discography
Kevin Aviance's discography primarily consists of dance and house music releases, with a focus on singles and EPs from the 1990s onward, alongside sporadic full-length albums. His early work emerged from the New York club scene, featuring high-energy tracks produced for labels like Strictly Rhythm.[1] Later releases shifted toward independent and digital platforms, incorporating collaborations and voguing influences.[33]Studio Albums
| Title | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Box of Chocolates | October 12, 1999 | King Street Sounds |
| Strut | 2007 | Wave Music |
| Gimme More | 2010 | Independent |
| Raw | 2015 | Independent |
| HIPPOPOTAMUS! | 2025 | Independent |
| BEAUTIFUL | May 16, 2025 | Chervana Music |
Singles and EPs
- "Cunty (The Feeling)" (1996, Strictly Rhythm) – Club mix featured voguing elements and became a staple in ballroom culture.[1]
- "Din Da Da" (1997) – Original mixes gained traction in underground dance charts.[33]
- "Join In The Chant" (1998) – Remixed cover emphasizing industrial house beats.[54]
- "Rhythm Is My Bitch" (1999) – Peaked in club rankings, highlighting Aviance's performative style.[54]
- "Give It Up" (2007, single) – Extended play with upbeat house production.[52]
- "BODY" (August 31, 2023, VOSS Music) – House track focusing on body-positive themes in club settings.[53]
- "CUNTY" (2024, collaboration with Honey Dijon) – Reinterpretation of earlier work for modern dance floors.[55]
- "Honey (C*NTY)" (2024) – Single blending vintage and contemporary house sounds.[33]
Filmography
Kevin Aviance has made several appearances in independent films and documentaries, often portraying club performers or appearing as himself in contexts related to drag and nightlife culture. His roles typically draw from his background as a performer in New York's underground scene.[2]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Flawless | Singer | Appeared as a club singer in the crime comedy-drama directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Robert De Niro.[57] [58] |
| 2000 | Punks | Miss Smokie | Portrayed a club owner in the comedy-drama directed by Patrik-Ian Polk, focusing on queer Black experiences in Houston.[59] [58] |
| 2021 | Shoplifters of the World | Amazing Grace | Played a supporting role in the comedy-drama directed by Stephen Kijak, set during the 1980s punk scene amid The Smiths' breakup announcement.[60] [58] |
| 2019 | Wig | Self | Featured in the documentary directed by Chris Moukarbel, exploring the revival of the Wigstock drag festival and New York drag history.[61] [62] |
| 2023 | Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé | Self | Appeared in the concert film documenting Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour, highlighting performance elements.[62] [63] |