Leona Winter (formerly known as Miss Leona) is a French drag queen, singer and the winner of the second season of The Switch Drag Race.
She later competed on the first season of Queen of the Universe.
Leona would return to Drag Race on the third season of Drag Race France.
Quick Answers
What inspired the name 'Leona Winter'?
Which seasons of Drag Race did Leona Winter compete in?
How did Leona Winter perform in the Queen of the Universe competition?
What is the origin of Leona Winter's drag career?
Drag Name Origin
Her drag name comes from her love with lions and how they represent a quiet strength, a part of her personality. She is also a huge fan of Leona Lewis.
When she started doing drag, she worked with Lady Diamond, and decided to use "Miss" to keep the same line.
She decided to remove the "Miss" from her name, since she competed in Miss Europa Continental and it is no longer possible to have Miss as your name, and you can't win a "Miss" if you already have one.
Winter comes from the fact that she wanted her initials to look like her husband's, Lorenzo Werner (LW) and also because it goes with a commercial for Continental Europe of Miss Universe in Chicago, in which her photo had the phrase "Winter is coming" as in the show Game Of Thrones.[6][7]
Track Records
Statistics | The Switch Season 2 |
France Season 3 |
---|---|---|
Ranking: | 1st Place (Winner) |
3rd/4th Place |
Maxi Challenges Won: | 2 (Week 7, 11) | 1 (Ep. 4) |
Mini Challenges Won: | 0 | 0 |
Times as Team Captain: | 0 | 0 |
Times in Bottom: | 1 (Week 6) | 1 (Ep. 7) |
Episode Eliminated: | N/A | Episode 8 |
Memorable Quotes
The Switch Drag Race Season 2
Queen of the Universe Season 1
- "The French Revolution has started, every girl on her own!"
Drag Race France Season 3
- "Préparez-vous pour une avalanche de frissons !" (entrance quote)
- "Je ne suis pas venu ici pour souffrir okay ?"
- "♪Du lionceau à la lionne qui parcourt le monde. Du glamour, je rayonne sans perdre une seconde. Retenez bien ce nom-là. Car Leona c'est moi !♪" (verse in Voulez-Vous Drag Race Avec Moi Ce Soir?)
Songs
Week | Song Selection | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" by Édith Piaf | ADV |
3 | "The Winner Takes It All" by ABBA | BTM3 |
4 | "Friends Forever" by La Voix and Leona Winter | ELIM |
Trivia
- Leona is the youngest contestant from the foreign team on The Switch Drag Race Season 2, being 21 years old at the time of competing.
- Leona is the second French queen to appear on The Switch Drag Race after Yume Hime.
- Leona was born in Ceret, the South of France.
- Leona started taking dance classes when she was eight, singing classes at the age of nine and theater classes at the age of twelve.
- Leona started doing drag at the age of seventeen.
- Leona resided in Barcelona before participating in The Switch Drag Race.
- In 2017, Leona Winter was the winner of the Miss Continental prelim pageant Miss Europe Continental in 2017. She was the winner of the Miss Latina Continental prelim in 2018.
- Leona is a countertenor baritone with a three-octave voice.[8]
- Leona competed on the eighth season of the French version of The Voice in 2019 where she was a semi-finalist.
- Coincidentally, she joined Jenifer's team and would later be judged by her again on Drag Race France where she was a guest judge in the first episode of the third season.
- In 2018, Leona revealed that she was called by the producers of RuPaul's Drag Race upon winning the second season of The Switch Drag Race. However, she stated that she believed the format was not for her at the time.[9] Later, in 2021, she would compete on another World of Wonder production with Queen of the Universe and eventually in 2024, compete on the traditional Drag Race format with Drag Race France.
- This makes her the first winner to compete on Drag Race again while still reigning, this being due to the status of The Switch Drag Race being on an indefinite hiatus.
- Leona is married to Lorenzo Werner.
- Leona and Lorenzo got married in Arles-sur-Tech, a small town in the south of France.
- Leona and Lorenzo both chose to wear blue suits for their wedding. Leona chose to add a long train to her suit as a reference to her drag character.
- Leona and Le Filip are the first contestants to Lip Sync for the Win on Drag Race France.
Gallery
Drag Race France Season 3
Drag Race France Season 3 Looks
Filmography
TV
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | The Switch Drag Race (Season 2) | Self | Contestant (Placed 1st) | |
2019 | The Voice France (Season 8) | Self | Contestant (Placed Semi-Finalist) | |
2020 | Les Anges (Season 12) | Self | ||
2021 | Queen of the Universe (Season 1) | Self | Contestant (Placed 6th) | |
2024 | Drag Race France (Season 3) | Self | Contestant (Placed 3rd/4th) |
Discography
Singles and EPs
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2020 | "Como Soy" |
Appearances/Features
Year | Title | Artwork | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | "Friends Forever" | ![]() |
by Queens of the Universe |
2021 | "Every Day is a Holiday When You're a Drag Queen" |
![]() |
by Queens of the Universe |
External Links
References
Winner | Miss Leona |
---|---|
Runners-Up | 2nd, 3rd & 4th: Gia Gunn, Pavel Arámbula & Sofía Camará |
Other Contestants | 5th: Fernanda Brown • 6th: Diva Houston • 7th: Rochelle Mon Chéri • 8th: Kandy Ho • 9th: Luz Violeta (Quit) • 10th: Arianda Sodi • 11th: Laura Bell • 12th: Marie Laveau • 13th: Luna di Mauri • 14th: Francisca Del Solar • 15th: Pakita |
Host | Karla Constant |
Judges | Nicole Gaultier • Íngrid Cruz • Óscar Mediavilla |
Coaches | Álvaro Véliz • Darwin Ruz • Íngrid Cruz • Karla Constant • Nicanor Bravo • Nicole Gaultier • Patricia Maldonado |
Winner | Grag Queen |
---|---|
Runners-Up | 2nd: Ada Vox • 3rd: Aria B Cassadine |
Other Contestants | 4th & 5th: La Voix & Rani Ko-HE-Nur • 6th: Leona Winter • 7th & 8th: Gingzilla & Regina Voce • 9th: Matante Alex • 10th-14th: Betty Bitschlap, Chy'enne Valentino, Jujubee, Novaczar & Woowu |
Host | Graham Norton |
Judges | Leona Lewis • Michelle Visage • Trixie Mattel • Vanessa Williams |
Winner | Le Filip |
---|---|
Runners-Up | 2nd: Ruby On The Nail • 3rd & 4th: Leona Winter & Lula Strega |
Other Contestants | 5th: Misty Phoenix • 6th: Perseo • 7th: Norma Bell (Miss Sympathie) • 8th: Edeha Noire • 9th: Magnetica • 10th: Afrodite Amour |
Host | Nicky Doll |
Judges | Daphné Bürki • Kiddy Smile • Nicky Doll |
Pit Crew | Jérôme Prun • Lazaro Cuervo Costa • Pierre-Antoine Brunet • Silvano Frere • Léon Chappuis |