Today we’d like to introduce you to Nayda Montana.
Nayda, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I moved to the DFW area in 2014 as a young, freshly out gay man. Being from a small town East Texas and a foster kid, I knew next to nothing about gay culture. Moving brought on friends that eventually exposed me to the scene, and one of my first experiences was seeing a drag show. I’ll never forget seeing my first show and being absolutely blown away at the fact that these people were doing this for a living!
I had been lip syncing with a towel around my head in my room for as long as I can remember! I knew immediately I wanted to do drag, so I started teaching myself makeup, hair and all the wonderful aspects of drag until I felt comfortable enough to step out of my room.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Doing drag has definitely not been a cake walk. One thing I feel like people don’t talk about is the almost identity crisis you encounter doing drag. You begin to express yourself so outward and open you can sometimes wonder if you’re truly being yourself. Not to mention the incredible competition within the drag community and the constant pressure to be the best is enough to crack anyone. You definitely have to be thick skinned to do drag.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Something about my drag and my personality that sets me apart is my experience. I see life from a different lens than most because of the hardships I’ve faced. My drag is all about being the fierce pop star dream you had as a teenager but thought you would never live that dream, but I feel like I’m living it now. I’m most proud of my dedication to drag and no matter how many times I’ve been knocked down I’ve always gotten back up. I’m known for being Miss Montana, not to be confused with the bitch named Hannah 😉
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One of my favorite memories was listening to music and pretending as if I was performing for a crowd of thousands because that’s the same exact energy I channel every time I perform in drag.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @naydamontana
- Facebook: Nayda Montana
- Twitter: @naydamontana
Image Credit:
Eric Richard Magnussen
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
