Aura Mayari is the stage name of Jay-R de Leon,[2] a Filipino-American drag performer most known for competing on the fifteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[3]

Aura Mayari
Photograph of a person wearing a black-and-gold outfit
Aura Mayari at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2023
Born
Jay-R de Leon

OccupationDrag queen
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race (season 15)
Websiteauramayari.com

Early life

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Jay-R de Leon was born and raised in the Philippines. His family struggled living there and relocated to the United States in 2003,[4] when de Leon was a child.[5][6] de Leon's family lived in Chicago.[7]

Career

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Aura Mayari at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2023

de Leon discovered drag in Chicago. He began performing at Play in Nashville, Tennessee.[6]

In 2023, de Leon competed as Aura Mayari on the fifteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[5] She won the girl group challenge[8] and placed eleventh overall.[9][10] Aura Mayari was eliminated on the seventh episode after placing in the bottom two in an acting challenge, then losing a lip-sync battle against Jax to "Sweetest Pie" (2022) by Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion.[11][12][13] Aura Mayari later admitted she had forgotten the lyrics to the song and mouthed gibberish.[14] She also said "lack of sleep and the construction of her runway 'limited' her performance", according to Gay Times.[15]

Queerty's Cameron Scheetz called her time on the show "memorable" and said "she served up some fierce dance moves, sickening runway fashion, and enough 'boy Aura' photos to earn the (self-proclaimed) moniker of the 'horniest queen of the season'".[16] The website also described her as "the world’s premier Filipino-American frat bro turned drag sorority sis".[17] Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly described her as "the trade" of the season.[18]

Personal life

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According to Vogue, Aura Mayari is "named after the goddess of the moon and the ruler of the night in Kapampangan mythology".[5] Her name is also inspired by the Filipino gay slang term "awra".[19][20]

On the season 15 reunion episode, de Leon revealed he is engaged to be married.[9]

Discography

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Title Year Album Ref.
"One Night Only"
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race season 15)
2023 Non-album singles [21]
"Golden Years (Rockin' Old Gs)"
(with Malaysia Babydoll Foxx, Sasha Colby & Spice)
[22]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 15) Herself/Contestant 11th place [23]
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked

Web series

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2023 Meet the Queens Herself Stand-alone special
RuPaul's Drag Race (season 15)
[24]
EW News Flash Herself Guest [25][26]
BuzzFeed Celeb Herself Guest [27]
MTV News Herself Guest [28]
Today with Hoda and Jenna Herself Guest [29]
Drip or Drop Herself Guest [30]
Whatcha Packin' Herself Guest [31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ @auramayari (January 30, 2023). "Yes, I am an Asian immigrant and I am proud. #stopracism" – via Instagram.
  2. ^ "Filipino American drag queen Aura Mayari joins 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15". www.yahoo.com. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  3. ^ "Filipina queen Aura Mayari from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' S15 is coming to the Philippines!". GMA News Online. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  4. ^ "Pinay 'Drag Race' star Aura Mayari shares struggles as an immigrant". ABS-CBN News. February 1, 2023. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "'It's About Spreading Hate': RuPaul's Drag Race Contestant Aura Mayari Strikes Back Against the Tennessee Drag Ban". Vogue. 2023-03-07. Archived from the original on 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  6. ^ a b Nolfi, Joey (February 24, 2023). "Tennessee 'Drag Race' stars slam state's 'blatantly unconstitutional' drag ban bill". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  7. ^ "Filipino American drag queen Aura Mayari joins 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15". Yahoo News. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  8. ^ Antonio, Josiah (February 5, 2023). "Aura Mayari wins 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 15 girl group challenge". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Antonio, Josiah (April 10, 2023). "Aura Mayari announces engagement during 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 15 reunion". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  10. ^ Antonio, Josiah (April 15, 2023). "'Drag Is Not A Crime': Aura Mayari leaves mark in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 15 finale". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  11. ^ Daw, Stephen (2023-02-13). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Aura Mayari on Trying to 'Distract the Judges' After Forgetting Her Lip Sync Words". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2023-03-19. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  12. ^ "'Drag Race's Best Beyoncé Look Didn't Even Make It on Television". www.out.com. Archived from the original on 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  13. ^ Antonio, Josiah (February 15, 2023). "Aura Mayari ends 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 15 journey". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  14. ^ Duncan, Charlie (2023-02-14). "Drag Race star Aura Mayari squashes beef with fellow queens after online drama". Pink News. Archived from the original on 2023-04-13. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  15. ^ "Aura Mayari reveals why she was 'limited' in her Drag Race lip-sync". Gay Times. 2023-02-23. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  16. ^ Scheetz, Cameron (14 February 2023). "Aura Mayari talks pasties, the time she nearly quit drag, and thirsty fan DMs". Queerty. Archived from the original on 2023-03-06. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  17. ^ "Aura Mayari is 'Drag Race' season 15's "horniest" queen and the feeling is mutual". Queerty. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-02-10. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  18. ^ Nolfi, Joey (February 13, 2023). "'Drag Race' star Aura Mayari reveals she mouthed gibberish in final lip-sync". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  19. ^ "Filipino drag queen Aura Mayari joins 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 15". Philstar Life. Archived from the original on 2022-12-23. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  20. ^ Scheetz, Cameron (13 December 2022). "The strangest and most surprising things we've learned about the cast of 'Drag Race' season 15". Queerty. Retrieved 2023-05-06.
  21. ^ "One Night Only – Single". Spotify. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  22. ^ "Golden Years (Rockin' Old Gs) – Single". Spotify. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  23. ^ Mitchell, Harriet (December 13, 2022). "RuPaul's Drag Race makes history with cast announcement for season 15". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  24. ^ MEET THE QUEENS OF SEASON 15! 🚘 | RuPaul's Drag Race 👠✨. YouTube. December 13, 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  25. ^ 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15 Cast Promise "Unhinged" Drama and Twists Ahead | Entertainment Weekly. YouTube. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  26. ^ Aura Mayari on Her Fraternity Past Before 'Drag Race' | Entertainment Weekly. YouTube. December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  27. ^ The Queens Of "RuPaul's Drag Race 15" Play Who's Who. YouTube. January 10, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
  28. ^ 15 Things That Could Use a Touch of Drag w/ RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15 Cast | MTV News. YouTube. January 12, 2023. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  29. ^ The cast of 'Drag Race' season 15 talk life as 'Ru Girls' and give their best impersonations. YouTube. January 28, 2023. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  30. ^ RuPaul's Drag Race Queens Rate ICONIC Fits From Other Seasons | Drip or Drop | Cosmopolitan. YouTube. February 4, 2023. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  31. ^ Whatcha Packin' 🏆 | S15 E07 | RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15 👠✨. YouTube. February 10, 2023. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
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