Celebrated drag virtuoso Erika Norell has been famous for what seems like forever in drag circles.
Grammy award-winners have copied and worn her costumes, NBA legends have lauded her talent and even Elvis Presley indirectly played a role in her career success. But at the end of the day, Erika Norell holds this credo above all else. So be forewarned: “I’m Cuban. I’m a drag queen. I’m late to everything.”
And so the story begins. Is Norell perfect? Not by a long shot. Just ask her. She doesn’t buy into her own PR. But arguably, she is a true drag superhero. She even wears a cape from time to time.
When we last left off, Norell had just been crowned Mizz OUTSFL. It was the inaugural pageant for OUTSFL Newspaper and Magazine’s parent corporation, J&J Media, in May 2024. As audiences had grown to expect, Norell was flawless throughout the competition. However, it was the talent category where her star power really shined brightest.
As a glamour girl, Norell is known for, well, being beautiful. But Norell played against type in the talent portion of the pageant when she performed as the forgotten, mentally unstable, silent-screen star, Norma Desmond, from Sunset Boulevard. “I waited a long time to perform Sunset Boulevard. I felt that I needed to be a certain age to do the part,” Norell says. It seems fitting that Glenn Close, who is often praised for her turn as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash Broadway musical, is one of Norell’s favorite actresses alongside Meryl Streep. Talent always recognizes talent. Even Helen Lawson [Valley of the Dolls] knew that.
“I was blessed to be a part of the first Mizz OUTSFL pageant. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Being crowned the winner of the pageant was truly humbling. I cannot begin to express my thanks to Justin Wyse [OUTSFL CEO/Co-Owner/Pageant Director] and Jason Parsley [OUTSFL Publisher/Co-Owner] enough for staging a wonderful event. Competing for the title with such a talented group of performers made me realize what a special opportunity the pageant was for not only me but also the drag community in South Florida,” says Norell.
Norell has enough crowns to fill a trophy case [which she does not have] including being Miss Continental, Miss Gay USofA, Miss Florida F.I. and many others. But that’s just what she does. Long before winning the Mizz OUTSFL Pageant, Norell was touted by many as being both iconic and a drag superstar. However, Norell is quick to point out that she does not see herself that way and immediately shuts down that particular narrative. “I think Electra and Tiffany Arieagus are true icons. I am not. People can have unrealistic expectations of who I am. Look, I can’t be Erika Norell 24/7. That’s not real. That’s not me. Outside of the spotlight, I’m very shy. I’m a perfectionist. I work very hard to keep my personal and professional lives separate.”
Then just who is Norell? “My mom put me on stage at 5 years-old lip synching to Elvis Presley. I wonder if she ever thought to herself that she started my career in drag,” Norell ponders. A self-professed nerd in high school, it would be later that the eventual larger than life persona of Norell came to be. Of note, Norell was born in Miami, FL of Hispanic, Black and Chinese ancestry. Her hobbies include collecting shoes (no matter the size) and penguin-themed tchotchkes. She also lists drag and fashion design as past times but her expertise in these areas certainly disqualifies her as a dilettante.
“The first time I wanted to do drag was after seeing Monica Munro [1993/94 Miss Continental] perform. It was then that I knew that I was born to do this. Once you’re on stage, you can be anyone, be anybody, when the curtain opens, whether it’s a Barbie doll or the Devil,” Norell says.
While Munro lit the drag fuse for Norell, others would educate the fledgling entertainer. Norell didn’t just become a star. She learned from the best, including Nikki Adams, who is known far and wide for her contributions to the world of drag. Of her compatriot, Norell remarks, “I learned so much from her. Nikki Adams is such a professional.”
Adams is equally as effusive when she talks about Norell. “Erika is a chameleon as an entertainer, always bringing something new to her performances. She is talented in every aspect of her art. I am blessed to have her as a friend and she was instrumental in my being crowned Miss Continental Elite by convincing me that I still had what it takes to win. She is a treasure to not just me but to this entire community,” says Adams.
Building upon Adams’s critique of Norell, those who know her have long realized that Norell is as witty as she is intelligent and extremely well read. She has a broad range of knowledge when talking about various topics including, but not limited to, LGBTQ+ issues. As the subject is broached, Norell is candid in her comments regarding several relevant subjects. “I was born in the wrong body. Even in our own community, people do not understand what being trans really is completely. And I want to say this, being called queer is an insult.”
Indeed, appropriation of the word queer has aroused much discussion within the LGBTQ community but the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the word still reads: differing in some way from what is usual or normal — odd, strange, weird. Norell does not consider herself or her friends any of those things. Her informed opinions to make valid historical points are well taken even if not all will agree.
Staying on this particular train of thought from a historical perspective, Norell continued by saying, “Drag has been around for a long time. No one will cancel it. People act as if drag was just invented. RuPaul gave us a platform we didn’t have before. Drag dates back centuries. I’m talking about performance art including Shakespeare and Kabuki. More recently, it seems people have forgotten Boy George, Pete Burns [Dead or Alive — band member — You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)] and Sylvester. The LGBTQ+ community is also not anything new. Native American tribes have long respected those who are known as Two-Spirit individuals whether male or female. And the Supreme Court of India recognized the existence of a third gender [in April of 2014].”
Norell is clearly a thought leader as well as a fashion aficionado. She taught herself how to sew after an ex-boyfriend gifted her with a sewing machine. Who is Norell’s favorite fashion designer? Without hesitation, “Thierry Mugler,” Norell replies. Mugler’s design aesthetic was both theatrical and hyper feminine when it came to his couture collections. In his runway shows, Mugler thought well outside of the box and did not hesitate to use drag queens, porn stars and transgender women as his models. With Mugler as her muse, it is not a leap that Norell questions even basic societal fashion norms. “If women can wear pants, why can’t men wear skirts? It was a scandal when women started wearing slacks,” Norell accurately points out.
When it comes to Norell, there is so much more to her story. After all, in her own words, “All of the people that live in my head only come out one at a time.” Just how many are there? Norell has been called a chameleon, a sinner and even a saint. “If I was born a woman, I would have been a Las Vegas show girl. I’m not a girly girl. But I’m actually a bear in a woman’s body,” Norell says laughing.
Maybe in the case of Norell, she’s not so much Sybil-like with multiple personalities but rather she is a multipotentialite — individuals who possess talents in a multitude of fields and can be successful in any of them but oftentimes struggle on deciding which one will be the most rewarding.
It should be no surprise then that Norell’s talent as a fashion designer attracted the attention of music superstar Janet Jackson. “I received a phone call from someone saying they were an assistant to Janet Jackson. She [Jackson] wanted permission to copy a costume I designed and wore in the Miss Continental Pageant. The assistant asked how much I would charge them and I said, just remember my name. Sure enough, a friend showed me a magazine months later with a picture of Janet Jackson wearing the dress I designed. The credit on the picture read: Janet Jackson Wearing Erika Norell,” Norell recalls.
Norell didn’t think much about being a fashion designer even after her brush with the Grammy Award winner. She saw it as a fluke. It took former Miss Florida F.I. at Large, Velvet Lenore, to convince Norell otherwise. “To be honest, it’s Velvet’s fault that I became a fashion designer. She knew that I could sew and she needed a gown, so she asked me to create one for her. I didn’t think I was good enough to make a gown and charge.” Lenore persuaded her otherwise and Norell now designs for RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Latrice Royale (including her upcoming tour) and numerous other performers in South Florida. Most recently, her designs were showcased at a fundraiser for Transpire Help as part of the Art After Dark at the Norton Museum event in downtown West Palm Beach. Transpire Help is a non-profit organization founded to assist members of the LGBTQ+ community who are committed to living an alcohol and drug free life.
Norell is reverent when she talks about some of the entertainment industry’s brightest lights. Norell begins her high praise by singling out Dolly Parton. “I love her. She came from nothing and look at her now and what she’s done to help others,” Norell says. Ironically, Parton once entered and lost a drag queen Dolly Parton look-a-like contest. Norell also pays tribute to Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Eartha Kitt, Shirley Bassey, Miley Cyrus and P!nk. In Norell’s opinion, P!nk is underrated. “It’s hard to sing when you’re hanging from a trapeze. But she does it beautifully,” Norell says.
When it comes to being praise worthy, Norell’s colleagues offer tributes for their friend and co-entertainer. Electra (who Norell declares is a genius) had this to say about the reigning Mizz OUTSFL. “Erika is an explosion of talent, creativity, brains, determination, humor, emotional compassion toward others, and is a perfectionist on the outside. What you see on the inside is a quiet, sometimes shy individual until you get to know her. Either way, her beauty cannot be denied. Except for the beginning of our relationship, when I had no time for this enthusiastic, and inquisitive little guy. Erika has become my niece and I am her Tia. I knew and adored her family. And if she asks, GLOVES ARE ALWAYS IN [especially at my age].”
Norell has admiration for other performers including Dana Manchester and Melissa St. John. “Dana was a wonderful performer. She taught me that it’s harder to make people laugh than it is to make them cry. And I love Melissa [Norell was invited by St. John personally to perform at her 40th Anniversary Tribute Show at the Lake Worth Playhouse in February 2024], we’ve known each other and have been friends for years,” Norrell says.
Indeed, St. John concurs with the many platitudes bestowed upon Norell. “Erika Norell is both a lady and a legend. When I think of Erika, the word everything comes to mind. Erika not only holds multiple national titles, she is also a tireless proponent for LGBTQ+ rights and our community. Having known her for more than 35+ years, she’s never ceased to amaze me. Whether it be through her professionalism as a well-respected entertainer or her talent as a fashion designer, she is always true to herself. She is a sister, friend, legend and queen, I am honored to have shared the stage and her journey with her when we both began performing in the early days of Heartbreakers in West Palm Beach. Simply said, thank you, Erika.”
While Norell is friends with many of her contemporaries, it is fellow dragster Daisy Deadpetals, who is her BFF. “Daisy Deadpetals is my best friend. Or you can call us frenemies. It’s the comedian vs the glamor girl. We’re Betty [Davis] and Joan [Crawford].” Norell is referring to the classic film "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" It was Deadpetals who assisted Norell when she recently performed at the winner’s cocktail reception for OUTSFL’s Reader’s Choice Awards held at event sponsor Grieco Ford’s Fort Lauderdale showroom. As an aside, Deadpetals had won the Best Drag Queen category in the competition’s Broward County voting.
Norell was taught respect for others growing up but when she faltered on a particular occasion that still stands out in her memory, she ultimately welcomed the refresher course she was given by a fellow performer.
“I learned a valuable lesson early on in my career. One night when I was performing at Miami’s Club Ozone, a young man handed me a food coupon as a tip for my performance. I made a point to rip it up and throw it on the stage. After my number ended, another entertainer came up to me and read me like a book. She said, ‘You’re the meanest bitch. You have no heart.’ Then she went on to explain that the man who had given me the food coupon had nothing else to give. In fact, by giving me the coupon, he was depriving himself of something to eat but he wanted to recognize my performance and that’s all he had to give. I felt horrible. The fact is, not everyone has a dollar to give and drag performers shouldn’t expect anything but hopefully applause for their performance.”
One good turn deserves another, so to speak. Only this time, it was Norell doing the reading. Even NBA legends like a good drag show. Norell was a regular performer at the Voodoo Lounge in Fort Lauderdale. One evening, Dennis Rodman, he of owning five NBA crowns himself and also being named the league’s defensive player of the year on two occasions, collided with someone with more crowns to her name.
Rodman made a habit of making it rain (excessively tipping) for the performers but never dispensed the money himself. Instead, one of his posse was charged with sharing the wealth. One evening, Rodman entered the performer’s dressing room and tossed cash on the floor. While there was a scramble to collect the bills by those present, Norell recalls watching the madness out of the corner of her eye while she finished applying her makeup.
Norell was not amused by the entire situation as she found it to be demeaning to the performers regardless of Rodman’s reputation or his heroics on the basketball court. Rodman engaged Norell, asking her why she did not partake in what became a cash grab. “I told him that what he did was insulting and that I would never crawl on the floor for money.”
The conversation was short and not necessarily sweet. “Sometimes, I’m a lady. Other times, I am definitely not,” Norell states. While Norell maintained her professionalism, she was having none of Rodman’s antics. After the exchange, Norell exited the dressing room and took the stage for her number. This time it was Rodman himself who approached the stage, where he politely handed the gratuity to Norell personally. Respect had been established and respect had been learned and returned.
Harkening back to things she valued growing up, respect for the gifts she has been given have not escaped her. “I don’t know how much time I have left. None of us do. What I do know, is that I want to die on stage.”
Norell’s biggest fan was her mother. “My Mom loved drag. She came to see me perform at Rumors [a former watering hole on Wilton Drive] using her walker,” says Norell. Clearly, nothing was going to stop Norell’s mother from seeing her daughter perform. “My mom was very supportive of my career. And she could make me laugh. One day she called me very upset. She told me that my brother had gotten a tattoo. She was having a panic attack. I said, ‘Mom, so he got a tattoo. I got tits.’” The conversation ended on a much more relaxed note. Sadly, Norell’s mother died from Cancer. Norell has since used her considerable talents to support and raise awareness for those impacted by the disease since her mother’s passing.
Norell has been bullied and insulted for being part of the LGBTQ community. She was also a victim of domestic violence at the hands of a former boyfriend. Yet none of these instances have ever dissuaded her from pursuing a career that she loves. “We’re all here doing drag. We have a job that’s fun. We need to respect each other,” Norell says.
The late Jessica Nolan was Norell’s drag mother. Norell now has drag daughters and drag granddaughters of her own. This matriarchy allows upcoming drag performers to learn their craft in judgement free zones. “Many of the younger girls don’t have families to support them. What I have to say to some of the youngsters coming up in drag that don’t know any better is to respect me. To respect us. We’re old enough to be your Mom or your Dad. Watch us and learn.”
According to Norell, every performer is not a show girl. It is important for drag performers to develop and master their own artistic voice through trial and error. Individuality is key. Just like there is only one Cher. Only one Tina Turner. There is only one Erika Norell. And this queen is fierce and formidable when she is on stage. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’m an artist. I want to perform what I feel,” Norell says.
Then, out of the blue, Norell introduces a new topic to the conversation.
“I killed a cactus. Who kills a cactus?” Norrel asks.
Maybe Norell is more like Sybil than first thought?
Regardless of which personality manifests, Queen of Hearts is one that perhaps describes Norell best.
The end?
Not hardly.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Mizz OUTSFL Erika Norell will perform her crown step-down at the OUTSFL Pride Gala on May 22, 2025, at The Venue in Wilton Manors. For tables, sponsorships and general admission tickets, please email Justin Wyse at
