Rianna Petrone was performing at a Miami club in 2018 when one of her inspirations walked in: Gloria Estefan.

“And tipped me down!” Petrone recalled in written responses to OutFAU.

After 19 years in drag, she still remembers that encounter. Her reasons for starting were equally memorable: fascination with the artistry and, she admitted, “to piss off my boyfriend.”

Her first name came together just before a performance. Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music” was playing, she hadn’t chosen a name and she was about to go onstage. She chose Rianna.

Today, Petrone describes her style as a mix of old school and new school, combining dancing, high energy and character illusion. Her influences span music and acting, from Lady Gaga and Madonna to Meryl Streep, Kelly Clarkson, Reba and Estefan.

Having performed at FAU and other Florida colleges, she sees campus shows as opportunities to introduce students to creativity and artistic expression. For her, that exposure belongs in the experience of learning and growing up.

She wishes audiences understood the work beyond the clothes.

“Drag is entertainment, drag is Art, drag is my expression,” she said.

Asked about Gov. Ron DeSantis’s efforts to restrict drag, Petrone said the political climate has affected her work and sense of safety. She described fewer welcoming establishments and discomfort about being visibly in drag in public.

For students considering their own debut, her advice is to seek support rather than rule themselves out.

“Never say I can’t,” she said. “Always ask for help.”

Offstage, Petrone is a dog lover with interests in comic books, video games, science fiction and anime. She lists HG Roosters and Hullabaloo in West Palm Beach, along with Pub on the Drive and Alibi in Wilton Manors, among her performance venues.

The OutFAU Drag Show returns Friday, Nov. 20, at the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium on FAU’s Boca Raton campus. General admission is $10, FAU students can reserve free tickets, and the show is open to adults 18 and older.