Alexis "Lexi" Barnes, known professionally as Lexi Love, is an American drag performer best known for competing on the seventeenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2025).
Career
Love was appointed as the official American ambassador to the United Kingdom-based House of Versace by Drag Race UK winner Krystal Versace. One of her mentors is 2016 Mr. Continental winner Mykul Jay Valentine.[2] She cites her drag inspirations to be Y2K fashion, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and America's Next Top Model.[3]
On the second episode of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17, she performed her debut single "She's Giving", produced and co-written by Drew Louis.[4]
Personal life
Love was raised in Florence, Kentucky.[3] She is a transgender woman and uses she/her pronouns;[5] her drag persona is based in Louisville.[6] Love went onto social media platform Instagram, revealing that she is HIV positive,[7] and called out the second Donald Trump administration for removing various HIV resources from government websites attributing for the LGBTQ community.[8] Prior to Drag Race, she worked as one of the Louisville Playmates at Play Dance Bar. Before beginning to work at Play in 2021, she had previously performed within the Cincinnati metropolitan area for nearly a decade.[3] She is most well known for performing in roller skates, billing herself as a "Roller Derby Doll".[9]
Discography
All credits adapted from Apple Music and Spotify.[10][11]
Singles
| Title | Year | Album | Writer(s) | Producers(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "She's Giving" (or Club Love remix) |
2025 | Non-album single | Lexi Love, Timothy Liedel, and Drew Louis | Drew Louis |
Filmography
Television
| Title | Year | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHAS-TV | 2024 | Guest | [12] |
| RuPaul's Drag Race | 2025 | Contestant | [13] |
References
- ^ "From brunch to burlesque, here's where you can see a drag show in Louisville". courier-journal.com. Courier Journal. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ Nolfi, Joey. "RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 queens promise 'profane imagery' on runway, loads of drama, and twisty 'panic' ahead". ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c Garcia, Joseph. "'A long time coming': Louisville's Lexi Love ready to bring 'Kentucky realness' to RuPaul's Drag Race". msn.com. WHAS-TV. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
- ^ "Drew Louis, the Creative Force Behind Drag Race's "My Kitty" Is Back". www.toomuchlovemagazine.com. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ^ Sim, Bernardo (January 29, 2025). "Dear trans youth: 'You are a miracle who will survive'". Out. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz; Vary, Adam B. (December 4, 2024). "RuPaul's Drag Race announces season 17 cast, updated 'Rate-a-Queen' twist". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Damshenas, Sam (January 31, 2025). "'I will continue to love myself': Drag Race star Lexi Love shares HIV status as she calls out Trump administration". Gay Times. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
- ^ Hansford, Amelia (January 22, 2025). "Multiple government websites purged of LGBTQ+ content following Trump's inauguration". PinkNews. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
- ^ Stultz, Caleb. "Louisville's Lexi Love Joins Season 17 Cast Of RuPaul's Drag Race". leoweekly.com. Louisville Eccentric Observer. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
- ^ "Lexi Love on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Lexi Love - Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Meet Lexi Love, Kentucky drag queen starring on next season of RuPaul's Drag Race" (Interview). Louisville, Kentucky: WHAS-TV. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ Nolfi, Joey (December 4, 2024). "RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 cast revealed as Rate-a-Queen returns with a major twist: 'The game is new'". Entertainment Weekly. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
