BEST NEW DRAG QUEEN

There’s a fresh new face who is slaying the drag scene, and she’s earning recognition for bringing the drama with every look she gives. Alyanna IV Bones is OutSmart’s pick for Favorite New Drag Queen.

“It feels surreal. It’s only been two years since I started doing drag, and it’s validating to earn this award because I’ve been working really hard,” she says.

She may be working hard, but she makes it look effortless—likely a result of the background she draws from for inspiration. This dark-hearted queen has consistently held a penchant for the macabre.

“Ever since I was little, I’ve always been obsessed with horror movies. My grandmother raised me watching them, and I always gravitated towards the female villain. They always look serious, but they always look better than everybody else,” she explains. 

“I’ve always had this character in my head who is a ‘glampire’ (translation: a glamorous vampire). She’s been in the world forever. Through that character, I can channel all sorts of different fashions from different eras. I feel like Alyanna is a perfect combination of what I like: horror films and fashion.” 

Her go-to muses are characters from Queen of the Damned, the Underworld series, and, interestingly, the villains from The Powerpuff Girls. And to channel those characters, she had to learn how to bring them to life via makeup and artistic skill. Luckily, she had a handy trick up her well-fitted sleeve. 

“I learned a lot through YouTube, but also, ever since I was little, I’ve always been attracted to art. I like drawing. Since I was already drawing, I think learning how to work with makeup naturally came with it because applying makeup is essentially drawing on your face. All my years of drawing was basically practice for creating my look,” she notes.

Drag has opened up a world of possibilities for the Puerto Rico-born performer.

“Growing up in Puerto Rico, I felt like I couldn’t do drag because the drag scene there is very pageant-oriented. There’s not much alternative drag. Once I moved to Houston, I kept thinking about it, and when the pandemic happened, I figured the time was right to take a chance,” she says.

From that chance, IV Bones was born, and there’s no stopping her now.

“I have a lot of ideas. I’m practicing my sewing so I can create even better looks. I want to practice more on hosting and getting comfortable on the mic so that I can develop my own show. I have this idea for a show that brings in ball culture. I’ll call it The Bones Ball. I want people to bring looks for each category to show off their creativity. I feel like Houston doesn’t have that many ball opportunities, and I want to change that,” she says. 

Ultimately, though, Alyanna IV Bones is having a ball simply by living her drag fantasy and using every inch of her skinny-Minnie figure in the process.

“I like to embrace my body, which is super-skinny. I eat a lot, but I just don’t gain weight. That’s why my last name is Bones. I embrace my skinny body,” she adds.

Words to envy, but if she ever gets the chance, she says the number-one illusion she’d like to replicate is Elvira, the queen of curves.

“Elvira is super-different from me—a lot of body, super-big breasts. I feel like it would be very fun to impersonate her. Maybe I will do it for Halloween!” 

The time is nigh, and Houston has already given her its stamp of approval. So be on the lookout for something low-cut and sexy during this spooky season.

Follow Alyanna IV Bones on Instagram at @alyannaivbones.

ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE

Best Local Live Music Venue
Numbers Night Club (tie)
White Oak Music Hall (tie)
Finalists: House of Blues Houston, Michael’s Outpost, POST Houston, Rudyard’s, Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land

Best Happy Hour
JR’s Bar & Grill
Finalists: BUDDY’S, Eagle Houston, George Country Sports Bar, Michael’s Outpost, Ripcord

Favorite Bar to Shoot Pool
George Country Sports Bar
Finalists: Barcode, BUDDY’S, JR’s Bar & Grill, Pearl Bar, Tony’s Corner Pocket

Favorite Bar to Two-Step
Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon
Finalist: La Granja Disco y Cantina

Favorite Club for Dancing
South Beach Houston
Finalists: Eagle Houston, Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon, Numbers Night Club, Pearl Bar, ReBar

Best Drag Show in Town
H-Town Kings (tie)
Charlie’s Angels at JR’s Bar & Grill (tie)
Finalists: Basura, EyeCons, Millennial Dolls, Misfits!

Favorite Karaoke Night at a Bar
JR’s Bar & Grill
Finalists: BUDDY’S, Eagle Houston, Michael’s Outpost, Pearl Bar

Favorite Place to Show Off Your Leather
Ripcord
Finalists: BUDDY’S, Eagle Houston

Favorite Place to Watch Drag
Hamburger Mary’s
Finalists: Bar Boheme, BUDDY’S, JR’s Bar & Grill, Michael’s Outpost, Papi’s, Pearl Bar, ReBar

Favorite Place to Watch Male Dancers
Tony’s Corner Pocket
Finalists: BUDDY’S, Eagle Houston, JR’s Bar & Grill, Papi’s, Ripcord

Favorite Trivia Night at a Bar
BUDDY’S
Finalists: Angel Share, Category Is… Trivia with Hu’nee B, ReBar, Ripcord

Favorite LGBTQ Bar
Eagle Houston
Finalists: Barcode, BUDDY’S, George Country Sports Bar, JR’s Bar & Grill, Michael’s Outpost, Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon, Papi’s, Pearl Bar, Ripcord, South Beach, Tony’s Corner Pocket

Favorite Women’s Bar
Pearl Bar
Finalist: Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon

Favorite Men’s Bar
Eagle Houston
Finalists: Barcode, BUDDY’S, George Country Sports Bar, JR’s Bar & Grill, Michael’s Outpost, ReBar, Ripcord, Tony’s Corner Pocket

Best Bar Food
BUDDY’S
Finalists: Eagle Eats, Hamburger Mary’s, ReBar, Rudyard’s

Best New Drag King
Barry Mii Dandy
Finalists: Sir Debonaire, Dayton Faulker, Phuc’ken Hi, Huxley Räw, Dantés Shottgunz

Best New Drag Queen
Alyanna IV Bones
Finalists: Barbara Q. Chips, Kalani Ross Kahlo, Kitty Kontour, Hanna Santanna, Phoebe Seymour, Sinema

Favorite Veteran Drag King
Ian Syder Blake
Finalist: La’darius Mirage Jackson

Favorite Veteran Drag Queen
Kofi
Finalists: Lana Blake, Roxanne Collins, Dina Jacobs, Marsha Mellow, Tommie Ross

Best Pageant King
Ian Syder-Blake
Finalists: Giovanni Crawford, La’darius Mirage Jackson, Shawn Michaels, Mykey

Best Pageant Queen
Alexye’us Paris
Finalists: Dessie Love Blake, Chevelle Brooks, Cyn City, Laisha LaRue, Violet S’Arbleu

Favorite Drag King
Damien
Finalists: Sir Debonaire, Barry Mii Dandy, Hugh Dandy, Jack Hammer Dandy, Preston Steamed, Ian Syder-Blake

Favorite Drag Queen
Carmina Vavra
Finalists: Blackberri, Chloe Crawford Ross, Adriana Larue, Queen Persephone, Violet S’Arbleu, Angelina DM Trailz

Favorite Drag Show Host/Emcee
Blackberri
Finalists: Hu’Nee B, Kofi, Reign LaRue, Alexye’us Paris, Queen Persephone, Violet S’Arbleu

Favorite Local (Non-Drag) Female Entertainer
Christina Wells
Finalists: Cara Cherie, Ghoulia Child, Adalina Larue,
Amanda Marie Parker, Lauren Salazar

Favorite Local (Non-Drag) Male Entertainer
Ladarius Mirage Jackson
Finalists: J Alex, Jerry Atwood, Landon J. Fatale, Sebastian Gutierrez, Arron Michaels, Shawn Michaels, Peter Pecker, Wesley Whitson

Favorite Local (Non-Drag) Nonbinary Entertainer
Eddie Divas
Finalists: Chris Legacy, Ember Michelle, Rodri, Stoo

Favorite Local Musician/Band
Space Kiddettes
Finalists: Ancient Cat Society, Gammawave, Houston Pride Band, Los Skarnales, Uncle Tino

Favorite Female DJ
DJ Athenz
Finalists: DJ Aracely, DJ Drea, DJ Kittie Purrie, DJ RAQQCITY, DJ Tina

Favorite Male DJ
DJ Mel Fausto
Finalists: DJ Easton, DJ Marti Frieson, DJ GNDRBNDR, DJ Panda, DJ Joe Ross, DJ Jimmy Skinner, DJ Johnny Vibe

Favorite Nonbinary DJ
DJ HustleCry
Finalists: DJ Hyperfemme, DJ Vicky Kuba

Favorite Music Producers
Dirty Disco
Finalists: DNVR MIX, GNDRBNDR, KNOTZ

For a full list of winners, go here.

This article appears in the October 2022 edition of OutSmart magazine. 

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