Sutan Amrull

Sutan Amrull (/ˈsuːtɒn ˈɒmruːl/; born June 14, 1974), also known as Raja and Raja Gemini, is an American drag performer and make-up artist. He is best known as the winner of Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and also for his work on the reality television show America's Next Top Model,[1] serving as the show's makeup artist for nine cycles (four through twelve). Amrull's clients include Tyra Banks, Dita von Teese, Pamela Anderson, Paulina Porizkova, Iman, Iggy Azalea, RuPaul, and Twiggy.[2] Since 2009, Amrull has been make-up artist to singer Adam Lambert for print media, live U.S. appearances, and Lambert's international 2010 Glam Nation Tour.

Sutan Amrull
Raja Gemini performing in 2011
Born
Sutan Ibrahim Karim Amrullah

(1974-06-14) June 14, 1974
Baldwin Park, California, United States
Other namesRaja, Raja Gemini, Crayola
OccupationMake-up artist
Drag performer
Television personality
Years active1990-present
Known forRuPaul's Drag Race (season 3) winner
Height190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
PredecessorTyra Sanchez
SuccessorSharon Needles
Spouse(s)
Ryan Turner (m. 2017)
RelativesHamka (uncle)

Early life

Amrull was born in Baldwin Park, California, United States. His late father, Abdul Wadud Karim Amrullah, was the younger brother of Indonesian ulama and philosopher Hamka.[3] At the age of three his family moved to Indonesia (where his parents are from) and stayed there for six years before returning to the U.S.[4]

Career

Career beginnings

When he was sixteen, Amrull got into the drag scene by attending L.A. nightclubs with his friends. He was part of a sector of drag that was inspired by the goth and punk subcultures.[5] The first few years of his drag career in the early '90s were spent as a club kid named Crayola.[6]

He attended California State University, Fullerton as an art student, focusing on art direction and illustration, for two years, then decided to pursue a career in makeup artistry and female impersonation.[7][8]

RuPaul's Drag Race
Amrull at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2019

He was a contestant on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race as Raja.[9] He was a member of the "Heathers" clique,[10][11] which took its name from the popular cult film Heathers. In the final episode, after a lip-sync battle with Manila Luzon, Raja was declared the winner of the show's third season and crowned America's Next Drag Superstar.[12] As part of his duties as the third-season winner of Drag Race, Amrull toured the U.S. and Canada on Logo's Drag Race Tour in 2011.[13] Raja is the first and only Asian American winner of the Drag Race series.[14]

In 2014 Raja joined the Drag Race Battle of the Seasons tour where she performed a lip-sync duet with Manila Luzon to the Babymetal song "Gimme Chocolate!!"

Other ventures

In May 2011, Amrull released his first single as Raja, titled "Diamond Crowned Queen."[15] The single debuted at number fifty on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs,[16] before peaking at number thirty-five.[17] On August 21, 2012, his second single "Sublime" was released. His third single, "Zubi Zubi Zubi" (roughly translating to "Dance Dance Dance"), was released June 1, 2013.[18]

Since 2014, he has presented the weekly WOWPresents YouTube series RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView with fellow Drag Race alumna Raven.[19]

In February 2017, he starred as an intergalactic creature in the music video for Blondie's single "Fun."[20] He also appeared in the "Make Love Not Walls" Diesel campaign directed by David LaChapelle and in a campaign for Urban Decay alongside fellow Drag Race alumni Alaska, Jiggly Caliente, and Katya.

He guest stars as himself in The Simpsons episode "Werking Mom," which aired on November 18, 2018.[21][22] In June 2019, he was one of 37 queens to be featured on the cover of New York Magazine.[23]

Personal life

On December 14, 2017, Amrull married Ryan Turner in Norwalk, California.[24]

Discography

Singles
List of singles, with selected details and chart positions
Title Year Peak chart position
US
Dance
[25]
"Diamond Crowned Queen" 2011 35
"Sublime" 2012 —
"Zubi Zubi Zubi" 2013 —
"Cholita" 2015 —
"Divine" 2017 —
"Moodbored" 2019 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2000 Angels! Tawngy Davis
2008 The Young and Evil Maxie Short
2015 TupiniQueens Himself Documentary

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2005-2009 America's Next Top Model Himself Make Up Department
2011 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself/Contestant Winner
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself Season 4, Episode 13: "The Final Three" – Guest
RuPaul's Drag U Himself/Professor
2013 NewNowNext Awards Himself
2016 RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8, Episode 1: "Keeping It 100!" (100th episode) – Guest
Season 8, Episode 10: "Grand Finale" – Guest
2018 The Simpsons Season 30, Episode 7: "Werking Mom"
2019 RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11, Episode 1: "Whatcha Unpackin?" – Guest

Web
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2013 Ring My Bell Himself Guest [26]
2013 SubCultures: Drag Queens feat. Raja Gemini & Vicky Vox By SoulPancake [27]
2014–present RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView Cohost with Raven [28]
2014 Paint Me Bitch Episode: "Sutan Amrull" [29]
2015 Raja Drawja Host [30]
2015 Hey Qween Episode: "Raja" [31]
2015 Olivia Culpo is Transformed into Farrah Fawcett by Make-up Artist Raja By Refinery29 [32]
2016 100 Years of Drag Queen Fashion By Vanity Fair [33]
2017-2019 The Pit Stop Host [34]
2019 Reading Queens Guest [35]
2019 Hey Qween Episode: "Raja on the Hey Qween Halloween Special" [36]
2019 Puff Puff Sessions Guest [37]
2020 Fashion Photo RuView: STFH Edition Co-host

Music videos
Year Title Artist
1994 "Everlasting Love" Gloria Estefan
2011 "Champion" RuPaul
2012 "Amazing"[38] Hi Fashion
2013 "RuPaulogize" Willam Belli
2014 "Lady Marmalade" The Heathers
"Ransom"[39] MOXXI
2015 "Not a Pearl" Willam Belli
2016 "Anus" Alaska Thunderfuck
2017 "Fun" Blondie
2018 "Excuse the Beauty" Latrice Royale
2019 "Go Fish" Manila Luzon
"Comin in Hot"[40] Adam Lambert
"Moodbored"[41] Herself

Awards and nominations
Year Award Giving Body Category Work Results Ref.
2018 WOWIE Awards The Surprise Bitch Award Herself and RuPaul on The Simpsons Won [42]
2019 Choose Creativity Awards (Lulu & Leo Fund) Choose Creativity Award for Expressive Artistry Honoree: The world’s most inspiring and impactful creators Won [43]

References
  1. Loza, Josefina (11 September 2010). "Designer eyes leaving Omaha to achieve his dreams". Omaha World-Herald. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  2. Sutan Amrull on IMDb
  3. Amrullah, Abdul Wadud Karim (2016). Sumatran Warrior: Mighty Man of Love and Courage. Westbow Press. ISBN 9781512731835.
  4. Renzi, Dan. "'Drag Race' Winner Sutan Amrull, a.k.a. Raja, Wants You to Have Sex in Heels". Queerty. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  5. "Interview: Drag Queen Raja Talks About His Start in Drag, Coming Out to His Family and His Favorite Beauty Tip". Alive. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  6. RDR 909: Fashion Photo RuView 423 | WOWPresents. WOWPresentsPlus. May 24, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  7. Nunn, Jerry. "Raja Gemini interview with ChicagoPride.com". ChicagoPride.com. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  8. The Power Group – Sutan Amrull
  9. Jessie Peterson (14 July 2014). "Conchita Wurst Walked At Paris Fashion Week, Might Be Drag's New Fashion Superstar". MTV News. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  10. Tanner Stransky (3 May 2011). "'RuPaul's Drag Race: Reunited!': 'The Drag Race may be over, but the real drama is just getting started...'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  11. Davis, Madeliene (2011-03-01). "RuPaul's Drag Race Takes a Page Out of Heathers". Gawker. Gawker Media. Retrieved 2011-11-25.
  12. Parsley, Aaron (April 26, 2011). "What's Next for the Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race?". People. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  13. John Polly (11 May 2011). "Get Ready! The RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3 Winner's Tour Is Sashaying Your Way!". LOGO Blog. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  14. Jethro Nededog (26 April 2011). "'RuPaul's Drag Race': Raja on her controversial win, 'I don't mind the criticism'". Zap2It. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  15. Lyndsey Parker (17 February 2015). "7 Actually Great Singles By 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Contestants". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  16. "Dance Club Play Songs - Week of July 02, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  17. "Dance Club Play Songs - Week of July 30, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  18. Dan Avery (1 June 2013). "Raja Serves New Single, "Zubi Zubi Zubi": LISTEN". LOGO Blog. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  19. "Raja and Raven Star in New Web Series 'RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView'". Drag Official. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  20. "Watch Raja Play A Psychedelic Space Queen In New Blondie Music Video". LOGO News. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
  21. https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/19/rupaul-was-everything-youd-want-rupaul-to-be-in-the-simpsons-as-she-sashayed-into-springfield-to-teach-marge-how-to-slay-8154600/
  22. "Sutan RAJA on Instagram: "Here she is everyone! I am so proud to announce my cameo appearance on #theSimpsons ! I cant describe how honored I am to have been asked…"". Instagram. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  23. "On The Cover: The Most Powerful Drag Queens In America".
  24. Rudolph, Christopher (18 December 2018). ""Drag Race" Season 3 Winner Raja Marries Husband In Surprise Wedding". NewNowNext. Viacom International. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  25. "Dance Songs: Top Dance Music Chart – August 6, 2011". Billboard. August 6, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2015. (subscription required)
  26. Raja - Ring My Bell. YouTube. April 25, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  27. "SoulPancake Has Raja Gemini And Vicky Vox Reveal Another Side Of Drag (VIDEO)". Huffpost. July 31, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  28. RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView with Raja and Raven - Episode 1. YouTube. February 26, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  29. Paint Me Bitch Ep 05 - Sutan Amrull. YouTube. December 12, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  30. Raja Drawja - Willam. YouTube. March 23, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  31. RuPaul’s Drag Race Star Raja on Hey Qween with Jonny McGovern | Hey Qween. YouTube. June 15, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  32. Olivia Culpo is Transformed into Farrah Fawcett by Make-up Artist Raja | Refinery29. YouTube. September 17, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  33. 100 Years of Drag Queen Fashion | Vanity Fair. YouTube. October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  34. The Pit Stop w/ Raja & Raven | RuPaul's Drag Race (Season 9 Ep 10) | Now on VH1. YouTube. March 29, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  35. Raja: Reading Queens With Char Margolis. YouTube. September 18, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  36. RAJA ON THE HEY QWEEN! HALLOWEEN SPECIAL. Hey Qween! TV. October 30, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  37. Puff Puff Sessions - Laganja Estranja and Raja Do Magic!. YouTube. December 30, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  38. Spargo, Chris (2012-09-19). "Raja Cameos In Hi Fashion 'Amazing' Video: Watch". NewNowNext.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  39. Bendix, Trish (2017-03-11). "20 Music Videos With Drag Queen Cameos". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  40. "Adam Lambert is "Comin in Hot" on his new single". Lab.fm. June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  41. Daw, Stephen (2019-11-04). "Raja Celebrates the Day of the Dead in New 'Moodbored' Video". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
  42. "Hold on To Your Wigs! It's the 2018 WOWIE Award Winners!". Worldofwonder.net. December 6, 2018.
  43. "The Choose Creativity Awards Honorees". lululeofund.org. June 3, 2019.
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