Gottmik

Kade Gottlieb, professionally known as Gottmik, is an American cosmetics artist and drag performer born on August 19, 1996. He gained widespread recognition after becoming the first openly transgender male competitor on the television series RuPaul's Drag Race, where he finished in joint third and fourth place. Gottmik later returned to the franchise to participate in the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

Raised Catholic in Scottsdale, Arizona, Gottlieb was adopted as a child and attended Notre Dame Preparatory High School. He began experimenting with cosmetic application during his high school years and started practicing drag at age eighteen. Following high school, he relocated to Los Angeles to study product development at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, eventually earning a degree while undergoing his gender transition and refining his craft.

Gottlieb established a career as a professional makeup artist, working with prominent figures such as Cindy Crawford, Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum, Adam Lambert, Todrick Hall, French Montana, and Tinashe, along with several Drag Race alumni. His work has been featured on the cover of Gay Times and within publications like Flaunt, Nylon, and Paper. He also performed cosmetic work for Lil Nas X's Halloween attire in 2020 and participated as a makeup artist for celebrities featured in Taylor Swift's 2019 music video for "You Need to Calm Down."

In 2021, Gottmik competed on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, winning two main challenges—the ball and the Snatch Game, where he impersonated Paris Hilton. He reached the final four before being eliminated in a lip-sync contest against eventual winner Symone, tying for third place with Rosé. Following the show, he joined Voss Events talent management, participating in national and international tours including Drive 'N Drag Saves 2021, the 2022 European Werq the World tour, and the Night of the Living Drag Halloween tour. Gottmik returned for the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2024, during which he faced public discussion after adapting standup material from comedian Nikki Glaser for a comedy challenge.

Beyond live performances and reality television, Gottlieb launched a personal YouTube channel in 2021 and has appeared on media platforms hosted by Gigi Gorgeous, James Charles, Pearl, World of Wonder, and Cosmopolitan. In late 2021, he launched the fashion and lifestyle video podcast No Gorge alongside drag artist Violet Chachki. Gottlieb has also appeared in the music video for "Unholy" by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, later joining the musicians onstage during the 2023 Grammy Awards performance. In May 2023, he co-authored the book The T Guide alongside Gigi Gorgeous, focusing on transgender experiences and gender expression.

In his personal life, Gottlieb identifies as pansexual and uses he/him pronouns outside of drag, while using she/her pronouns when performing as Gottmik. He maintains a close friendship with influencer Gigi Gorgeous, who assisted in funding his chest reconstruction surgery.