Kandy Muse

Kandy Muse is the stage name of Kevin Gabriel Candelario, an American drag queen, performer, and television personality. Candelario is best recognized for achieving runner-up finishes on both the thirteenth season of the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race in 2021 and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2023.

Candelario was born on November 3, 1994, in the South Bronx area of New York City. Candelario is of Dominican descent, identifies as African American and Black, and was raised in both the Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx and the Dominican Republic. Raised in the Mormon faith, Candelario was baptized at the age of eight. As of 2021, Candelario resides in New York.

Within the drag community, Kandy Muse was previously a member of the House of Aja, a queer collective founded and managed by Aja, a performer who competed on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. She later became part of the Doll Haus, performing alongside fellow former House of Aja members Dahlia Sin and Janelle No. 5. Kandy Muse subsequently served as the drag mother for the House of Muse, which features performers including Xunami Muse, Papito Suave, and Lucas Skywalker.

Prior to her main competition appearances, Kandy Muse appeared in several musical projects and music videos. In 2017, she was a featured artist on the song "Body Positivity" by Eureka O'Hara, and she appeared in the music video for the song "Big Dick Daddy" by Velo. In 2020, she served as the primary inspiration for the song "Sitting Alone in the VIP" by Alaska Thunderfuck, in which she was featured alongside an appearance in its official music video.

Kandy Muse gained national prominence in 2021 when she competed on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Her stint on the show featured performances such as portraying a suggestive version of the platform LinkedIn in the production "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical" and impersonating beauty influencer Patrick Starrr during the Snatch Game episode. She ultimately finished the season as the runner-up to winner Symone.

In 2023, Kandy Muse returned to the franchise to participate in the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she finished as runner-up to season winner Jimbo. Following the conclusion of the season, production company World of Wonder announced her own original series, titled Inside the Producer's Studio with Kandy Muse, which was set to premiere on August 7, 2023.

In 2024, Kandy Muse expanded her television career by starring on the second season of the reality television series House of Villains and participating in the project Slaycation. That same year, her drag family legacy continued on television when her drag daughter, Xunami Muse, entered as a contestant on the sixteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.