Willow Pill

Willow Pill, the stage name of Willow Patterson, is an American drag artist, television personality, and musician. She achieved international recognition after winning the fourteenth season of the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race in 2022. Known for her distinctive aesthetic blending humor, retro fashion, and themes of health and mortality, she became the first openly transgender contestant to win a regular season of the American franchise, as well as the third winner with a chronic medical condition.

Born on January 22, 1995, Patterson grew up in Denver, Colorado, attending Arapahoe High School before pursuing higher education at Colorado State University. Introduced to drag culture at age 14 by watching television, she drew artistic inspiration from drag performers Tammie Brown, Raja, Jinkx Monsoon, and Adore Delano. Her initial live performance took place in 2016 at a college drag event, where she delivered a comedic dance routine. She refined her performance and hosting abilities across several Denver nightlife venues, notably Tracks Nightclub and the former Gladys club.

After auditioning three times, Patterson was selected for season 14 of RuPaul's Drag Race. Her tenure featured notable moments, including a viral main-stage talent routine involving a bathtub set to music by Enya, a challenge win in the third episode, and a character portrayal of Drew Barrymore in the Snatch Game challenge. After advancing through lip-sync tournament rounds and a non-elimination episode that resulted in a historic five-queen finale, she performed her original finale song, "I Hate People." She went on to win the crown against fellow finalist Lady Camden, earning a top cash prize of $150,000.

Following her television success, Patterson expanded her creative output by releasing the single "Angle" alongside a music video. She had previously collaborated with fellow Denver performer Yvie Oddly on the track "Sick B*tch" for Oddly's 2020 album. Beyond her musical releases, her original finale track achieved eligibility for an Emmy Award.

In her personal and public life, Patterson identifies as transfeminine, using she/they pronouns, and publicly discussed her gender transition during the broadcast of her season. She has also used her platform to raise awareness about living with cystinosis, a rare genetic disorder diagnosed during her childhood. Managed with daily medication and past surgical treatments, including a kidney transplant at age 15, her condition heavily informs her artistic concepts and public advocacy for chronic illness representation. Patterson lived in Denver until age 26 before moving to Chicago.