Kevin Aviance

Kevin Aviance (born Eric Snead on June 22, 1968) is an American drag queen, club/dance musician, fashion designer, and nightclub personality. He is a personality in New York City's gay scene and has performed throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He is a member of the House of Aviance, one of the most notable vogue-ball houses in the U.S. He is known for his trademark phrase, "Work. Fierce. Over. Aviance!" He won the 1998 and 1999 Glammy Awards, the award for nightlife personalities in New York City. He has worked with several artists, including Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston. In December 2016, Billboard Magazine ranked him as the 93rd most successful dance artist of all time.

Career Aviance was raised in Richmond, Virginia, in a close-knit family of eight siblings. Kevin is regarded as Mother Juan and the House's "oldest daughter".

Aviance has appeared in several films, including Flawless starring Robert De Niro and the independent film Punks. Besides his feature-film work he has made guest appearances on such shows as The Tyra Banks Show, and America's Next Top Model, also hosted by Tyra Banks, and worked with artists like Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston. Aviance was not dressed in his gender-bending performance clothes but as a boy. He had to have his jaw wired for a month. He also suffered a fractured knee and neck injuries as well as blows to the face. Despite suffering a broken jaw, he insisted on appearing in the city's gay pride parade later that month.

The four suspects, who ranged between 17 and 21 years old, were charged with gang assault as a hate crime. On March 21, 2007, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between six and fifteen years in prison. Without the plea agreement, they had faced up to 25 years.

Recent times

Recently, Aviance appeared on the song This is New York City (Bitch!) by the transgender rap group La'Mady from the album Jonny McGovern Presents: This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape. In 2007, Aviance's song Strut was featured as the theme song for the documentary series Indie Sex. In April 2008, Aviance staged a comeback to the club scene and entertainment world, and was reunited on stage with Junior Vasquez, who previously worked together but had become estranged over a professional dispute. At Cielo, a club in New York known for its lighted walls, the tandem performance marked the return to the spotlight for Aviance, performing two of his new hit singles. He most recently recorded a cover of Britney Spears's Gimme More, produced by Jonny McGovern and Adam Joseph on The East Village Mixtape 2: The Legends Ball. In 2022, Aviance's hit song "Cunty" was sampled for 15 seconds on Beyoncé's seventh studio album Renaissance for the track "Pure/Honey".

In May 2026, Aviance premiered a new single with fellow Black and queer artist SEVNDEEP entitled "THAT PART".

Albums Box of Chocolates (Wave Music) 1999 HIPPOPOTAMUS! (Chervana Music) 2025

Singles Cunty (The Feeling) (1996) [Strictly Rhythm] Hold On Me [with Tom Stephan & The S-Man] Din Da Da (1997) Join In The Chant (1998) Rhythm Is My Bitch (1999) Dance For Love (2000) Give It Up (2004) Gimme More (Aviance) (2008) [Gay/Nerd Music] Avi'ously Aviance (2014) featuring EJ Aviance, Kevin Aviance, Perry Aviance and Mother Juan Aviance; produced by David Ohana Aviance. Released on Aviance Records THAT PART (2026) with SEVNDEEP

Filmography Punks, UrbanWorld (2000) as "Miss Smokie" a club owner, Patrick-Ian Polk, director. Freaks, Glam Gods and Rockstars, RyanIsland Films (2001), John T. Ryan director. "Naked Fame", Regent Here! Films (2005), Christopher Long, director. "WERK. FIERCE. OVAH. Aviance!", The Reading Salon, Raymond Helkio, director. "Wig"''', HBO Films (2019), Chris Moukarbel, director "How Do I Look"', Art From The Heart Films (2008), Wolfgang Busch, director