Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Tea
Jenna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started drag at the age of 16 playing around with makeup and wigs in my bedroom hiding it from my family, not knowing how they would react, after finding interest in doing it because of the show ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race’. I soon after created an instagram showcasing my makeup looks and passion for drag which led me to making connections with other local performers. One thing led to another and I started getting booked for all age drag events around the city. I did this for a few years collecting more followers and notoriety around the city and making a name for myself. I became pretty established in the drag scene, at least as much as I could as an underage performer. I hosted and opened for the pop star Chappell Roan the two times she has performed in SLC, I was on the HULU Pride float this past pride, featured in Good Morning America, People, Upworthy, and was also featured on the Kelly Clarkson show all due to a video I posted of coming out as trans to my great grandma. She had a very kind, tearjerking reaction that touched so many people. I came out to the world as a transgender woman at the beginning of 2024 and I had only discovered myself so quickly into my life because of the art of drag and the acceptance the community has always showed me. Drag has saved my life in so many ways and it makes me who I am which is why I continue to do it even after coming out as trans. I love the artform so much and it will be in my life in many facets forever
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Dealing with my gender Identity was a really big challenge and put a big roadblock in my drag career because It started to not feel as good as it did before. I have always been very feminine, playing with dolls as a kid, performing Selena Gomez songs on my karaoke machine, dancing around with a towel on my head pretending it was long hair, etc. I’ve always felt like a girl but never had the capability to see it for myself until I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I came out to the world on social media in January of 2024 and the response was nothing short of amazing. I used to do very minimal makeup while in drag trying to look the most like a “natural woman” but now living as a trans woman, I get to look like that every day so my drag naturally became bigger and better, giving me room to evolve into the kind of art I showcase today. Now there is a clear divide and separation between Jenna Tea and Oakland (my name out of drag) and that has made it become so easy and makes me feel so valid in my art and in my identity.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in the art of drag. Mainly doing lip sync numbers that are more upbeat and dance-y while giving you a polished look from head to toe. I also love to sprinkle in a lot of camp and comedy into my performances. One of my favorite things in the whole world is making the audience laugh, and it has been that way ever since I was a child. Another one of my favorite parts of drag is the look. I love the art that goes into picking details out for the outfit, the hair, the accessories, the photoshoots, the performances, etc. I am the director for how all of these pieces come together to make on big thing and that is super magical. I take pride in creating content that other people enjoy just as much as I do and I am proud of the opportunities I have been given because of my online presents. I am most proud of evolving my drag into what it is today and creating a platform for myself to showcase my art to an even bigger audience.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I share a lot of my life on social media so there isnt much that people don’t know about me however a lot of people are surprised when they find out my name isn’t legally Jenna Tea. I like to have separation between the art and my personal life and it helps me feel valid in my gender identity having a different name. To me, it feels like I am the real life Hannah Montana.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejennatea/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejennatea
