Sahara Davenport American classical dancer, reality TV contestant and drag queen Date of Birth: 17.12.1984 Country: USA

1. Biography of Sahara Davenport
2. Early Career and Move to New York
3. 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and Music Career
4. Personal Life and Tragic Death

Biography of Sahara Davenport

Sahara Davenport was an American classical dancer, reality show contestant, and drag queen. He gained fame primarily as a contestant on the second season of the TV show 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' hosted by American artist RuPaul. Sahara Davenport's real name was Antoine Ashley, and he was born on December 17, 1984, in Dallas. He attended Southern Methodist University, where he began his career as a drag queen, a male performer who dresses in female clothing and performs in female persona. It is important to note that being a drag queen does not necessarily mean being gay or transgender.

Early Career and Move to New York

After obtaining a bachelor's degree in fine arts, Antoine Ashley moved to New York City, where he started performing regularly in gay bars and nightclubs throughout the city. Sahara Davenport could be seen in programs such as '15 Films about Madonna' on the A&E Network, 'Magnificent Obsessions' produced by Voom HD, and the daytime soap opera 'One Life to Live' on ABC. He also appeared in the pilot episode of 'Judge Karen' as an outraged parody of Beyoncé, who sued the paparazzi. His debut in film was the project 'Melody Set Me Free,' screened at the Whitney Museum of American Art. He also appeared in the music videos 'Girl Problems' by the eponymous group and 'Gettin' Over You' by David Guetta and Chris Willis.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' and Music Career

In 2010, Davenport joined the cast of the second season of the reality show 'RuPaul's Drag Race.' He performed quite successfully until he was eliminated in the sixth episode for not being "rock 'n' roll" enough and being too feminine. In 2010, he released a single and an album with the same title, 'Pump With Me.' In 2011, Davenport released his second single, 'Go Off,' followed by a remix in January 2012. 'Go Off' debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart and eventually climbed to number 35. The music video for 'Go Off' featured other 'Drag Race' contestants.

Personal Life and Tragic Death

Davenport lived in New York City with his boyfriend Karl Westerberg, who performs under the pseudonym Manila Luzon and was also a contestant on 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' finishing as the runner-up in the show's third season. Tragically, Davenport passed away on October 1, 2012, at the age of 27, due to heart failure at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.