Adore Delano

Born September 29, 1989, in Glendora, California, Adore Delano, formerly known as Daniel Anthony Noriega, first gained public attention as a contestant on the seventh season of “American Idol” in 2008. During her time on the show, she reached the semi-finals and was recognized for her personality and interactions with the judges. Following her appearance on “American Idol,” Delano was invited to perform on Rosie O’Donnell’s R Family Vacations cruise and was a guest on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” She later transitioned to YouTube, where she created content in drag under the names Adore Delano and Angel Baby, releasing her music video “24/7” in 2009. These early experiences laid the groundwork for her career in entertainment and performance.

In 2013, Adore Delano entered the drag scene professionally after winning a local drag competition. She gained widespread recognition as a contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 6 in 2014, where she was a finalist and won three challenges. Her debut album, “Till Death Do Us Party,” released in June 2014, achieved commercial success, charting on the US Dance/Electronic Albums, Independent Albums, and Billboard 200. She followed this with additional albums, “After Party” in 2016 and “Whatever” in 2017. Delano returned to “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” season 2 in 2016, though she voluntarily exited early. Her career milestones also include walking the runway for Los Angeles Fashion Week in 2013 and appearing on the cover of Gay Times in August 2019. In 2019, she joined the cast of “Ex on the Beach” season 4.

Adore Delano initiated a lawsuit against her former management company, Producer Entertainment Group, in April 2017, alleging unpaid earnings. The company counter-sued in January 2018, leading to a dismissal by a judge with no money awarded to either party. In 2023, Delano publicly came out as a transgender woman, revealing she had detransitioned for “American Idol” and had been undergoing gender-affirming treatments. She has maintained sobriety since 2021. Delano continues to release music and tour, with albums like “Dirty Laundry” (EP) in 2021 and tours including “Party Your World Tour” (2022–2023). She announced a relationship with Sasha Allen, a former contestant on “The Voice,” in December 2024.