Xavier Hairston – better known by her stage name DiDa Ritz – is an American drag queen who rose to fame on the 4th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Season 4 of Drag Race famously boasted one of the most iconic and fiercest casts in the history of the franchise, and Ritz and the other performers are still fondly remembered by fans over a decade later. Ritz was a break-out star of the show, and her Werk Room entrance has since become a popular Drag Race fandom meme. Ritz has also acted in the drama short Lipstick City and The Vivienne Takes on Hollywood.
Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, Ritz grew up the son of a pastor and learned to sew at home, taught by her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. After moving to Chigaco, Ritz attended the International Academy of Fashion and design and started drag so she could model her own designs. Encouraged by the late drag legend Lady Tajma Hall, Ritz began to pursue a career in drag and joined the 4th season of Drag Race.
An instant hit on the show, Ritz provided one of the series’ best lip syncs of all time with her performance of ‘This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)’. Although the talented performer didn’t win the series, she was a break-out star of the show and more than ten years later is still in demand as a fierce and popular drag entertainer wowing crowds in Chicago. Fans of Ritz may also see her return to the Drag Race franchise, as the star herself hasn’t ruled out returning to compete on All-Stars in the future.
