Madame Laqueer

Cassie Melendez, known by her stage name Madame LaQueer, was born on October 5, 1981, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. She developed an early interest in drag, beginning during her teenage years on one of her birthdays. Melendez also holds a degree in computer programming. Her career trajectory shifted significantly with her participation in the fourth season of the American reality television series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, which aired in 2012. During her time on the show, Madame LaQueer achieved a notable victory in the WWE-inspired drag wrestling challenge, a conjoined win with fellow contestant Chad Michaels in the second episode. She ultimately placed tenth overall in the competition, exiting in the fourth episode after a lip-sync battle against Milan. Following her television appearance, Melendez relocated to Orange County, California, on April 20, 2013, where she continued to build her career in the cosmetic industry and performed in drag shows.

In the years since her appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Madame LaQueer has maintained a strong presence in the drag community. She has been featured in various Drag Race-related projects, including appearing in a music video for Morgan McMichaels’ 2020 single “Ass Like Mine.” Her involvement extends to participating in prominent events such as RuPaul’s DragCon LA in 2022 and attending season finale tapings of RuPaul’s Drag Race, demonstrating her continued connection to the franchise. In 2022, she was honored as the grand marshal of Bell, California’s inaugural Southeast LA Pride Festival, where she also performed.

Demonstrating her commitment to community and social causes, Madame LaQueer participated in a drag show in 2017 to raise funds for Puerto Rico residents affected by Hurricane Maria. Beyond her drag performances, Melendez has worked as a make-up artist in Santa Ana, California, and managed the beauty department of a drug store in Southern California. In January 2024, she publicly came out as a trans woman, adopting the names Cassie out of drag and Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer for her drag performances. She currently livestreams a variety of PlayStation games on Twitch. Madame LaQueer has mentored numerous drag queens, serving as a “drag mother” to as many as seventeen individuals, including Lineysha Sparx, a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 5.