Delta Work

Villarreal was born in Los Angeles County, California. Her father was a veteran of the Vietnam War who was subjected to Agent Orange during his service.{{cite web |title=Very Delta #116 with Psychic Medium Travis Holp: Delta Receives Messages From A Loved One In Spirit |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_SKYCaRDaM |website=YouTube | date=November 4, 2024 |access-date=4 November 2024}} Villarreal grew up in Norwalk, California.https://wehoonline.com/2013/10/28/delta-work/ Her and her mother would go to Escondido, California to go to a bakery called Muffin Break.https://www.today.com/food/people/delta-work-very-delta-interview-rcna157253

Work's drag mother is Miss Coco Peru, whom she met in Los Angeles during the beginnings of her drag career.{{Cite news|url=http://www.newnownext.com/drag-race-drag-mothers-daughters/05/2016/|title=9 "Drag Race" Drag Mothers And Daughters|work=LOGO News|access-date=2018-04-15}} Work started dressing in drag on Halloween 1998, at age 22 when she attended a rave in a "Natalie Merchant" style dress.{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=Candace |date=2025-01-23 |title=For drag queen talk show host Delta Work, the phrase 'luxury public access' is more than a manifesto |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-01-23/for-delta-work-the-phrase-luxury-public-access-is-more-than-a-manifesto-its-about-preserving-queer-life |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{cite news |last1=Holland |first1=Scott |title=RuPaul's Drag Race Delta Work Interview |url=https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2011/03/10/rupauls-drag-race-delta-work-interview/ |access-date=March 1, 2019 |publisher=Hotspots Magazine |date=March 10, 2011}} She had her real drag debut at Ozz in Buena Park at one of Raja Gemini's Sunday Night Drag shows, dancing to a CD of Katalina's "DJ Girl."{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=Candace |date=2025-01-23 |title=For drag queen talk show host Delta Work, the phrase 'luxury public access' is more than a manifesto |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-01-23/for-delta-work-the-phrase-luxury-public-access-is-more-than-a-manifesto-its-about-preserving-queer-life |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Before her television debut she was an active night club performer. Delta was a performer and producer at Southern California's longest running drag show the Dream Girls Revue and frequented the local contest circuit at clubs like Drag-A-Licious at Ripples in Long Beach and Drag-O-Rama at Ultra Suede in WeHo.{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=Candace |date=2025-01-23 |title=For drag queen talk show host Delta Work, the phrase 'luxury public access' is more than a manifesto |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-01-23/for-delta-work-the-phrase-luxury-public-access-is-more-than-a-manifesto-its-about-preserving-queer-life |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Her drag name originates from when she attended a drag show and the performing group of queens, who were parodying Designing Women, needed a "bigger" queen to play the role of Delta Burke's character, Suzanne Sugarbaker. After agreeing to and finishing the role, one queen commented afterwards that "you are not Delta Burke, you are Delta Work!"{{cite web |url=https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2011/03/10/rupauls-drag-race-delta-work-interview/ |title=RuPaul's Drag Race Delta Work Interview |last=Holland |first=Scott |date=March 10, 2011 |website=Hot Spots Magazine |access-date=August 20, 2022 |quote=My name was given to me by some queen that hosted a show near where I live. They needed someone to be a Suzanne Sugarbaker character (Delta Burke) and my name came from that. One queen said you are not Delta Burke, you are Delta Work, and the rest is history!}}

Work was selected, along with twelve other contestants, for the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, which began airing on January 24, 2011, on LOGO TV.{{Cite web|url=http://www.logotv.com/video-clips/rdgg2j/rupauls-drag-race-alexis-mateo-rupaul-s-drag-race-season-3-contestant|title=Alexis Mateo: RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3 Contestant - RuPaul's Drag Race (Video Clip)|website=Logo TV|access-date=2018-04-15|archive-date=January 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127133915/http://www.logotv.com/video-clips/rdgg2j/rupauls-drag-race-alexis-mateo-rupaul-s-drag-race-season-3-contestant|url-status=dead}} During the season, Work chose to impersonate Cher (a celebrity which she is not typically known for portraying) for the "Snatch Game" episode, where contestants embody a celebrity, in look and persona, and participate in an improv challenge similar to shows such as Hollywood Squares or Match Game. Bowen Yang wrote: "Delta barely made an attempt at all... Points for the wink at Bob Mackie with her look, but otherwise Delta just waded around in her nothing-doing. Snap out of it!"{{cite news |last1=Yang |first1=Bowen |last2=Rogers |first2=Matt |title=Every Snatch Game Impersonation on RuPaul's Drag Race, Ranked |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/rupauls-drag-race-snatch-game-impressions-ranked.html |access-date=March 2, 2019 |publisher=Vulture}} She placed seventh overall, losing a lip sync performance to Manila Luzon on Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park".{{Cite news|url=https://decider.com/2016/08/10/today-in-tv-history-manila-luzon-birthday/|title=Today in TV History: Manila Luzon, Future 'Drag Race' Lip-Sync Icon, Was Born|date=2016-08-10|work=Decider|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en-US}} Out called the battle "certainly one of the most famous lip syncs" of the show.{{cite news |last1=Pitre |first1=Jake |title=12 Lip Sync Battles that Define 'RuPaul's Drag Race's' Queer Canon |url=https://www.out.com/music/2018/6/07/12-lip-sync-battles-define-rupauls-drag-races-queer-canon#media-gallery-media-4 |access-date=March 2, 2019 |publisher=Out |date=June 7, 2018}}

After season three, Work was seen as an audience member attending the season five (2013) and season six (2014) finale episodes,{{Cite news|url=https://tomandlorenzo.com/2013/05/rpdr-season-5-reunion-red-carpet/|title=RPDR Season 5 Reunion Red Carpet|date=2013-05-03|work=Tom + Lorenzo|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en-US|archive-date=September 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903020404/https://tomandlorenzo.com/2013/05/rpdr-season-5-reunion-red-carpet/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.queerty.com/red-carpet-looks-rupauls-drag-race-season-6-reunion-20140507|title=Red Carpet Looks: RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 Reunion|last=Winfred|first=Tim|date=2014-05-07|access-date=2018-04-15}} and was a guest with other Drag Race alumni for the first-episode challenge on season ten (2018).{{Cite news|url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/03/21/katya-bob-the-drag-queen-return-drag-race-season-10/|title=Watch Katya, Bob the Drag Queen, more return for crazy 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 10 challenge|work=EW.com|access-date=2018-04-15}} Work became RuPaul's personal wig-stylist, for her judges' panel looks, beginning with the second episode of the ninth season (2017), with season two (2010) alumnus Raven styling her makeup.{{Cite news|url=https://mic.com/articles/175484/look-weve-stayed-silent-long-enough-we-need-to-talk-about-rupauls-makeup-on-drag-race#.Yg4E7fli1|title=Look, we've stayed silent long enough: We need to talk about RuPaul's makeup on 'Drag Race'|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en}} Work appeared as a guest for the first challenge in the premiere of season eleven (2019).{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/rupauls-drag-race-season-11-episode-1-recap-live-blog-news/|title='RuPaul's Drag Race' 11 episode 1 recap: Which queen was sent packing on 'Whatcha Unpackin'? [UPDATING LIVE BLOG]|date=2019-02-28|website=Goldderby|language=en|access-date=2019-03-01}}

In a 2023 interview with Joseph Shepherd, Work revealed that she did not work as RuPaul's wig stylist beyond the eleventh season. This was largely because of contractual disagreements over her involvement in RuPaul's Netflix series AJ and the Queen, which led to another wig stylist being hired, who continued to work with RuPaul after that. Work also stated that World of Wonder, the producers of RuPaul's Drag Race, intentionally refrained from submitting her name for Emmy consideration for the eleventh season, despite her having done the same job as the tenth season when she won the award, because she was no longer working with them.{{cite web |last1=Sim |first1=Bernardo |title=5 Surprising Things Delta Work Said About 'Drag Race' & RuPaul |url=https://www.pride.com/drag-queens/drag-race-delta-work-rupaul-wigs-drama#rebelltitem4 |website=Pride |access-date=3 January 2024}} According to Work, during her last phone call with RuPaul, she was told in a casual manner, "If anything comes up, I'll let you know."

As a cast member of Drag Race, Work appeared on a 2011 episode of E!'s The Soup with RuPaul, Raja, and Shangela.{{Cite web|url=https://www.queerty.com/rupauls-drag-race-wins-the-soup-award-for-best-sexual-double-entendres-20110402|title = RuPaul's Drag Race Wins the Soup Award for Best Sexual Double Entendres| date=April 2, 2011 }} She made recurring appearances on WoWPresent's internet show Fashion Photo RuView, filling in for Raja or Raven to critique looks from Drag Race alumni and various other celebrities, with her first appearance on November 19, 2014.{{Citation|last=WOWPresents|title=RuPaul's Drag Race Fashion Photo RuView w/ Raja & Delta Work - The Instagram Art of Mathu Andersen|date=2014-11-19|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fQeGCzhSRU&index=164&list=PLhgFEi9aNUb1EAaAmPyivdOnRdnq-xhvl|access-date=2018-04-15}} However, this has ceased since Work no longer styles RuPaul. She also made regular appearances on the web show The Pit Stop, which reviews each weekly episode of Drag Race. She was on its debut episode on August 27, 2016.{{Citation|last=Logo|title=The Pit Stop w/ Raja and Delta Work {{!}} RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Recap (Season 2 Ep1) {{!}} Logo|date=2016-08-27|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtDhlOKMlws&list=PLoed49uShEw9E10dcTvlvE-PRqbDkWSuF|access-date=2018-04-15}}

Work appeared on the cover of Skorch Magazine in 2013.{{cite web |last1=Shorey |first1=Eric |title="Drag Race" Heather Delta Work On Cover of Magazine For Plus-Sized Women: PHOTOS |url=http://www.newnownext.com/delta-work-is-first-drag-queen-featured-on-cover-of-plus-sized-magazine-photos/11/2013/ |website=NewNowNext |access-date=March 10, 2019 |date=November 12, 2013}} In August 2015, she headlined Palouse Pride in Moscow, Idaho.{{cite news |last1=Wald |first1=Dominique |title=Workin' it: Drag Queen Delta Work is the headliner of Palouse Pride |url=https://inland360.com/fairs/2015/08/workin-it-drag-queen-delta-work-is-the-headliner-of-palouse-pride/ |access-date=March 2, 2019 |publisher=Inland 360 |date=August 5, 2015}} On August 6, 2016, she was invited on stage by Adele during a Los Angeles concert, while in full drag as an Adele impersonator. They took a selfie, which quickly went viral.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/08/08/adele-takes-a-selfie-on-stage-with-drag-impersonator-delta-work|title=Watch Adele Invite Her Drag Impersonator Delta Work On Stage|work=The FADER|access-date=2018-04-15|language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Rawles |first1=Timothy |title='Dreamgirl' Delta Work meets Adele on stage at sold out concert in Los Angeles |url=https://sdgln.com/entertainment/2016/08/08/dreamgirl-delta-work-meets-adele-stage-sold-out-concert-los-angeles |access-date=March 10, 2019 |work=San Diego Gay and Lesbian News |date=August 8, 2016}}

Work received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special at the 70th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (2018) for her work. She portrayed Adele in the music video for Taylor Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" (June 2019).{{Cite web|url=https://www.popbuzz.com/music/artists/taylor-swift/news/you-need-to-calm-down-video-celebrity-cameo/|title=Every celebrity cameo in Taylor Swift's 'You Need To Calm Down' music video|website=PopBuzz|language=en|access-date=2019-06-17}} Work performed with Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus at the MTV VMAs.{{Cite web |last=Hansen |first=Candace |date=2025-01-23 |title=For drag queen talk show host Delta Work, the phrase 'luxury public access' is more than a manifesto |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-01-23/for-delta-work-the-phrase-luxury-public-access-is-more-than-a-manifesto-its-about-preserving-queer-life |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

From September 2020 to May 2023 Work co-hosted the conversational podcast Very That on the Forever Dog and Moguls of Media networks, alongside her RuPaul's Drag Race season three castmate Raja,{{cite web |title=VERY THAT with Delta and Raja {{!}} Forever Dog + Moguls of Media |url=https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/very-that/ |website=Forever Dog Podcasts |access-date=22 December 2020}} where the duo discussed recent news and answer questions from fans. The podcast's executive producers included fellow RuPaul's Drag Race alumni Alaska Thunderfuck and Willam Belli, who now host their own Drag Race review podcast, Race Chasers.

While Raja was traveling, after competing on season seven of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Work began hosting the spin-off podcast Very Delta, described as a "luxury public access podcast". The podcast continued after the eventual conclusion of its parent show Very That. On Very Delta, Work interviews celebrities, drag performers, and nightlife personalities from the Southern California area and beyond. Notable interviewees include Bianca Del Rio, Candis Cayne, Thorgy Thor, Jessica Wild and Margaret Cho.{{cite web |title=Very Delta by Moguls of Media |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/very-delta-with-delta-work/id1530637261 |website=Apple Podcasts |date=December 18, 2023 |access-date=3 January 2024}}

In July 2023 Work began hosting More Very Delta, a supplement to the main podcast available exclusively to MOM Plus Gold subscribers. In the same month, Work won the award for Best Local Radio/Podcast Personality for the Orange County, South Bay and Westside areas in the 2023 Best of the Southland awards, presented by the Los Angeles Times.{{cite web |title=Delta Work: Local Radio/Podcast Personality - Orange County |url=https://bestofthesouthland.latimes.com/orange-county/view/465/delta_work.html |website=Best of the Southland |access-date=22 September 2023}}{{cite web |title=Delta Work: Local Radio/Podcast Personality (South Bay) |url=https://bestofthesouthland.latimes.com/westside/view/2331/delta_work.html |website=Best of the Southland |access-date=30 July 2023}}{{cite web |title=Delta Work: Local Radio/Podcast Personality (Westside) |url=https://bestofthesouthland.latimes.com/westside/view/2331/delta_work.html |website=Best of the Southland |access-date=30 July 2023}}

Delta Work released her debut solo single, "The Walkin' Blues (Walk Right In, Walk Right Out)", on May 12, 2015.{{Citation|title=The Walkin' Blues (Walk Right In, Walk Right Out) - Single by Delta Work|date=2015-05-12|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-walkin-blues-walk-right-in-walk-right-out-single/988442628|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-15}} She had previously recorded music as part of The Heathers, with Manila Luzon, Raja, and Carmen Carrera. The group released their debut single "Lady Marmalade" on June 6, 2014.{{Citation|title=Lady Marmalade by The Heathers|date=2014-06-06|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/lady-marmalade/886824032|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-15}}

On November 16, 2023, Work released the collaborative single "I Want House" with dance music duo BOY2K, based on a viral monologue from Very Delta.

Work works and lives in Norwalk, California, as of 2011.{{cite journal |last1=Knittel |first1=Shaun |title=Start your engines! RuPaul's Drag Race returns |url=https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=SGN20110128.1.28&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |journal=Seattle Gay News |date=January 28, 2011 |volume=39 |issue=4}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category| Delta Work}}

• {{IMDb name|4247111|Gabriel Villarreal}}

{{RuPaul's Drag Race}}

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Category:Living people

Category:American drag queens

Category:American hairdressers

Category:American people of Mexican descent

Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners

Delta Work

Category:Hispanic and Latino American drag queens

Category:1976 births

Category:People from Norwalk, California

Category:Drag performers from California