Inti (drag queen)

{{Short description|Bolivian-Spanish drag queen, activist, and multidisciplinary artist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Inti

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = José Otero Aguilera

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|11|20}}

| birth_place = La Paz, Bolivia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Spanish

| other_names =

| occupation = Drag queen

| years_active =

| known_for = Drag Race España

| notable_works =

}}

Inti is the stage name of José Otero Aguilera (born 20 November 2000), a Bolivian-born Spanish drag queen, activist, and multidisciplinary artist best known for competing on the first season of Drag Race España.

Early life

José Otero Aguilera was born on November 20, 2000, in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. With a family with roots in the artistic world,{{cite web |url=https://metalmagazine.eu/es/post/interview/inti |title=INTI STEPPING HARD AND LEAVING A MARK |last=Ramirez |first=Giulia |website=metalmagazine.eu |language=es |publisher=Metal Magazine |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204160203/https://metalmagazine.eu/es/post/interview/inti |url-status=live }} they immigrated to Spain with their mother when they were three years old, and was raised in Madrid.{{cite web |url=https://aldianews.com/es/culture/en-pantalla/inti-en-drag-race-espana |title=Inti, la Drag Queen boliviana que participa en la primera edición del Drag Race España |language=es |last=Puertas Cavero |first=Natalia |website=aldianews.com |publisher=AL DÍA NEWS Media |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201210404/https://aldianews.com/es/culture/en-pantalla/inti-en-drag-race-espana |url-status=live }} Their mother works as a nail artist, and their brother, René, is a dancer. Additionally, their grandmother was a dancer and rhythmic gymnast, while their grandfather was a musician. At the age of fourteen, they began a career in modeling, as well as beginning to participate in the Spanish ballroom scene.{{cite web |url=https://wapa.pe/mujer/2021/06/21/inti-drag-queen-boliviana-conmovio-television-espanola-rupaul-s-drag-queen-7795 |title=Trans, indigenista y referente: la indeleble huella de Inti en la televisión española |language=es |website=wapa.pe |publisher=Wapa |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722054635/https://wapa.pe/mujer/2021/06/21/inti-drag-queen-boliviana-conmovio-television-espanola-rupaul-s-drag-queen-7795 |url-status=live }} Also as a teenager, they were given a makeup kit for the first time as an attempt at relief from their chronic anxiety, which rendered them near-bedridden from panic attacks.

Career

They discovered an interest in drag and club culture after watching a video by Charles Jeffrey about the club kid scene in New York City and began sneaking into local clubs in Madrid. There, they discovered performers such as La Prohibida, {{ill|Kika Lorace|es}}, and eventual Drag Race España host Supremme de Luxe, as well as castmate Pupi Poisson. Their drag persona was conceived in 2018 after performing in a Putochinomaricón show. They named themselves "Inti" as a reference to the Inca sun god of the same name, which served as an homage to their culture and ancestry. The word also means "sun" in the Quechua language. They additionally chose the name because they wanted something short and memorable, similar to one of their favorite music albums, Rihanna's ANTI, and felt that the name "arose" in them, as they had not been able to visit Bolivia since they had immigrated to Spain due to papers and financial constraints.

In 2021, they participated in the first season of Drag Race España, the Spanish version of the American drag competition RuPaul's Drag Race.{{cite web |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4676297/0/quien-es-inti-concursante-drag-race-espana-2021/ |title=Quién es Inti, concursante de 'Drag Race España' 2021 |website=20minutos.es |date=30 May 2021 |language=es |publisher=20 minutos |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201210554/https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4676297/0/quien-es-inti-concursante-drag-race-espana-2021/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://eldeber.com.bo/sociales/boliviana-participa-en-reality-espanol-de-drag-queens_233095 |title=Boliviana participa en reality español de 'drag-queens' |last=Quiroga Rojas |language=es |first=Sandra |website=eldeber.com |date=26 May 2021 |publisher=El Deber |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201211753/https://eldeber.com.bo/sociales/boliviana-participa-en-reality-espanol-de-drag-queens_233095 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/revista-asi/inti-primera-drag-queen-boliviana-competira-drag-race-espana/20210507190417818734.html |title=Inti, la primera drag queen boliviana que competirá en el Drag Race España |language=es |last=Zeballos Gonzales |first=Sara |website=opinion.com.bo |date=8 May 2021 |publisher=Opinión |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202184537/https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/revista-asi/inti-primera-drag-queen-boliviana-competira-drag-race-espana/20210507190417818734.html |url-status=live }} Born in the year 2000, they became the first person born in the 21st century to participate in the franchise, as well as the first Bolivian contestant. In the third episode of the program, during the runway portion, they presented a look inspired by the Bolivian diablada, but after receiving negative criticism from the jury, and being among the possible eliminated, they decided to remove themselves from the competition.{{cite web |url=https://www.elmundo.es/television/2021/06/15/60c84ebbe4d4d8cf7c8b4590.html |title=El abandono de Inti en Drag Race España tras las críticas del jurado |website=elmundo.es |date=15 June 2021 |language=es |publisher=El Mundo |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202182751/https://www.elmundo.es/television/2021/06/15/60c84ebbe4d4d8cf7c8b4590.html |url-status=live }} They later appeared as a part of the Gran Hotel de las Reinas tour, the official national tour of Drag Race España, alongside their fellow castmates and host Supremme de Luxe.

In 2022, they made an appearance on the TVE program {{ill|Maestros de costura|es}}, along with Daniela Santiago and other participants of Drag Race España, such as Carmen Farala, Hugáceo Crujiente, Pupi Poisson, and Killer Queen.{{cite web |url=https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4971307/0/las-redes-celebran-la-presencia-de-daniela-santiago-y-concursantes-de-drag-race-en-maestros-de-la-costura/ |title=Las redes celebran la presencia de Daniela Santiago y concursantes de 'Drag Race' en 'Maestros de la costura' |website=20minutos.es |date=16 March 2022 |publisher=20 minutos |language=es |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201211631/https://www.20minutos.es/noticia/4971307/0/las-redes-celebran-la-presencia-de-daniela-santiago-y-concursantes-de-drag-race-en-maestros-de-la-costura/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.rtve.es/television/20220316/fiesta-colores-desfile-drag-maestros-costura/2307462.shtml |title=Fiesta de colores con el vestuario drag de Maestros de la Costura |website=rtve.es |date=16 March 2022 |publisher=RTVE |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201211459/https://www.rtve.es/television/20220316/fiesta-colores-desfile-drag-maestros-costura/2307462.shtml |url-status=live }}

Personal life

They are of Quechua heritage and identify as nonbinary. While competing on Drag Race España, they lived between Madrid and Antwerp, Belgium. Since then, they have relocated to Barcelona, Spain, and then to London, United Kingdom. They cite their artistic inspirations to be RuPaul, FKA Twigs, Twiggy Pucci Garçon, Leiomy Maldonado, Kevin Aviance, Divine, David Bowie, Bad Bunny, Lorna, Chiky Bom Bom "La Pantera", and Grace Jones. They refer to their fans as "soles".{{cite web |url=https://enfntsterribles.com/cover-story-inti-takes-power-of-her-own-decisions/ |title=COVER STORY: INTI TAKES POWER OF HER OWN DECISIONS |website=enfntsterribles.com |date=20 January 2022 |publisher=ENFNTS TERRIBLES |access-date=July 22, 2023 |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929101043/https://enfntsterribles.com/cover-story-inti-takes-power-of-her-own-decisions/ |url-status=live }}