2019 PrideBook

ADA VOX
ADA VOX ISN’T MESSING AROUND. SHE PUT JUDGE KATY PERRY, AND AMERICA, ON NOTICE: SHE IS IN THIS LIFE TO WIN IT!
Ada did not let that deter her from her
dream and when she heard the show
was coming back to ABC, she decided to
audition again as Ada Vox, a person with a
lot more confidence and an innate belief
in herself. “I was an OK singer as Adam.
But I’m a hundred times better now than
I ever was then. I’m vocally better, I’m a
better performer, I’m a better entertainer,
I’m more prepared as an adult to take
on the challenges that come with a
competition like this.”
Ada has released her first single “Because
of You” written by Janice Robinson
(Kristine W., Deborah Cox) and produced
by Bimbo Jones (Rihanna, Kylie Minogue,
Lady Gaga). She’s excited to share it with
all the people (#Voxies) who embraced
her on this go-round of American Idol and
to brand new audiences as she continues
to tour the globe.
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A San Antonio based drag queen who sang
her heart out on ABC’s “American Idol,”
Ada became a Semi-finalist, something
that would have been unheard of several
years ago. Her appearance marks a first
for the show, and people still talk about
her performance of The Animals “House
of the Rising Sun” as one of the stand-out
auditions of the season.
Rewind five years to 2013 when Ada Vox
auditioned for Fox’s American Idol back
when she was known as Adam Sanders.
In one of his Season 12 performances,
he got a standing ovation from three of
the four judges with his performance
of Etta James’s “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
Despite this, he not only got eliminated
after Hollywood week, but had to endure
taunts, teasing and threats from people
on social media. Ada revealed on this
year’s show that “People attacked my
weight, my sexuality, telling me that I was
horrible, that I sucked, that I don’t deserve
to be here, that I shouldn’t be who I am.
And I let it get to me in a wrong way. It
killed me inside...I was contemplating lots
of things that I shouldn’t have.”
“I’M NOT HERE TO PLAY WITH ANYBODY.
I’M HERE TO CHASE MY DREAMS AND MAKE
THEM COME TRUE.”
The 24-year-old was born in San Antonio,
TX. Attended UTSA (University of Texas at
San Antonio) while working at a restaurant
by day and was a drag queen by night.
Ada lists her influences as Lady Gaga,
Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle
(with whom she got to perform with on
Idol) and other strong women who project
an inner self-confidence with their stage
personas. In fact, her performance of
Jennifer Hudson’s “I am Telling You I am
not Going” as a Top 10 finalist brought the
house down.
Even though Ada didn’t make it to the top
spot, she made history as the first-ever
Drag Queen to make it as an American
Idol Top 8 finalist. Upon her departure,
none other than superstar judge Lionel
Richie said, “Listen, I want to say – you
have to know how special this is to have
you on this show. You are a movement
unto yourself. I am telling you, I’m so
proud of you, keep it up my dear, it’s
fantastic.”
What’s next for Ada?
The Sky seems to be the limit.
“I’m not waking up tomorrow morning/
And finding that there’s nobody there/
Darling, there’s no way.”