Inside Mia Starr’s very famous life before RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18
She literally worked with so many A-Listers
Mia Starr didn’t just arrive on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18, she danced her way here with a résumé that feels like it belongs on a backstage laminate.
One minute she’s giving West Palm Beach charisma, the next she’s casually dropping “world tour” like it’s a personality trait.
And the gag? A lot of her biggest flexes happened long before she ever hit the Werk Room.
If you’re trying to figure out why Mia moves like a pop-era music video come to life and talks like she’s seen things, her pre-Drag Race chapters explain everything…
Mia worked with Shakira and Britney Spears
View this post on Instagram
Let’s start with the pop goddess proximity, because yes, it’s real.
In Entertainment Weekly’s season 18 cast reveal, Mia is credited with dancing on Rihanna’s Loud tour, performing for Britney Spears in Las Vegas, and appearing in Camila Cabello’s “Havana” music video. That’s not “I did a tribute number at Pride,” that’s industry industry.
And Mia’s own bio leans even further into the “biggest artists in the world” category, listing names like Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Paulina Rubio alongside Britney and Rihanna. If you’ve ever wondered why she carries herself like a headliner even in confessionals… it’s seemingly muscle memory.
As for “Havana,” there’s a neat little receipts moment: IMDb’s listing for the music video includes “Mia Starr” credited as a dancer.
She dropped out of The Voice
View this post on Instagram
Here’s where Mia’s timeline gets extra reality TV-coded. The Drag Race Wiki notes she was picked to go into blind casting for The Voice season six, but she ultimately dropped out to take a performance opportunity with Britney Spears.
Honestly? That’s the kind of fork-in-the-road decision that rewires your whole life.One path is TV fame, the other is dancing behind one of the most famous pop stars on earth!
Miami New Times also lists her as having been a contestant on America’s Best Dance Crew as well as The Voice.
She reportedly competed on season 1one of America’s Best Dance Crew with the group Full Out, which tracks with her whole “performance first” energy.
The sneaky-cool part of Mia’s pre-show life is that she isn’t only a performer, she’s worked behind the scenes, too. Her day job is listed as a talent and casting producer, with credits that include shows like The Voice and World of Dance.
What is Mia Starr’s real name?
View this post on Instagram
Behind the rhinestones and star power, Mia Starr’s real name is Mikey Pesante. And honestly? The transformation from Mikey to Mia is exactly the kind of glow-up Drag Race was built for.
Before stepping into drag superstardom, Mikey built a serious career in dance, choreography, casting, and live performance, working with some of the biggest names in pop music and appearing on multiple reality competition stages.
Now, as Mia Starr, that experience translates into high-glam polish, total stage control, and a presence that feels born for television!
For all the latest reality TV cast member news, scandals, gossip and updates – like Reality Shrine on Facebook.