Jaren Kyei Merrell, known professionally as Shea Couleé (born February 8, 1989), is an American drag queen, performer, and recording artist.
Couleé is best known for participating in the ninth season of Rupauls Drag Race. Despite being touted as a favorite to win that season, she ultimately finished as a joint second runner-up with Trinity "The Tuck" Taylor. She later returned to the competition as part of the fifth season of All Stars, emerging as its winner. (Ironically, she succeeded fellow season nine co-runner-up Taylor as the reigning winner of All Stars, and is the third of that season's top four to win a season.)
Outside of Drag Race, Couleé is a fixture of the Chicago drag scene and has released music, most notably her 2017 EP Couleé-D. She was also one of the inspirations for Darkveil (née Shade)
, Marvel's first drag queen superhero, who first appeared in Iceman #4 (December 2018).
Discography:
- Couleé-D EP (2017)
Shea Couleé provides examples of:
- The Ace: She received this edit during her run of Drag Race, generally portrayed as being good at everything and only had to lip sync for her life once towards the end of the season. She eventually emerged as the de facto favorite to win by the finale... until the rose petals.
- My Greatest Failure / My Greatest Second Chance: Regards her season nine loss as being this, and she discussed how it was a source of trauma for her in the years since while on All Stars, which she ultimately won.
