GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A West Michigan native is just days away from making his national television debut on RuPaul's Drag Race.
The local drag queen will be the first to represent Michigan on the Emmy Award-winning show.
13 ON YOUR SIDE reporter Keely Lovern spoke in a one-on-one interview with Chance Lambert to talk more about his journey to stardom as drag queen Orion Story.
25-year-old Chance Lambert grew up in Spring Lake, and said he always knew he was destined for greatness. And even growing up in a small village on the lakeshore, he made that happen. His drag persona, Orion Story, will be revealed to the world this week, but his roots will always stay right here in West Michigan.
"I knew I always wanted to be a star, and famous for something," said Lambert. "I know that there's a lot of other kids out there that probably feel the same way I did, so I hope that I can at least reach those kids and show them that if I can do it they can do it, too."
Lambert had always been creative, and sewed his own art, and later moved to Grand Rapids his senior year of high school. Within a few years, he had created Orion Story, his drag persona that flew to stardom.
"My mom and I used to watch 'Drag Race' together actually, and she would always tell me she wanted to watch me on there," said Lambert. "She always said she could see me up there doing it."
Orion Story started performing at Rumors Nightclub and Hamburger Mary's as an amateur, but that status didn't last long.
With only a couple years of drag under her belt, this local queen is already heading for the big screen.
"It started happening really fast for me," said Lambert. "I was going on tour within a few months of doing drag, and then I won 'Michigan Drag Queen Of The Year.'"
"I didn't have a whole lot of experience, so going on the show you know you're competing with the big dogs," he added. "It's like going from a small pond to an entire ocean."
Orion Story will compete on the 14th season of RuPaul's Drag Race, with 13 other drag queens from across the world all fighting to win the crown and $100,000.
"The main thing that I wanted to do when going on the show was make people laugh," he said. "I wanted to show myself, and show everything I've been working on, because a majority of what you'll see me wearing on the show are things I've made myself."
Two former contestants on the show were born in Michigan, but did not start their drag careers here, so Orion Story is considered the first drag queen from the Great Lakes State to compete, and that's something he said he's proud of.
"I hope that this opens the door for other Michigan queens because I think we have a lot of talented girls here," Lambert said, "and there's a lot of hidden gems that I think would really flourish on a platform like 'Drag Race.'"
And for this passionate performer, a lot of the inspiration comes from his mother, who passed away only years ago, and was his biggest supporter.
"My mom was honestly just like my best friend," said Lambert, "and I always felt that we shared a brain because we had similar senses of humor."
"So when I started doing drag, it was just mostly a tribute to her," he added.
Lambert said he knows his mom would be proud, and he's honored to show people from West Michigan and beyond that anything is possible.
"Drag has really changed the way I see myself and it's really helped me come out of my shell which I think it's important," Lambert said, "and I think everyone needs to have something to find their confidence and find their voice, and I think drag is a really great way to do that."
The first episode of the season will air this Friday, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. on VH1.
Watch the full interview with Orion Story here:
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