Jaren Kyei Merrell (born February 8, 1989), known professionally as Shea Couleé, is an American drag queen, musician, actor, podcaster, and fixture of the Chicago nightlife scene. Born in Warsaw, Indiana, they began their drag career in 2012. In 2017, Couleé achieved international fame after competing on season nine of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing in the top four. In 2020, Couleé won the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Couleé later returned to compete on the all-winners seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2022, once again placing in the top four.
In 2016, Couleé co-produced, directed, wrote, and starred in Lipstick City. In 2017, Couleé released their debut EP, Couleé-D, along with accompanying music videos. Since then, Couleé has continued their musical career, starred in their web series, podcast, and has embarked on domestic and international tours, including Werq the World, Haters Roast, and A Drag Queen Christmas.
Early life and education
Merrell was born to Marilyn Elaine Merrell in Warsaw, Indiana and raised in Plainfield, Illinois. The youngest of five children, their mother was a minister. They graduated with a degree in costume design from Columbia College Chicago in 2011. In their sophomore year, they were cast in Ten Square. During their senior year at Columbia, they were the lead designer on Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. Couleé has performed in theater since the age of nine.
Career
RuPaul's Drag Race
After auditioning five times, every year since they started doing drag Couleé became one of 14 queens to compete on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. After portraying Naomi Campbell in the Snatch Game challenge, Campbell tweeted Couleé in approval. Couleé won their first challenge in the fourth episode, alongside Sasha Velour. They again won the following episode, portraying Blac Chyna for "Kardashians: The Musical". Couleé won another challenge in the ninth episode, "Your Pilot's On Fire", again alongside Sasha Velour. In the following episode, "Makeover: Crew Better Work", Couleé lip synced for their life against Nina Bo'nina Brown, sending her home to Demi Lovato's "Cool for the Summer". Couleé won once again during the season's "Gayest Ball Ever", after creating a look inspired by the Village People's "construction worker".
In the season's penultimate episode, the final four queens wrote, recorded, danced, and performed a verse in RuPaul's "Category Is", choreographed by Todrick Hall. In a series first, all four queens ended up advancing to the finale. In the season finale, Couleé received a personalized video from Blac Chyna, whom Couleé had portrayed earlier in the "Reality Stars: The Rusical" challenge. In this finale, for the first time in Drag Race history, the final four queens all participated in a "lip sync for the crown". Couleé was selected to lipsync against Sasha Velour, to Whitney Houston's "So Emotional", but lost. They ultimately placed in joint third/fourth place. Couleé's loss was met with controversy, with many people claiming that Couleé should have won the crown. Couleé themself responded to the controversy, defending Velour's win, and saying "Ultimately Sasha was more successful than myself and the other girls." While on tour, Merrell and fellow Drag Race contestant Farrah Moan were harassed by a woman at a kebab shop in Newcastle in April 2018 who first yelled at and then tried to hit the off-duty queens. Since losing Season 9, Couleé has been requested by fans to compete on an All Star season.
On May 8, 2020, Couleé was announced as a contestant on the fifth series of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. They won the second episode, lipsyncing for their legacy against Lipsync Assassin Alyssa Edwards to The Pointer Sisters' Neutron Dance and winning, earning a $20,000 cash prize. Couleé won again during the Snatch Game of Love challenge on episode five, portraying Flavor Flav. They lipsynced against Vanessa Vanjie Mateo to Madonna's "Open Your Heart" and won. On the grand finale episode, Couleé, along with fellow finalists Jujubee and Miz Cracker, recorded, danced, and performed a verse in RuPaul's "Clapback", choreographed by Todrick Hall. After lipsyncing to Janelle Monae's "Make Me Feel", Couleé was announced as the winner of All Stars 5.
In April 2022, Couleé was announced as one of the eight returning winners that would be competing in seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, the first ever all-winners season of Drag Race. Throughout the competition, they won the first and eleventh challenges, and ultimately finished in 3rd/4th place.