Nicky Doll
Nicky Doll is the stage name of Karl Sanchez (born 14 March 1991), a French drag performer and television personality based in New York City.[1][2] She rose to international prominence as the first French contestant on the U.S. reality series RuPaul's Drag Race during its twelfth season in 2020, where she competed against other drag artists in challenges emphasizing performance, design, and charisma.[1][3] Doll later hosted the French adaptation, Drag Race France, beginning with its debut season in 2022, serving as the main judge and emcee for emerging French drag talents.[3][4] Beyond television, she has pursued a music career, releasing tracks and performing as a cabaret artist, drawing on her background in makeup artistry and live entertainment from her early days in Marseille.[1] Her career highlights the globalization of drag culture, bridging French and American scenes through high-production competitions and public performances.[5]Early Life
Childhood in France
Karl Sanchez, the individual behind the drag persona Nicky Doll, was born on March 14, 1991, in Marseille, France.[1][6] His early years were spent in this coastal city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, though specific details about his preschool experiences or family life during this period remain limited in public records.[3] At age seven, Sanchez relocated with his family to Saint-Martin in the Caribbean, effectively concluding his childhood residency in France.[6][3] This move followed his birth in a French-Spanish household, though documented accounts do not elaborate on cultural or socioeconomic influences specific to his Marseille upbringing.[6] Later reflections indicate a supportive maternal figure in his life, but revelations about personal identity, such as coming out at age 18, occurred post-childhood.[2]Initial Involvement in Performing Arts
Sanchez trained as a makeup artist specializing in high fashion after growing up in Marseille, France.[7] This foundation in cosmetics and visual artistry provided the skills for his later drag work, though his entry into performance centered on nightlife rather than formal theater or musical productions.[4] In 2009, Sanchez created the drag persona Nicky Doll, inspired by 1990s aesthetics and Japanese pop culture, emerging within Paris's underground club scene.[8] His initial performances as Nicky Doll occurred at key French venues, including Queen Club and Gibus in Paris, and New Cancan in Marseille, where drag was then a niche, fragmented subculture often tied to cross-dressing communities rather than mainstream entertainment.[7][4] These early shows involved lip-syncing, comedy sketches, and fashion-forward presentations, marking Sanchez's first sustained engagement with live performance arts in a professional capacity.[8] By performing regularly across France and Europe in the early 2010s, Sanchez built a local following before seeking broader opportunities abroad in 2015.[7][4] This phase represented a self-taught transition from behind-the-scenes beauty work to onstage expression, without documented prior involvement in traditional performing arts institutions like theater troupes or cabarets.[3]Career Beginnings
Pre-Drag Race Performances
Nicky Doll began performing in drag in Paris in 2009 at the age of 19, while enrolled in a communications program at the University of Paris 8.[4] Her debut occurred at Le Velvet, a bar located on rue Saint-Honoré, where she was also bartending at the time.[4] In 2011, Doll secured her first paid drag performance at the club Queen in Paris, participating in a themed event titled "Princesses & Monsters," for which she portrayed Princess Peach from the Super Mario video game series.[4] She subsequently performed regularly at Club Sandwich parties in Paris, which featured monthly thematic concepts emphasizing bold and extravagant looks.[4] Doll continued drag performances across France and Europe until 2015, building a local reputation through these club-based shows before relocating to the United States.[4] These early gigs focused on live entertainment in intimate venues, predating her exposure to broader international drag formats like lip-sync battles.[4]Move to New York and Drag Development
In 2015, Karl Sanchez, the performer behind Nicky Doll, relocated from Paris to the United States seeking new professional challenges after establishing success as a makeup artist and drag performer in France.[4] Initially settling in San Francisco, Sanchez debuted the Nicky Doll persona at the Black XXXMas event that year, marking an early expansion of drag performances beyond Europe.[7] This move aligned with a period of artistic evolution, drawing from 1990s aesthetics, Parisian nightlife influences, and J-pop elements to craft a distinctive high-fashion drag style.[7] By 2018, Sanchez had relocated to New York City, where the drag career intensified through regular club performances, fashion collaborations, and media features.[7] In New York, Nicky Doll gained prominence in the local scene, producing events such as the Louche Party series and performing at venues that emphasized visual artistry and club culture.[9] Preceding broader recognition, this phase included editorial work in publications like Féroce Magazine—where Doll appeared on the cover—and contributions to visual projects, including the Aftershock 2017 installation for San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair, which previewed themes of bold, thematic drag expression later refined in New York.[7] These efforts solidified Doll's reputation for polished, couture-inspired looks, distinguishing the persona amid the competitive East Coast drag landscape.[4] The New York period fostered collaborations with DJs like Bob Sinclar and promoters such as Gus Presents, enhancing Doll's profile through high-energy performances and crossovers into music and nightlife production.[7] This development phase, spanning roughly 2018 to 2020, emphasized self-production and artistic autonomy, with Doll curating sets that integrated makeup expertise from high-fashion training into elaborate runway and stage concepts.[6] Such groundwork positioned Doll as a versatile performer ready for international platforms, evidenced by features in outlets like OUT and Cosmopolitan highlighting the evolution from French roots to American urban drag innovation.[7]Drag Race Participation and Hosting
RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 (2020)
Nicky Doll competed as one of thirteen contestants on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, which premiered on VH1 on February 28, 2020.[10] As the first queen born in France to appear on the U.S. edition of the series, she entered the werkroom on the premiere episode, introducing herself with a performance to RuPaul's "I'm That Bitch" that highlighted her cabaret-style drag rooted in Parisian fashion influences.[11] Doll navigated the competition without earning a maxi challenge win across her run, consistently landing in the safe zone during the first four episodes. These included a design challenge in episode 1, a photoshoot in episode 2, a bad drag parody in episode 3, and a three-look ball in episode 4.[12] Her runways drew mixed feedback from judges RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, and Ross Mathews, praising her polished aesthetics but critiquing occasional execution flaws, such as in the episode 4 ball looks themed around politician, politician's spouse, and best drag.[13] In episode 5, "Gay's Anatomy," aired March 27, 2020, the contestants acted in a scripted parody of Grey's Anatomy. Doll's portrayal received negative critiques for lacking energy and comedic timing, placing her in the bottom two against Heidi N Closet.[12] The pair lip-synced to Kim Petras' "Heart to Break," with Closet declared the winner, resulting in Doll's elimination and an overall 11th place finish.[14] Following her exit, Doll appeared in the "Whatcha Packin'" segment, discussing her packing choices and reflecting on the competition's intensity.[15]Drag Race France Hosting (2022–Present)
Nicky Doll was announced as the solo host of Drag Race France on March 4, 2022, marking her as the first queen from a non-U.S. edition of RuPaul's Drag Race to helm an international franchise version.[16] The series, produced by World of Wonder, premiered its first season on June 25, 2022, featuring ten French drag performers competing in challenges centered on comedy, sewing, and performance, with Doll overseeing eliminations and crowning Paloma as the inaugural winner on August 11, 2022.[17] [18] The second season aired from June 30 to August 25, 2023, again under Doll's hosting, where La Grande Dame emerged victorious after a format including maxi challenges and a lip-sync finale.[18] Season three followed from May 31 to July 19, 2024, maintaining the competitive structure with Doll directing proceedings, though specific winner details remain tied to episode outcomes broadcast on France Télévisions and WOW Presents Plus.[18] Doll's hosting emphasizes bilingual elements, drawing from her French-American background to bridge cultural nuances in drag artistry.[19] In 2025, Doll hosted Drag Race France All Stars, premiering on July 10 with ten returning competitors vying for a Hall of Fame spot, extending the franchise's format to redemption arcs and intensified challenges.[20] Episodes continued airing through August, including the finale on August 28, solidifying her role in expanding the show's viewership across Europe.[21]Media and Entertainment Ventures
Television Appearances Beyond Drag Race
Nicky Doll has made guest appearances on several French talk shows and entertainment programs. On September 25, 2022, she appeared as a guest on Quelle époque !, a current affairs talk show hosted by Léa Salamé on France 2, discussing topics alongside political figure Jean-Luc Mélenchon, writer Yann Moix, and journalist Laurence Ferrari.[22] She was also featured as a guest on Les Enfants de la télé, an entertainment quiz show on France 2, in an episode hosted by Laurence Boccolini that included guests such as musician Ibrahim Maalouf and television presenter Estelle Denis.[23] In June 2025, Doll participated in a segment on C à l'Hebdo, a satirical news review on France 5, where she observed and reacted to discussions led by host Aurélie Casse and Antoine de Caunes.[24] These appearances primarily served to promote her hosting role on Drag Race France and her broader career in drag performance, though they occurred outside the franchise's competitive format.Music Releases and Performances
Nicky Doll's music career began with the release of her debut single "Attention" on August 25, 2022, accompanied by an official music video directed and featuring choreography emphasizing her drag persona.[25] This electro-pop track marked her entry into original music production following her RuPaul's Drag Race appearance. Subsequent singles included "Fashion Freak" on August 21, 2023, which explored themes of style and identity with remixes by artists such as Kiddy Smile and SOHIER.[26] In 2024, Doll released "I had a dream" on June 28, with an official music video, followed by "QUEEN (Reine)" in collaboration with LEXXE, blending French and English lyrics in a house-influenced style.[27] [28] "Oublier," another single with a music video, addressed personal reflection in French, released amid her hosting duties.[29] Her debut album, APOLLO • ARTEMIS, was released on September 5, 2025, comprising 10 tracks over 27 minutes in electronic pop and electro house genres.[30] Lead single "How Do I Look," released earlier in 2025, preceded the album, alongside "Drifting Away" and "Seine City."[28] The album's tracklist includes:| Track | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How Do I Look | 2:48 |
| 2 | I Feel The Love | 2:41 |
| 3 | APOLLO • ARTEMIS | 3:23 |
| 4 | Lap Dance | N/A |
| ... | (Additional tracks: Phone Sexxx, etc.) | Total: 27:38 |
Controversies and Public Debates
2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony Involvement
Nicky Doll performed in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, 2024, during a fashion runway segment that highlighted French drag artists.[35] She appeared alongside Paloma, the winner of season 1 of Drag Race France, Piche from season 3, and Kam Hugh from the HBO series Legendary, in a high-energy display emphasizing diversity and performance art.[36] The segment was part of a broader ceremony directed by Thomas Jolly, which incorporated extensive LGBTQ+ representation, including drag elements, to promote themes of inclusion.[37] Prior to the ceremony, on July 25, 2024, Nicky Doll participated in the Olympic torch relay as one of the first drag performers to carry the flame in France, marking a historic milestone for drag artists in Olympic events.[38] Her involvement extended the visibility of drag in the lead-up to the games, aligning with France's cultural emphasis on performance and spectacle.[39] The ceremony provoked international backlash, particularly over a tableau featuring drag performers and diverse figures arranged in a manner widely interpreted as parodying Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, which offended Christian viewers and leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.[37] Although Nicky Doll's runway performance was distinct from that tableau—which organizers described as evoking a Dionysian feast rather than religious mockery—they later apologized for any unintended offense while defending the intent as inclusive.[37] [40] Her participation fueled debates on the appropriateness of drag in a global event funded by public and corporate sources, with critics arguing it prioritized provocation over universality, while supporters viewed it as cultural expression.[38] In response to the criticism, Nicky Doll affirmed her commitment to the performance, stating she relished "ruffling feathers" and saw it as advancing representation for marginalized performers.[41] She described the event as a source of pride amid the harassment directed at participants, emphasizing resilience in the face of online vitriol.[42] Mainstream outlets largely framed the backlash as rooted in conservative opposition, though empirical data on public sentiment—such as widespread social media condemnation and corporate sponsor concerns—indicated broader discomfort with the ceremony's thematic choices.[43]Defamation Lawsuit Against Laurence Fox (2024)
In July 2024, Nicky Doll participated in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony as one of several drag performers featured in a tableau depicting a Dionysian feast, which some critics interpreted as mocking Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.[44] On the same day, July 26, British actor and political activist Laurence Fox posted on X (formerly Twitter) referring to the performers, including Doll, as "deviant little pedos" and stating, "No point in getting wound up when the child fkers want to wind you up. Just laugh at the deviant little pedos. Eternity is a b*h."[44][45] Fox's remarks explicitly linked the drag artists' performance to pedophilia without providing evidence.[46] Doll, whose legal name is Karl Sanchez, responded by filing a defamation complaint against Fox in France, announced on August 3, 2024, through her lawyer Anne-Sophie Laguens.[44][45] The suit alleges that Fox's statements equated drag performance with child sexual abuse, inciting an "unprecedented wave of animosity" and harassment toward Doll, including online threats.[44] Doll stated her intent to hold Fox accountable in court, emphasizing that such accusations harm performers without basis.[45] The complaint falls under French defamation law, which allows civil actions for false statements damaging reputation.[46] Fox has a history of similar legal defeats; in March 2024, a UK court ruled against him in a libel case, ordering him to pay £90,000 each to activist Simon Blake and drag performer Crystal for 2020 social media posts calling them "paedophiles" in a dispute over police involvement at a protest.[45] As of October 2025, no resolution has been publicly reported in Doll's case against Fox, which remains ongoing.[44][46]Personal Life and Identity
Family Background and Relationships
Karl Sanchez, known professionally as Nicky Doll, was born on March 14, 1991, in Marseille, France.[47] He was raised primarily by his mother alongside a younger sister, after the family relocated from Marseille to Saint-Martin in the Caribbean when he was seven years old, and later to Tangiers, Morocco, during his teenage years.[6][3] Sanchez has credited his mother with demonstrating resilience in supporting their family amid these moves and life's challenges, describing her as managing "her life, mine and my little sister's with courage."[3] Sanchez came out as gay to his mother at age 18, receiving her support thereafter.[2] Little public information exists regarding his father's involvement or extended family dynamics, and Sanchez has maintained privacy on romantic relationships.[5]Views on Drag, Gender, and Society
Nicky Doll describes drag as an intrinsically political art form originating in queer counterculture around 1870, which gained mainstream visibility in France from the late 2010s onward.[3] She views it as therapeutic, enabling performers to exorcise personal traumas such as homophobia and racism, while challenging rigid social norms like the expectation that "a man doesn’t cry."[3] [48] In interviews, she emphasizes drag's evolution from perceived sexual perversion to a non-sexualized performance art, contrasting French visual, theatrical styles with more lip-sync-focused American bar traditions.[4] Doll positions herself as a defender of drag culture, likening her role to the "Joan of Arc of drag" in promoting French drag internationally and countering homophobic backlash.[3] On gender, Doll articulates drag as a means to explore personal facets and push against societal binaries, creating a character that amplifies femininity in response to childhood bullying for perceived effeminacy.[4] She highlights duality in gender expression, drawing parallels to Greek mythological twins Apollo and Artemis to represent male-female binaries navigated by drag performers, allowing a spectrum of emotions without forced choice.[32] Doll credits trans women in Paris for aiding her self-acceptance and identity formation, and she uses feminine pronouns when embodying her drag persona.[49] Drag, in her view, deconstructs everyday gender masquerades and fosters learning about gender fluidity and tolerance.[3] [50] In societal terms, Doll sees drag queens as "good fairies" advancing respect and tolerance amid conservative critiques, with her visibility on French television reportedly shifting attitudes among older generations toward accepting LGBTQ+ family members.[3] [4] She frames drag's public role, as in the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, as cultural resilience against anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, emphasizing its value in affirming queer existence.[32] Doll advocates for drag's professional viability, noting how platforms like Drag Race France enable queens to sustain careers while questioning normative identities.[3]Artistic Works and Output
Filmography
Nicky Doll has limited acting credits outside of television hosting and drag competition appearances, primarily consisting of self-portrayals in documentaries, short specials, and music videos that highlight her career as a drag performer.[47] Her film roles emphasize her public persona rather than fictional characters.| Year | Title | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Bring Back My Ghouls | Herself | Short special | Halloween-themed variety special featuring RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 contestants, produced by World of Wonder.[51] |
| 2022 | Nicky Doll: Attention | Herself | Music video | Short video tied to her music release.[47] |
| 2023 | Et Dieu créa Barbie | Herself | Documentary | Interviewee in French documentary exploring the cultural history and impact of the Barbie doll.[52][53] |
| 2023 | Fashion Freak - Nicky Doll | Herself | Documentary | Feature-length exploration of her life, career, and drag artistry.[47] |
Discography
Nicky Doll has released a series of singles since 2022, often blending electropop, house, and drag performance aesthetics, with themes of empowerment, fantasy, and personal reflection. Her music career gained momentum following her appearances on RuPaul's Drag Race, leading to independent releases primarily through digital platforms. In 2025, she issued her debut studio album, APOLLO • ARTEMIS, which comprises 10 tracks and draws thematic inspiration from the twin Greek deities, symbolizing duality in drag artistry.[30][32]| Title | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| "Toxic" | November 12, 2022 | Cover of Britney Spears track, initial solo release.[56] |
| "Attention" | 2022 | Early single emphasizing visibility and performance. |
| "Fashion Freak" | August 21, 2023 | Features multiverse-themed music video; available on vinyl.[57][58] |
| "Don't Cha" | 2024 | Pussycat Dolls cover adaptation. |
| "I had a dream" | May 24, 2024 | Inspired by personal and public challenges; remix EP released September 20, 2024; vinyl in August 2024.[59][60][61] |
| "QUEEN (Reine)" | 2024 | Bilingual track highlighting regal drag persona.[62] |
| "Oublier" | October 11, 2024 | French-language single meaning "to forget," with music video released December 2, 2024.[63][64] |
| "Drifting Away" | 2025 | Reflective pop single.[62] |
| "How Do I Look" | August 31, 2025 | Lead single from debut album, promotional video tied to APOLLO • ARTEMIS.[65][62] |