“Express and Excel…” This mantra encapsulates everything that Cory Wade stands for. As his mother taught him: “If you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for anything.” These words have stuck with him along his journey thus far and have been a constant reminder of how important it is to stand up for what you believe in against all odds. Cory Wade is a model, musician, television personality, LGBT spokesperson and all around queen diva of the universe! He sought out for superstardom and fame from a very young age and now Cory is internationally famous as the 2nd runner up and fan favorite on the first ever co-ed cycle of America’’s Next Top Model (CW Network). Before his first television appearance, Cory’s profession was in the theater. His first aspiration was to become a famous Broadway actor, but once Cory started making moves in that direction, he began to see the industry in a different light. Cory was told that he was too feminine to play the “All-American” leading male and that he would need to “butch it up” if he ever wanted to become a commercial success. He dropped out of Point Park University’s musical theater conservatory after being pressured to mask his natural femininity. He did not feel comfortable forcing himself to change both physically and mentally. Cory’s experience in the theater world served as his first taste of rejection. This rejection is what sparked Cory’s desire to work relentlessly towards destroying gender stereotypes by any means necessary. He auditioned for roles that would allow him to embrace what everyone was telling him to mask and eventually, Cory went on to play the fabulous Angel Dumott Schunard in multiple equity productions of Jonathan Larson’s “RENT” from region to region (The Byham Theater of Pittsburgh PA / Pittsburgh Musical Theater / The Media Theater). During Cory’s time as Angel, he was not making enough money to survive without having to wait tables and every time he auditioned for a role that didn’t involve high-heels, tights and makeup, he was told that he was too feminine to pull it off. After 2 years of playing the same role and a desire for new experiences, Cory began to shift gears and work in pursuit of a serious modeling career all while keeping Angel alive in his Drag-Queen alter ego, Serena Starr. He figured that he could pull off “butch” in a photo. He figured that if no one had to hear him speak and if no one had to see his habitually flamboyant mannerisms, then he would be able to make it in the world of fashion. Once Cory started doing more research, he began to realize that male models who where visibly expressing femininity actually had a place in the fashion industry. This excited Cory and made him want to pursue this career path full force. Cory signed onto a small modeling agency (House) and started going to castings. He had a hard time making money modeling at first. Cory did not have any connections and knew nothing about the industry except for that it had to be right for him. He was very determined to make this directional change work and so he found other ways to make money while he pursued it. Cory pounded the pavement for a solid year dawning a suit and tie as a wedding singer (EBE) by day and wearing a leotard and 6-inch heels as a drag-queen by night until he found himself on one of the longest running reality shows in history as its first openly gay contestant. This long-awaited breakthrough was the beginning of a new Cory. Today, Cory Wade is a model, brand ambassador, musician, world traveler, entrepreneur, and all around advocate for free and honest self-expression. Every stop along Cory’s journey is being used in his songwriting. Using music as an artistic outlet, his ultimate goal is to inspire people to express themselves freely without any fear. Naturally, Cory is a fun loving queen and even though he wants his message to get across, he promises not to let the music get too serious! His music is sassy, soulful, catchy and most importantly, fun!