# Sapphira Cristál

Sapphira Cristál (born September 27, 1988) is the stage name of O'Neill Nichol Haynes, an American drag performer who was both runner-up and Miss Congeniality on season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race. She is also a classically trained opera singer and a composer.

## Early life and education

Born in Bryan, Texas, Haynes's stepfather was MMA trainer Saul Soliz. Haynes was raised in Houston and attended HSPVA. His first exposure to opera was at the age of 4, when he attended a Houston Ebony Opera Guild performance of La bohème at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston. He practiced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai as a child. Haynes attended Houston's Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He studied music composition and opera at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester and the Longy School of Music at Bard College, but did not complete his bachelor's degree. His first experience singing opera was when he attended a voice lesson dressed as Leontyne Price while attending the Eastman School and his teacher, Karen Holvik, allowed him to sing as a soprano for the first time. After transferring to the Longy School of Music, Haynes' father discovered his sexuality and cut off his financial resources, eventually leaving Haynes homeless. He was subsequently expelled from the school after cursing out a pair of administrators who refused to help him with his housing situation.

## Career

Sapphira Cristál started doing drag in Rochester, New York and worked in New York City, Boston, Massachusetts and Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Cristál competed on season 16 of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2023, after auditioning for the show 11 times. She won the first episode's talent show challenge by performing the opera piece "O mio babbino caro". Following the premiere, Cristál released a studio version of her performance. In total, she won four challenges throughout the season to earn a spot in the finale. She was voted by her fellow contestants as Miss Congeniality, alongside Xunami Muse, and placed as the runner-up to Nymphia Wind.
Outside of Drag Race, she has won fourteen drag pageants.

## Personal life

Haynes identifies as pansexual, polyamorous and non-binary, and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Growing up, Haynes went to the same church as Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland in Houston, Texas.

## Discography

All credits adapted from Apple Music and Spotify.

### Singles
#### As lead artist

| Year | Title | Album | Writer(s) | Producer(s) |
| 2024 | "Get Your Flowers" | Non-album single | James Blaszko, O'Neill Haynes, Tazman Mekell Gillespie | Ocean Kelly |
| 2024 | "Enough" | Non-album single | Ash Gordon, James Blaszko, O'Neill Haynes, Ocean Kelly | Ocean Kelly |
| 2024 | "O mio babbino caro" (Sapphira Cristál with Giacomo Puccini, Giovacchino Forzano, Macedonia Radio Orchestra, Oleg Kondratenko) | Non-album single | Giacomo Puccini, Giovacchino Forzano | Jonathan Estabrooks |

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Genre | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Web series | Herself | 1 special episode; Meet the Queens |
| 2024 | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 16) | Television | Contestant | Runner-up, Miss Congeniality; 16 episodes |
| 2024 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | Television | Herself | Season 15, 13 episodes |
| 2024 | Whatcha Packin' | Web series | Herself | Guest; 1 episode |
| 2024 | Hey Qween! | Web series | Herself | Guest; 1 episode |
* Touch-Ups with Raven (2024)
* Bring Back My Girls