The team behind RuPaul’s Drag Race is mourning the loss of Lucian Piane, a former music producer for the Emmy-winning competition series, who died Monday after he was struck by a vehicle in Glendale. Piane was 46.
Drag Race production house World of Wonder said in an Instagram post on Tuesday the team is “devastated” to learn about the loss.
“Lucian left behind a legacy of truly beautiful music,” World of Wonder said. “May his struggles never dim the memories of a sweet man, a dear friend, and a master musician.”
Officers responded early Monday morning to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and pedestrian, later identified as Piane, who was walking at the intersection of San Fernando Road and Harvard Street, a spokesperson for the Glendale Police Department confirmed to The Times. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Piane’s death, noting in its report that he died in the street of blunt trauma. Police deemed the collision an accident.
Piane was arrested twice in the two days before his death, the Glendale Police spokesperson confirmed. Piane was arrested Saturday on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and again on Sunday on suspicion of assault.
TMZ reported that police gave Piane a citation for both incidents and that he was to appear in court on the day of his death. The former composer also reportedly posted concerning videos on Instagram of himself spending “much of his time on the street.”
Piane was a Kansas City native and a New York University graduate. He served as a composer across TV and film but is best known for his contributions to RuPaul’s Drag Race, including the original cut of its high-energy theme song.
His Drag Race tenure lasted from its inaugural season in 2009 to 2016. He is also credited with writing other Drag Race ear worms including fierce runway score Cover Girl and the original songs for each of the Season Eight finalists — Naomi Smalls, Kim Chi and winner Bob the Drag Queen — in 2016.
His composing credits also include the 2007 film adaptation of Hairspray, Pretty Ugly People, An Omar Broadway Film, Sorority Row and short film Dragula, according to his IMDb profile.
Ahead of RuPaul’s 2014 album Born Naked, his third with the drag icon, Piane discussed how he found his way into the music industry and how his love for music and performing could be traced back to his childhood performing at Kansas City’s Starlight Theatre. – Los Angeles Times/TNS
