REDLANDS >> Naomi Smalls is honored to be the first drag queen from Redlands on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

The 21-year-old appeared alongside 11 other queens vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” on Season 8 of Logo’s popular reality series Monday night.

Obsessed with ‘90s supermodels, Smalls auditioned to appear on the show after being inspired by past RPDR queens, especially Raven from Season 2.

“When I fist started performing at 340 Nightclub in Pomona, I saw Raven for the first time. And at that moment, I said to myself, ‘Oh my god, I have to do that,’” Smalls said by phone Saturday. “She’s the one that really was the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

• Video: Watch a sneak peek of the Season 8 premiere

Smalls has called Redlands home for as long as she can remember, attending local schools before graduating from The Grove School in 2011.

It was during her junior year of high school when she first saw an episode of “Drag Race,” though she was still unsure if she’d ever want to perform in drag herself.

“I kept watching it because I was curious to see what it was about,” she said.

Two years later, Smalls would find herself signing up for her first local competition, adding more to her drag budget and image as she went.

“I actually don’t know of any other drag queens that live in Redlands. I don’t even know if there even are any,” she said. “I had to travel for work, like to Riverside or the Los Angeles area. Redlands still has a long way to come.”

When Smalls learned “Drag Race” was casting for its eighth season, she sent in her tape and the rest was history.

Logo announced the season’s cast in early February.

Smalls said RPDR’s new season has a good mix of seasons past rolled into one, with a bevy of talented queens including comediennes, rappers and singers.

“It’s very hard to stand out in our season,” she said. “Going on the show I was like one of the youngest queens that had been doing it for a very short amount of time, but I was going into it knowing I still had a lot to learn. Like, I had never made my own costume before or have done anyone else’s makeup, so I know there was a lot of growing up to do, but I wasn’t going to let that get in my way.”

“Whenever I had a challenge, I tried to attack it 100 percent and not complain about it, but try and get it done. And I try to look good while doing it,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to make it my first time auditioning, but I’m super excited about it.”

The new season premiered Monday with a 90-minute episode. Each episode features queens competing in challenges to determine the overall winner. A panel of judges, including RuPaul, helps narrow the field.

To learn more, go to www.logotv.com, or follow Smalls on social media at twitter.com/naomismallsduh or instagram.com/naomismalls.