He first performed in drag in 2008, at LaCage NiteClub in Milwaukee. Firkus became a staple among the Milwaukee drag scene, simultaneously performing in Chicago. In 2014, Firkus attended The Institute of Beauty and Wellness before dropping out in 2015 to participate in RuPaul's Drag Race.
Firkus was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is half Ojibwe, and comes from a Native American family. His drag name originated from an abusive stepfather who would call him a "trixie" when he acted feminine. After graduating high school, Firkus attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Here, he was introduced to drag while performing in a production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Oriental Theatre.
Mattel has toured around the world with her stand-up comedy show called "Ages 3 and Up". In October 2017, Mattel streamed on the live video Gaming platform Twitch alongside 8BitDylan to raise money for the GaymerX foundation. She has also toured on the "Haters Roast: The Shady Tour" with other queens from RuPaul's Drag Race for their 2017 and 2018 alumni tours. In February 2018, she announced her new comedy tour "Now With Moving Parts", set to begin in April 2018.
Mattel released the folk/country music album Two Birds in May 2017. Her second album, One Stone, was released on March 15, 2018, the same night as the RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars finale.
