Start your engines: Drag Race Philippines introduces queens for first-ever season

MANILA, Philippines – Racers, start your engines, because Drag Race Philippines has introduced the queens that will be competing in its first-ever season.

The show introduced its cast on Wednesday, July 27. The twelve drag artists from all over the Philippines will be competing for the title of the Philippines’ next drag superstar. 

Hosted by Paolo Ballesteros and with Jiggly Caliente and Kaladkaren as judges, Drag Race Philippines is set to premiere on August 17. 

Here are the competing queens:

Brigiding

One of the most well-known drag queens in the Philippines, Brigiding has been featured in Pride parades and drag events both in the Philippines and abroad.

Corazon

A seasoned pageant queen with a list of titles on her sash, Corazon has competed in both male bikini contests and provincial Miss Gay events and talent shows. In addition to drag, Corazon is a makeup artist and a designer, creating looks for fellow drag and beauty queens alike.

Eva Le Queen

Eva Le Queen worked as an OFW in Singapore for eight years before giving up her corporate job to become a full-time drag artist. Eva won 1st runner-up in Singapore’s Drag It Out All-Stars competition, only four months after she started doing drag. She is a resident queen at Nectar Nightclub and is also one of the founders of Drag Playhouse PH.

Gigi Era

Gigi Era is known as the “diva from Down Under.” Based in Melbourne, Australia, she has become known in the Australian drag scene for her death-defying stunts and fabulous real hair wigs. Gigi was a former dancer and airplane cabin crew member based out of Dubai and is representing her hometown of Davao on the show.

Lady Morgana

A proud Davao Queen who has been doing drag for more than 15 years, Lady Morgana is known for her creative wigs, out-of-the-box costumes, comedy, and hosting skills. She works as a financial advisor during the day.

Marina Summers

Inspired by her love for the beach, Marina Summers left her hometown of Nueva Vizcaya and moved to Manila to create content for one of the biggest film companies in the country. She began performing as a drag queen in 2019 and recently released her debut single “I Have Arrived” on Spotify and iTunes. She performs regularly at Nectar Nightclub and is one of the founders of Drag Playhouse PH.

Minty Fresh

Minty Fresh is a model, designer, pop singer, make-up artist, and performer, regularly taking the stage at Nectar Nightclub. Minty is also the drag queen who led the crowd in singing Ariana Grande’s “Break Free” at Leni Robredo’s Pasig sortie – a moment that was captured on social media and reposted by Ariana herself.

Precious Paula Nicole

Precious Paula Nicole has been in the drag scene for more than 11 years. She is a professional dancer and is also known for her comedy shticks and impersonation of divas like Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Regine Velasquez. She is one of O Bar’s star performers, and is drag mother to other popular queens.

Prince

Prince is relatively new to the Philippine drag scene, becoming known on social media for her make-up transformations. Before being cast in the show, Prince was a social media strategist. She is also one of the co-founders of Drag Playhouse PH, and manages her own make-up and merchandise line.

Turing

Turing has been a professional drag artist for more than seven years, a regular performer at O Bar. A Broadway fan and a theater kid who used to be a cheerleader in college, Turing is known in the drag scene as a dancer, lip-sync assassin, and advocate for body positivity.

Viñas DeLuxe

Viñas DeLuxe started doing drag in university, where she sharpened her performance and comedy skills through theater. She owns a wig business and has built a strong social media presence. She is part of the drag group The Divine Divas, which mounted digital performances and live streams throughout the pandemic.

Xilhouete

Xilhouete is a respected figure in the Manila drag scene. She is the creative director and one of the owners of Nectar Nightclub, and drag mother to many queens that regularly perform there. An entrepreneur, director, and artist, Xilhouete advocates for the legacy of early drag queens who paved the way for today’s performers.

Drag Race Philippines will be available on Discovery+ and HBO GO. – Rappler.com