Drag Race’s latest international spin off is about to sashay its way to your screens, with 12 fierce queens battling to become the first-ever winner from the Philippines.
Season four star Jiggly Caliente will judge the show alongside TV personality Kaladkaren, with legendary actor Paolo Ballesteros joining as the host.
It has also been announced that there will be three recurring judges throughout the season – Rajo Laurel, BJ Pascual and Jon Santos.
Rajo is a renowned Filipino designer who was a permanent judge on four seasons of Project Runway Philippines, BJ is an editorial photographer who has worked on TV shows such as Asia’s Next Top Model and Jon Santos is the country’s premiere female and male impersonator.
The show will be accompanied by Drag Race Philippines: Untucked which, as RuPaul says, you need to be watching to get the full story.
Discussing the show in a previous statement, World of Wonder co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey, said: “The Drag Race franchise has shined a spotlight on so many incredible queens from around the world and we are so excited to introduce audiences to the dazzling queens of the Philippines.
“WOW Presents Plus was created to serve as a springboard for underrepresented voices, so we are thrilled to exclusively premiere Drag Race Philippines on the platform for our global viewers.
Drag Race Philippines will premiere on 17 August in the UK on WOW Presents Plus, with episodes airing weekly thereafter.
Untucked will debut two days later, with a new episode dropping on the streaming platform every Friday following.
Watch the first full trailer for the series, premiered exclusively by GAY TIMES, below or by clicking here and keep scrolling to meet the first queens to ever compete on Drag Race Philippines.
Brigiding
Brigiding is one of the most prominent names in the Philippine drag scene. She is known for her extravagant looks and show-stopping performances. She has been featured in Pride parades and drag events both in the Philippines and abroad.
Corazon
A crowned pageant queen with a list of titles on her sash, Corazon has jumped from one beauty contest to another competing 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 profession to follow her dream of becoming a drag artist. During the day she would work corporate, but at night she worked as a drag queen. Eva won 1st runner up in Singapore’s Drag It Out All-Stars competition, only four months after she started doing drag. Eva’s Drag is inspired by literary and cinematic villains. Her strengths are in being both a comedy and look queen . Eva is a resident queen at Nectar Nightclub and is also one of the founders of Drag Playhouse PH.
Gigi Era
Gigi Era is the Diva from Down Under. Hailing from Melbourne, she is popular 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. She is now back in the Philippines representing her hometown, Davao.
Lady Morgana
A proud Davao Queen who has been doing drag for more than 15 years, Lady Morgana is a true classic drag queen. With her spider lashes, high brows, creative wigs, and out of-the-box costumes, Lady Morgana is known for her comedic and hosting skills, always making sure that her performances are sprinkled with love, laughter, and feelings. She works as a financial advisor during the day.
Marina Summers
Marina Summers is a fierce tropical queen known for her fish looks, hot body, exceptional dancing, and all-around performances. Her drag name stems from her love for the beach. Marina left her bucolic 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 another one of the founders of Drag Playhouse PH.
Minty Fresh
Minty Fresh serves looks that kill all day, every day. She is a model, designer, pop singer, make-up artist, and performer. A staunch supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights, she slays the stage weekly at Nectar Nightclub. Ariana Grande reposted Minty’s Lipsync performance on her Instagram story as she led hundreds of thousands of people in an election sortie in Manila.
Precious Paula Nicole
Precious Paula Nicole is one of the most known Filipino drag queens, having 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 such as Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and Asia’s Songbird, Regine Velasquez. A STAR performer at O Bar, the premier drag club in the Philippines, she is a mother to a host of other popular drag queens.
Prince
Prince is known on social media for her make-up transformations. Before joining Drag Race Philippines, Prince was a Social Media Strategist and is relatively new to the Philippine drag scene. Prince’s drag is heavily-influenced by sci-fi and anime and believes that “extraterrestrial” looks have a space in Philippine drag. Prince is also one of the co-founders of Drag Playhouse PH. Aside from doing drag, she manages her own make-up and merchandise line.
Turing
Turing has been a professional drag artist for more than seven years, performing in one of the most known drag bars in the Philippines, 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 fierce dancer and a lip-sync slayer. She has openly discussed how drag has made her feel more comfortable in her skin, and is a strong advocate for body positivity.
Viñas DeLuxe
Viñas DeLuxe is a triple threat and an all-in-one package. She started doing drag while at university with a background in theatre that helped harness her sharp wit, performance skills, and knack for comedy. Viñas DeLuxe owns a wig business and has built a strong social media presence. She is also in a drag group called “the Divine Divas”, who gained popularity during the pandemic, mounting digital performances and live streams worldwide.
Xilhouete
Xilhouete is respected in the drag scene in Manila. She is the Creative Director and one of the owners of Nectar Nightclub. Xilhouete is considered a drag mother of many queens, especially those who are regular performers at Nectar. An entrepreneur, director, and artist, Xilhouete advocates for the legacy of the drag queens who have paved the way.
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