Drag is more than dressing to the nines, and going all out, it’s the freedom to express themselves, while being creative in doing so. In the Philippines, it has been embraced for decades with establishments like the classic O-Bar to the newly established Rampa Drag Club, where Drag Queens take center stage to give stunning performances from lipsyncing for their lives, or simply using their voices to speak up on what matters, while doing stunts.

It’s clear that every queen has a story to tell. You just don’t hear it on the stage, but through the experiences they share online and on television, especially now, with the Philippines having its own franchise of Drag Race, where it introduced an array of queens with their own stories of growth and struggle, and how they want to empower themselves beyond societal norms. The introduction of the show in the Philippines was also where we first met the Brightest Star, Brigiding.

ON BRIGIDING: ḢA.MÜ JESTER BIB TOP AND GAGA GUGU BALL SKIRT

Stepping up from her first season in Drag Race Philippines and finding her brand, she has faced it all on her journey as a drag queen, yet carries her heart on her sleeve amid such success and in reaching the crown. The Third World team were able meet with the Slaysian Royale Superstar herself as she bared her experiences that molded her into who she is as a drag queen shining brighter and better, and as a work in progress using her voice in the community.

Q&A

TW: Tell us how Brigiding became Brigiding. What inspired you to join the drag scene?

B: Nung high school kasi ako, nag-start ako mag theater, and then before high school, nag li-live singing naman ako. So, nung high school ako, nag produce kami ng mga small startup group for theater. Prinoduce namin yung Miss Saigon, but we didn’t have the proper training to live sing and produce the whole production. Nili-lipsync lang namin yung audio tracks, and dun ako mas nagkaroon na parang interest in performing on stage.

Hanggang sa college na ako, nag theater na ako, and then at that time, I was also finding a footing with my sexuality. Ayan na yung time na gumi-gimik ako sa Malate, nagpa party-party with friends. Nung nanunuod ako ng drag queen sa O Bar Malate and saw her perform, I was really mesmerized and thought na, “This is something that I can do.”, kasi I was a singer and a performer… of course I didn’t know how to do that beautiful makeup she wore, but I did know how to do makeup kasi makeup artist ako, college pa lang. Mas nag makeup ako sa iba than to myself.

Nung nag audition na ako, kapag nag per-perform, kapag kumakanta ka, there’s some type of way na you want to perform this song, looking like this, interpreting the song this way di ba? Parang looking back right now, dun ako nag re-realize na meron na akong essence of doing drag as an art form.

‘Di ko pa siya na pa fully realized at that time kasi di pa naman ako naexpose to the terminologies and in understanding the art form. Ang alam ko kumakanta ako, sumasayaw, nag te-theater, pero when I put them altogether, dun na pumasok ang sensibilities ng drag sa akin until naging professional na ako and I decided eto na gagawin ko professionally, like wala akong ibang trabaho: mag-da-drag lang ako every night, sa Malate, sa Ortigas. Siguro parang four times a week ko siyang gingaawa nung nag sta-start ako.

TW: Many artists have a guiding principle. So, what’s your mantra, or personal belief, during your journey?

B: Siguro yung pinaka in-anchoran ko was “learning is the new winning”, kasi if that didn’t take place nung Season 1, siguro hindi ko maabot yung crown this time.

Yun yung kinabitan ko na parang, “Oh, what can I learn from every challenge that happens?” “What can I learn from the things that happened to me in the past?” “How can I use those learnings to make me a better artist to improve my craft, to be a better person as well?” Parang ginamit ko siya not just for drag eh, but also yung personal ko.

Ginamit ko yung mantra na yun na, “What can I learn from this?” This happened, okay. Instead of dwelling on the issue or like problemahin ng… of course siyempre may mag moments tayo na ganun, maraming moments na ganun, but always finding the solution and the learnings in every experience.

TW: You mentioned “Learning is the new winning.” How do you personally define that mantra?

B: The idea of that mantra is with everything that’s happening in your life, there’s no such thing as losing. There’s no such thing as failure. You’re only learning, and you’re only growing. It’s just making you stronger and making you a better person with different experiences from what you expected. So, parang siyang change in POV, di ba?

Parang power siya, because you have the power to control what’s happening. You have the power to maneuver your perspective towards what’s happening, and for me, that’s winning, di ba? Power and even winning is a decision. I won in life, I am winning right now because this is happening. It may look different from what I expected, or what is expected from me, but because I decided to win here, and I already won.

ON BRIGIDING: ANTONINA I DON'T SS25 COLLECTION MAV VEST AND TAKI SKIRT

TW: Being part of the drag community, I’m sure it has its highs and lows. So what would you say would be your biggest challenge, and on the flipside, your favorite part of being in the drag community?

B: Kakagaling ko kasi sa pagkapanalo ko, so yung utak ko is punong puno ng gratefulness, happiness, success and all of the positive things that’s been happening. Siguro, my biggest challenge is…time. You really have to spend time in doing drag, but siguro parang I don’t see any challenge anymore kasi I’ve been through it eh, nalalagpasan ko lahat eh, di ba?

Ang favorite part ko ng drag industry is the sisterhood kasi sobrang saya. You feel like you belong. You feel like you have your tribe. Ang saya saya, di ba? Napapalibutan ka ng mga bakla. Napapalibutan ka ng mga artists. Iba’t ibang utak, iba’t ibang perspectives, iba’t ibang ways of thinking.

Aside from that, what I love about drag the most is yung drag kasi is very limitless. It’s very powerful in a sense na, you get to do everything, anything you want, however you want it, whichever way as long as it’s beautiful, as long as it’s rooted in intention. Nakakaloka talaga siya. Kahit ako nasusurprise ako, ako mismo saksi ako sa power ng drag: how it changed me, how it moved me to this version of myself na magkakoronahan, na magnananalo, and that has the power to influence and inspire people with my story. It’s all because of drag, so yun yung best part of drag for me.

**TW: During the first season of Drag Race Philippines, you were called out for your branding. How did you eventually discover it, and could proudly say “eto na ang branding ni Brigiding”?**

B: The branding of Brigiding is winning Slaysian Royale! Kasi nung Season 1, hindi mo naman pwede aalisin na it was a very tough competition. Wala kaming blueprint on how it’s going to happen in the Philippines, parang if it’s going to be the same way it’s done in the US, or other franchises, but Season 1 talaga, we were all pressured. We were coming from the pandemic, and ibang level yung pinagdaanan namin nung time na yun. Dati kasi wala naman ganun conversations about branding eh. So parang ano lang siyang, naging social construct lang talaga siya na “you have to have a branding”, but for me talaga ever since, ang brand ko talaga was myself, my name, the brightest star.

Hindi ko naman kailangan i-box din yung sarili ko into one branding to be remembered, and for all I know, I entered the competition not as a brand, but as a person, as an artist, and as a human being who is there to share my experiences, to share my story, the emotions that I have, so parang mas ganun yung pinaninindigan ko coming into the competition.

Siyempre, maraming mga nangyari ng hindi naman na natin na panood, so we have to embrace what was released to the world. Sinakyan namin yun and changed the narrative this time to what the branding really is, which is the winning queen of Slaysian Royale.

TW: Name your top 3 local brands you’d want to represent and walk for.

B: Well, I would love to walk for a designer where I can walk in drag. Ang nasa top of mind ko is si Ehrran Montoya. She’s a very good friend. I love her designs. Pangarap ko makipagwalk kay Cary Santiago, kasi naman grabe naman yung couture ni madam! Pasabog yung mga designs niya talaga, and really world class. Then, Santi Obcena! I love Santi Obcena. It’s very Filipino. He won the Terno Con before. He’s also part of Project Runway. He’s also a good friend, so, I would love to walk for Santi Obcena.

These are fashion designers nagsusupport ng drag, so I love them for that.

TW: Let’s talk about your fashion film! Beyond highlighting the message that Drag is Political, tell us what inspired that, and to collaborate with different communities, like the Ballroom scene and dancers.

B: Ang category [for the finale] was Yellow Power, so kinonnect ko siya dun sa People Power. When I was planning my looks for the runways, I wanted na iba-iba silang atake, iba-iba’t sine-serve na brilliance. For that part, sabi ko kailangan ko maglagay ng isang look where I can speak about politics, kung saan pwede ipag-merge yung drag, self-expression, and art, and put them together to make a statement. Parang ang sarap lang gamitin yung drag to speak about what we should really be standing for as a community.

Siyempre pinasabog ko na. I know na sobrang powerful yung messaging kaya talaga naman, kailangan in this fashion film, kailangan paramihin at bulto talaga ng mga tao. Gusto ko talaga yung community mag come together: may mga dancers, dance royalties, may Ballroom community. Nung una nga ang intention ko diyan may mga theater actors, may mga drag queens, at ininvite ko rin yung ibang queen pero I needed to filter din para at least maging clear yung message more than ang daming nangyayari. I think nag-work at nag payoff naman yung messaging namin with the fashion film. Mas malakas tayo pag magkakasama and really, the power is in the people, hindi siya sa kung sino nasa posisyon, di ba?

That’s why I’m very proud of that and ako lang din nag serve ng ganun klaseng interpretation for the color yellow. Happy talaga ako diyan!

TW: How does the Brigiding in drag differ from the Brigiding out of drag?

B: May difference talaga kapag in drag ka na eh. Pero of course, when I have to perform, because I am performing, magkaiba. Like heto, I’m also performing, but I don’t have to be loud or mag high kick, high kick diyan, because ‘di naman eh. Well, maybe I’m more calm. I am more quiet. I am more chill. I can be loud as well, even if I’m out of drag, and I could be crazy as well, so ano talaga siya, diverse in spectrum talaga.

You cannot really box talaga someone to, Ah, tahimik siyang tao. Ah, shy type siya. Oh,he’s a very confident type of person, iba iba talaga siya eh. So, andaming layers ng bawat tao that we just have to embrace, and I’m very happy na through these years, I was able to embrace my differences, my flaws, yung mga pangit ko ugali, na-embrace ko rin yan, and siyempre you know slowly try to unlearn and improve on those, and work on the things that I need to be working on.

Pero of course, kapag si Brigiding [in drag] talaga naman polished, elegant, sophisticated, opulent, grand, mother, royal, regal, classy, andami, di ba?

TW: Through all your experiences, what’s the most important thing you learned during your drag journey?

B: Siguro first, everything happens for a reason, di ba? Everything has it’s own timing and this time is my time. I’m very happy na di ako sumuko, ‘di ako nag-give up on my experience in Season 1, and the things that happened after Season 1, sobrang daming judgers. Ngayon pa lang nga, ako’y nanalo andaming kong bashers. So, the things that are really challenging you only makes you a better person. It’s just pushing you to your limits, kailangan mo pa lang magpapatatag, alam mo yun. Ang cliché, no? Laging naman naririnig yan, or nababasa, pero totoo siya, and I’m happy na nasasabi ko siya ngayon kasi nagpadaanan ko na talaga siya.

Well, everything happens for a reason. So nung ako tinawag, I just said na, “Well, I worked hard for that, I spent 12 years doing drag, and it’s about time for me to receive my flowers.” So, it was more of like, “Girl, hindi na dapat i-push sayo, dapat alam mo na yan. So claim it, because you own it, you earned it, you worked hard for it. Be proud, and be grateful.” That’s why I’m just grateful and thankful, and always filled with pride wearing that crown.

I’m very proud to represent Slaysian Royale already, kasi well bukod sa alam ko naman yung marating ko sa competition, hindi lahat nagkakaroon ng ganun chance, to have another chance na ma i-kwento mo yung mga kwento mo sa mas makulay na paraan, so I’m just grateful and thankful for the opportunity, and tas nanalo ka pa, di ba? I love it, I’m very, very happy.

TW: So, for those out there still searching for their identity and finding a way to step out, what advice would you like to share?

B: Alam mo, nung time ko…ang daming ko times in my life where I was looking for myself, looking for my identity, or the right job for me. Nung hinahanap ko yung perfect job for me, tinry ko talaga bawat trabaho na pwede ko pasukan, like nag call center ako. I like speaking in English, I like learning new tricks, mahilig din ako mag problem solving, so ginawa ko yun. I also love theater, I also love performing, pero yun yung ginawa ko nung college, so tinry ko yung course ko naman na mass media and communications. So, nag ABS-CBN din ako, nag assistant ako sa mga office sa pagpropromote ng films, tapos dun ako nagkahanap kung saan ako pinaka masaya, and then yun yung sinundan ko, yun yung pag perperform hanggang sa naging drag na siya.

Really just find it within siguro, hanapin mo siya sa loob mo. So, ano ba yung mapapasaya s’akin? Ano yung mga bagay na kahit na magpakasimpleng bagay will bring me joy? And then start there, and i-cultivate mo yun. Find your way. There’s no right way, because it’s your way, not others’ way for you. So, you’ll figure it out. Don’t be scared. Be gentle, kasi you have enough time. No one is pressuring you. If you want to step out, step out, di ba? Ikaw ang magsasabi kung kailan ka ready, not the other way around.

Slaying the Standards with Brigiding

Q&A