It’s down to the last four queens in the inaugural season of “Drag Race Philippines Slaysian Royale.”
Three Filipina queens – drag sisters Brigiding and Viñas Deluxe of “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1, and Season 2 runner-up Arizona Brandy – and he sole international queen Suki Doll, from “Canada’s Drag Race,” will battle it out for the crown.
The recently aired eighth episode culminated with an epic lip sync battle between Viñas and Season 3 runner-up Khianna, two of the best lip syncers of the entire “Drag Race Philippines” franchise to date, with the former emerging victorious.
Philstar.com spoke to Viñas in an exclusive interview where she described her reaching the Top 4 as amazing, pressuring and deserving.
Back on her original season, she was eliminated at the seventh episode, making it a personal win for the drag queen.
“I think my edge is showing who the real Viñas is, all my sides, everything I can as a drag artist: designing, performing, being a sister,” said Viñas. ” Everyone deserves to be on top but I think I am more relatable, in some aspects. I want to inspire people to achieve their dreams.
Viñas took time to praise Khianna, calling her an amazing performer and admitted being worried to go up against her.
“Sino ba ang kayang tumapat kay Khianna diba?! Napunta sa akin ang baraha and I’m so lucky to be that person. Khianna deserves more than this. I’m so happy na Top 4 ako ngayon,” the drag queen.
Of the remaining queens, Viñas shared being nervous facing Arizona as she believes the latter can “do camp on a higher level” than her.
She did also call her drag sister Brigiding “the most experienced” in Top 4, but Viñas is more worried about her “inner saboteur” tendencies.
Brigiding and Viñas are members of the Divine Divas along with “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 winner Precious Paula Nicole, who served as a guest judge on the seventh and eighth episode of “Drag Race Philippines Slaysian Royale.”
The eigthth episode saw Suki and Arizona jointly winning Ru badges for their Dragcon Slaysian maxi challenge perfomances.
It marked Suki’s first maxi challenge win and just the second time an international queen earned a Ru badge after Yuhua who was eliminated before Khianna. Arizona meanwhile now has two badges, as many both Viñas and Brigiding.
Viñas is hopeful that the Philippines will one day host its own Dragcon, pointing out the local drag community is very talented and deserves to be noticed.
“I hope I am making you proud. I am doing my best to make the Philippines proud and sana nagta-transcend ito sa likod ng mga camera,” Viñas said in her message to fans, sharing that more happens behind the scenes and the hour-long episodes viewers watch.
She appealed to fans to remain calm, be more appreciative and spread only love, this as many believe the Pambansang Bunganga is huge frontrunner to take the Slaysian crown.
“You are making me stronger everyday, dahil sa support niyo lumalaki ang drag industry sa Philippines, dahil ‘yan sa inyo,” Viñas ended.