Filipina drag queen Brigiding was crowned the winner of “Slaysian Royale,” the special edition of “Drag Race Philippines.”
Brigiding defeated her Divine Diva sister and fellow “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 contestant, Viñas Deluxe, during a final lip sync performance of “Born to Do Drag” by Marina Summers, another “Drag Race Philippines” Season 1 alum.
Marina was back for the finale, having also been in the show’s penultimate episode, alongside fellow special guest judge and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, the franchise’s first East Asian winner. Wind is part-Taiwanese.
“Drag Race Philippines” Season 2 runner-up Arizona Brandy and Suki Doll of “Drag Race Canada” Season 2, who won the “Slaysian Royale” Miss Congee-niality title, rounded up the Top 4.
Brigiding entered the finale as the favorite to win with three Ru Badges – the most of the season – marked by a lip sync after dressing up an overseas Filipino worker. She won the Lip Sync LaLaPaRuZa Slaysian Smackdown and the DragCon challenge showcasing her brand.
The latter badge win plus the “Slaysian Royale” crown culminated a two-season arc for Brigiding who discovered her branding as a drag queen on the show. The drag artist spent a couple years learning more about herself and reinvented herself as the “brightest star.”
Similar to the most recent edition of “Drag Race Philippines,” the finale consisted of a talent show combined with three different runway looks, packaged as the “Slaysian Grand T.I.T.E! (Totally Impressive Talent Extravaganza!)”.
The three runway looks were as follows: Defying Gravity (high-flying couture while suspended in the air), Yellow Yellow Yellow! (joy, empowerment, and Asian cultural pride through the color yellow), and Come in Your Best Drag (the queens’ best looks).
Brigiding took inspiration from “Divine Intervention” for her Defying Gravity look, ribbons of the EDSA Revolution for Yellow Yellow Yellow!, and went as the “brightest star phenomenon” for her best drag.
“We are all made of stars but tonight, I shine brighter than the rest,” Brigiding said in the voiceover of her final runway.
Her talent was an energetic performance of an original song, “Brighters Day,” which detailed her drag journey.
Among Brigiding’s highlights on “Slaysian Royale” was the lead role in the “Crazy Bitch Slaysians” musical, impersonating Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, and a church statue-inspired drag runway look.
Other than a crown and scepter, Brigiding won P2 million – double the “Drag Race Philippines” cash prize – and a one-year supply of cosmetics from Anastasia Beverly Hills.
As the inaugural “Slaysian Royale” winner, she joins “Drag Race Philippines” winners Precious Paula Nicole (another Divine Diva), Captivating Katkat, and Maxie Andreison.
Mirroring several episodes in this special season, host Paolo Ballesteros dedicated the finale to drag queen Jiggly Caliente, who passed away earlier this year.