And the “brightest star” shone that night.
Drag queen Brigiding, dubbed “The Brightest Star,” emerged as the winner of the inaugural edition of “Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale.”
The season’s finale saw the top four queens: one international queen and three Pinay queens. Canada was represented by Suki Doll, while the Philippines has Arizona Brandy and the Divine Diva sisters, Viñas Deluxe and Brigiding, who emerged as the final two to battle out for the final lip sync.
Philstar.com talked to the very first “Slaysian Royale” winner, Brigiding, in an exclusive interview.
Coming from her badgeless performance in Season 1 and winning this “Slaysian Royale” edition, she feels so “grateful: “For ‘Drag Race Philippines,’ the platform, the late nights, my sisters, my family, my team, my fans and for every supporter and believer who showed up. This crown belongs to all of us.”
The newly crowned winner shared her thought going against her Divine Diva sister, Viñas Deluxe, in the lip sync battle for the crown.
“Going up against each other again for the crown was both the best possible outcome and the hardest. Viñas is my Divine sister, and from the very start, we’ve always been allies. We’ve shared stages, dreams, and even tears, so to stand side by side at the very end felt full-circle.
“It was emotional, of course, because you want to give your all, but you also want your sister to shine. But more than anything, I felt grateful. Grateful that the final battle was between us,” she shared.
Brigiding has always believed that “learning is the new winning.”
“Each moment shaped me and brought me to where I am now. My light shines brightest when it’s honest and shared. I can celebrate my wins while holding space for others to shine, too. That’s the real glow,” she said.
Brigiding is excited to tour around the Philippines to bring drag to more provinces. She is looking forwad to connecting with people and celebrate the art of drag to the different places in the country. She is also thrilled to meet her fans from all over the world.
“Drag has always been about connection, and I can’t wait to represent our community and share the ‘Slaysian’ spirit globally,” Brigiding said.
The drag artist said that wants to honor her journey, team and artistry through her Slaysian journey showcase, which features her most iconic looks and moments from the show.
A true queen of the Queendom, Brigiding has nothing but gratitude to her supporters, the Brigiding darlings.
“You’ve been with me from the very beginning, through every challenge, every look, every moment of doubt and triumph. You are the reason I keep shining,” she said.
She also shares her triumph to her fellow queens who have been part of her journey: “I also want to thank my fellow queens, my sisters who lifted me up, believed in me, and stood beside me. This win isn’t mine alone; it belongs to everyone who has ever rooted for me, collaborated with me, or saw the spark in me when I couldn’t see it myself.
“Thank you for reminding me that no star shines alone. This crown is ours – and we’ll keep glowing, together.”