Before the wigs and heels: Brigiding’s father Herbert reveals her secret start.
Long before Brigiding was commanding the stage in crystalline showgirl gowns, her father Herbert noticed she had a restless, almost ‘Spider-Man-like’ energy. His solution? Teach her to sing and dance.
“Nakita ko sa kanya na hindi pwedeng makipagsapakan, makipagbasagan ng mukha. Kaya tinuruan ko na lang kumanta at saka sumayaw,” he recounted in an exclusive conversation with radar Entertainment.
That early pivot to the performing arts paid off in spades.
The Filipino drag queen, crowned Slaysian Superstar on the first season of “Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale,” celebrated her 13 years of drag excellence in “The Brightest Birthday Show,” among her sisters Eva Le Queen, Minty Fresh, Arizona Brandy, Hana Beshie, Naia Black, Shewarma, Taylor Sheesh, and community at Rampa Drag Club on Feb. 28.
Broadway realness
And it’s an ecstatic community that welcomed the queen as she blazed the stage with a stirring performance of “When You’re Good To Mama” in a dark-feathered, floor-length cocoon coat. With a few shimmies, she shed the ensemble for a showgirl-inspired, skin-baring, and crystalline number to the tune of “All That Jazz,” also from the musical “Chicago.”
This penchant for Broadway-style theatricality stems from formal acting roots. A performer from high school through college, Brigiding has always loved acting, noting that while drag currently dominates her schedule, she remains eager to pursue future television acting opportunities.
The stage also saw a dazzling reunion. Brigiding shared the spotlight with her fellow Divine Divas, Precious Paula Nicole and Viñas Deluxe, in matching hyper-voluminous ruffled organza gowns to an energetic and rousing chorus line to “Dreamgirls” and a disco cover of “One Night Only.”
Beyond the brand
The brightest star. The mother of the House of Ding. A divine diva. The first Slaysian royal. You can never really isolate Brigiding’s brand—and she refuses to be boxed into a single category.
Living up to that first title, she treated the crowd to a live performance of her Slaysian Royale anthem, “Brightest Star,” now available on all listening platforms under Sony Music Philippines.
“Everything that you do that is a part of you is part of your brand. Hindi nga tayo dapat ma-box sa iisang salita or sa isang tagline kasi we are human beings. Hindi naman tayo produkto para ma-box,” she explained.
This sense of freedom liberates her, where everything that happened in her past, before and after her first “Drag Race” competition, came together as if it were “the universe’s way of sending you to your better place.”
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Mothering-ring-ring
And what better place is there to be than with your chosen family? For the mother of the House of Ding, having the freedom to choose your own tribe is both powerful and beautiful.
“We always function better when we know that we’re not doing it alone. Choose people that really make you feel like a family and stand by them,” Brigiding shared in a separate interview with radar Entertainment. “Kaya mo ‘yan, pero mas madali kapag may kasama ka. Find your tribe, look for the best people that support you and believe in you, and love them unconditionally like a family.”
Opening her heart to motherhood after her inaugural “Drag Race” season, she took her then-assistant Zymbading (who would go on to compete in “Drag Race Philippines” Season 3) under her wing as a drag daughter.
Radiating star power in structural liquid-gold, sapphire, and amethyst couture, Brigiding, Zymbading, and Bomba Ding took the stage to deliver a passionate rendition of “Home” by MJ Rodriguez and Billy Porter.
Everybody say love
Beyond the glitz and the sisterhood, Brigiding’s art is a platform for advocacy. At a challenging time when women are continuously objectified and oppressed by the male gaze, the Filipino drag mother championed the genuine strength of women and trans women to fight gender-based discrimination and to live their truth amidst wanton judgment.
Channeling this fierce, unapologetic feminine energy, she commanded the stage with a high-octane performance of Chappell Roan hits.
“Ang hirap na nga maging bakla, paano pa kaya ang maging trans? That’s why ang hirap ng pinagdadaanan nila. That’s why they deserve so much love and respect because of what they do and what they choose to be,” she stated.
Echoing this call for unwavering support, her father Herbert offered a fitting conclusion to the night, emphasizing a parent’s fundamental duty to nurture their children without prejudice.
“Dapat mahalin nila ‘yong mga anak nila–straight man, LGBT man, basta’t mabibigyan mo ng magandang moral at mapapagtapos mo ng pag-aaral. Maski lalaki ‘yan, maski straight na babae ‘yan, dapat mahalin natin dahil anak natin ‘yan, kadugo natin ‘yan.”
We always function better when we know that we’re not doing it alone. Choose people that really make you feel like a family and stand by them.
Brigiding
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