'Drag Race Philippines' reveals Season 2 queens, premiere date
MANILA, Philippines — The season 2 of "Drag Race Philippines" is arriving this August with a brand new batch of queens.
Social media accounts for the reality competition show posted its "Meet the Queens" teaser on July 11, introducing the upcoming season's latest 12 contestants.
"Mabuheyyy b*itches (pronounced as beaches, in true summer fashion), get ready to sizzle because 'Drag Race Philippines' is back and is hotter than ever!" said host Paolo Ballesteros in a beach-inspired drag outfit.
In line with the season's summer theme, the new queens all posed with summer items like sunscreen, ice cream, a rainbow umbrella, water guns, sunglasses, and a boiling thermometer because "Mercury is in retrograde."
Some callbacks to the Philippines itself were Bohol's Chocolate Hills on fire, the Bangui windmills in Ilocos Norte as fans, mangoes and watermelons, and a reference to Azenith Briones' iconic line "Edi magsayawan na lang tayo" from "Temptation Island."
???? Meet The Queens of #DragRacePH Season 2! ????@dragraceph is BACK and HOTTER than ever! ?? Here's where to watch Season 2 + Untucked, premiering August 2nd: https://t.co/OH56BgscQv
— Drag Race Philippines (@dragraceph) July 11, 2023
???????? @wowpresentsplus and @HBOAsia
???????? @cravecanada
???? @wowpresentsplus (worldwide ex. Canada) pic.twitter.com/r26IwXm46r
"The queens of Season 2 are ready for the party of a lifetime! Amana mga accla, activate!" end Ballesteros' Mama Pao in the teaser.
These are the 12 Season 2 queens, who were also given individual posters on social media, in alphabetical order:
- Arizona Brandy - a drag mother of the Rapture Royalties who frequents Cubao's Rapture and is a self-proclaimed Adele impersonator
- Astrid Mercury - a call center agent who performs at at Nectar, Club Level, and Chelu with a background in cheerleading and stunts
- Bernie - one of the country's experienced drag queens with 16 years under belt and a regular at O-Bar
- Captivating KatKat - a multi-awarded drag queen who went viral for her rendition of "Let It Go" from "Frozen" and performs at Manila's One 690 Entertainment Bar
- DeeDee Marié Holliday - a world-renowned queen who advocates for AIDS awareness and LGBTQIA+ rights with more than a decade of experience
- Hana Beshie - an architect from the Haus of LaFeya and the queer-events managing team G-Spot
- Matilduh - a multimedia drag queen from Ilocos also working as an events designer and florist
- M1ss Jade So - a fashion design student and a "fierce advocate of doll domination"
- Nicole Pardaux - a Cebuana queen who entered the drag scene during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ØV C--T - the Cavite-born "Enigmatic Provocateur" who formed Drag Playhouse PH with Season 1 queens Eva Le Queen, Marina Summers, and Prince
- Tiny Deluxe - a relatively new queen who, as her name suggests, is the drag daughter of Season 1 queen Viñas Deluxe
- Veruschka Levels - a photographer and makeup artist from Hong Kong who has worked with Rita Ora and Gretchen Barretto
Bernie, Captivating KatKat, and M1ss Jade So are the show's first transwomen contestants. M1ss Jade So is also a drag relative of the previosuly mentioned Season 1 queens Eva Le Queen, Marina Summers, and Prince.
Related: Manila Luzon reaffirms Filipino drag as ‘best in the world’
Astrid Mercury is the drag daughter of Season 1 finalist Xilhouette while DeeDee Marié Holliday is the drag mother of yet another Season 1 queen, Brigiding.
Tiny Deluxe is also the first contestant from Marinduque. Other first-time representatives for their provinces are Cagayan de Oro's Hana Beshie and Cebu duo Nicole Pardaux and Veruschka Levels.
Joining Mama Pao again as permanent judges are "RuPaul's Drag Race" veteran Jiggly Caliente and trans host-actress KaladKaren.
The debut season of "Drag Race Philippines" saw Precious Paula Nicole from the Divine Divas winning to become the Philippines' first drag superstar.
"Drag Race Philippines Season 2" premieres on HBO GO and Wow Presents Plus on August 2. Like its predecessor, this season will have a corresponding "Untucked" companion show.
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