2-time best host awardee and Drag Lord Manila Luzon shares her perspectives on winning and talks about the new season of Drag Den.
Manila Luzon could not secure the top spot in all the times she joined RuPaul’s Drag Race. She was a runner-up in season 3 and eliminated in the third episode of the first season of All Stars with teammate Latrice Royale. And finally, despite being a lead contender in All Stars 4, she was ousted by Naomi Smalls in a moment akin to an airplane crash, which has gone down in herstory as one of the most controversial eliminations. It’s become kind of a running joke that she never wins, even though she was a strong competitor and adored by fans worldwide.
“I’m not used to winning. I never won track and field in school. I never won the spelling bee. It’s a new experience for me, but I’ve always counted my accomplishments,” says Manila. Facing defeat on such a big stage is never fun. However, she has transformed her experiences into a driving force for motivation that steered her toward success.
But is it all about winning? If you join a competition, sure. Manila Luzon has achieved so much following her first appearance on the reality show. She’s still constantly revolutionizing the drag sphere up to this day. Particularly here in the Philippines, where many queer individuals identified with her and felt seen, validating their art and identities—a demonstration of the power of representation. “I’ve learned to readjust my perception of what I define as winning,” declares Manila. What she did for the queer community will always shine brighter than the shiniest crowns.
Best Host in Asia
Winning takes many forms and can vary from person to person. We can exchange views on its different meanings, but the experience of accepting a trophy results in a matchless high. “I haven’t been so nervous in such a long time. When I was at the Asian Academy Creative Awards, and our category was being called, I got this rush of nerves. I was in this wave of emotion and anxiety, and I hadn’t felt like that in such a long time—it was quite exhilarating,” Manila Luzon says as she revisits the whirlwind of emotions she encountered at the awards show in Singapore last December. The Drag Den host adds: “It reminded me how much this meant to me. And when they called my name, I was so thrilled and scared because I had to give an acceptance speech.”
In a sweet gesture of appreciation and love, Manila Luzon went onstage and thanked all the Drag Den season 1 contestants during her winning moment. She emphasizes that her work has always been beyond herself: “One of the things I love about hosting Drag Den is it really has never really been about me. I’ve accomplished so much as a drag queen, but what’s really great is that I’ve been able to share my platform with other drag queens who might not have had these kinds of opportunities. It’s nice for me to pass that torch and share this victory with the people who helped make our show so entertaining and recognized around Asia and the world.”
Echoes of Adoration
The Drag Lord won another Best Host award at the Asian TV Awards earlier this month. That time, she dedicated the win to all Filipino drag artists worldwide. She expounds: “When I first saw a drag show here in the Philippines, I was so amazed at how good the drag was, especially with the limited resources the queens had. The dedication, the long hours, the traveling from the province to be [at O Bar], learning new routines, and entertaining people all night: I was just, wow! They work so hard, and the audience obviously loves them, but to me, they were stars! They were stars to me, and I wanted everyone to know.”
“When I went back home to the States, I was bragging about how good Filipino drag queens were. Since then, I’ve always wanted to let other people around the world know how good the drag queens are in the Philippines. Getting to host Drag Den has allowed that dream to come true. That’s why I dedicated the award to the Filipino drag queens.”
The Dawning of the New Den
The evolution of the show:
“Our creator and director, Direk Rod, has so many creative ideas because they’re so passionate about the drag scene here in the Philippines. Since we’re a new show, we’re our own thing and get to make up the rules. We like to switch it up. We don’t want it to be predictable. In this new season, we raised the stakes. We’ve added some new twists, changed some of the rules, and kept them on their tippy toes, which they already are in because they’re wearing the tallest heels from Jojo Bragais.”
Lip-sync songs:
“People don’t realize how expensive it is to pay for musical rights. So, the fact that we were able to get the budget to do that was amazing. Most drag queens who perform live are used to lip-syncing and dancing, which we didn’t have the budget for last time. We have a whole bunch of amazing OPM songs. That’s really exciting because it gets to show a little bit more of how these queens are used to performing their art.”
Season 1 queens as judges:
“We invited back the Drag Cartel from season one to help judge, which I think is really great because they are the ones that went through this before. Their unique perspective allows them to share their experiences with the new queens. Their critiques are sometimes even more meaningful.”
Manila Luzon fashion this season:
“I like working with my stylist. Gee has always been a lot of fun because she can go even further than she’s usually able to when styling normal celebrities. Because she gets to be a little bit extra with me, and I love allowing her to really dream big and go over the top and be extra dramatic because drag allows that. We had so much fun exploring different ideas and interpreting concepts from Filipino culture and making it into something fashionable, drag, and something visually appetizing, and overwhelming at times: from the giant nails that she makes me wear to the crazy and sometimes uncomfortable outfits that are very fun to try to sit down on my throne.”
“Pom Pom,” the new theme song:
“It’s my first track with Republic Records. We had this idea to make a new theme song for Drag Den. This season is very trippy. It’s inspired by psychedelics, so it’s fun to add that to the soundtrack of our show. I’m really excited because we have Sassa Gurl doing a rap feature. She’s just so talented and crazy. Her rap is amazing. She’s such an amazing performer, too. She’s a Tiktok star turned rapper—I love it!”
Celebrity Guest Judges
Alodia Gosiengfiao:
“We have Alodia. She’s amazing because she’s a cosplayer, and there are so many intersections and similarities between cosplay and drag. She even had a little bit of an issue with her wig, so I was pulling hairpins out of my own to help her put her wig together. I really loved the fact that the worlds are colliding and meeting, and there’s something to be learned from both genres.”
Rufa Mae Quinto:
“Rufa Mae was wild—a riot! I will give credit to the editor for trying to make sense of some of the things that were coming out of her mouth. I’m really excited! She’s absolutely stunning and hilarious. She’s sexy and was so much fun to play around with on set.”
Megan Young:
“We had Megan Young. She is a queen, and we love to mix our Filipino love of pageantry into our show. Having her and Nicole [Cordovez] help legitimize what we’re doing.”
Dolly de Leon:
“We had Dolly de Leon, who’s now my new best friend. She was like, ‘here’s my number, let’s hang out when I’m in LA.’ It was really nice because all our guest drag enforcers had something to offer when they came to judge. They were also so willing to learn about the art of drag.”
Alaska:
“When Alaska flew out here, she had just come off a really exhausting tour and was jet-lagged. She was like, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna sit in my hotel and catch up on some sleep.’ We didn’t see her until she came to set. It means a lot to me to have my drag sisters come and support. Alaska’s great because she has such a love and passion for all kinds of drag. She was eating up the contestants. She was so impressed with the style of drag, and I was just really happy to show off Filipino drag and Filipino culture while she was here. I got to play host to her, and ultimately, I really love that because I have fans around the world, and I really love to showcase the culture here in the Philippines because it’s such an important part of me and my drag.”
When we hit our lowest, we open the most significant change. When faced with hard times, we turn them into learning experiences and opportunities for growth. Failing builds character. Defeat creates greater purpose and drive. Manila Luzon’s evolution as an artist and how she sailed through the ebbs and flows of change is an inspiring story of resilience and transformation. Her triumphs are the product of hard work and an unshakable devotion to personal excellence, win or lose.
Watch a new episode of Drag Den Season 2 on Prime Video every Thursday at 7 PM.
Photography ENNUH TIU
Creative Direction JUJIIN SAMONTE
Art Direction ANDREW ENCAPAS
Fashion Direction RYUJI SHIOMITSU
Designers JOB DACON and JAN GARCIA
Beauty Direction MARA GO
Makeup MARLYN OCAMPO
Hair IAN GARCIA
Styling GEE JOCSON
Photography Assistant SEAN OLALO, KEVIN GONZALEZ, MIGUEL TOMBOK, and JULIUS ALBAO
Shoot Coordination JOANA FERNANDO
Video Production AUDREY SISON
Videography EXCEL PANLAQUE of KLIQ INC.
Shot on location MARIKINA SPORTS COMPLEX
Special thanks to JOHN EMMANUEL BANDAL, BIANCA BALDERAD, and CARLA MORENO
