After a year of waiting to air and weeks of dragdagulan, Naia emerges as the winner of Drag Den. With grit, charm, and talent in excess, see why the young queer artist is worthy of being the first Pinoy Drag Supreme.
Everyone is talking about Naia. Yes, whether it be the convergence of chaos in the airport, the heartwarming story of Jodi Sta Maria’s newly adopted pet cat (rescued in the the airport, no less), or the freshly minted Pinoy Drag Supreme, trust that this name is the center of attention. While there is something delightfully and deliciously unhinged about how it comes about in decidedly divisive discussions, one can’t help but be drawn in. This cannot be more true in the conversation of Naia, the drag queen that just emerged as the winner of the dissection of uniquely Filipino queer culture that is Drag Den Philippines.
“I knew I wasn’t 100% ready, both materially and mentally…you know, dealing with the drama and pressure of being on a show about drag. I do that a lot, take risks like that. You know, I got into the top three, so the risk paid off even though I didn’t come to it thinking I was the one to beat. I was there to learn, to observe, to show what I have…who I am at the moment,” Naia begins, detailing the challenges she had to go through by joining the reality competition made for and by Filipinos. “Hindi naman ako ‘I’m happy to be here.’ I was happy with what I brought to the show even if two years pa lang ago nagda-drag then. Naia was such a baby. But I’m a fast learner. I saw what needed to be done and did it. We didn’t know what the show was about at first, so I really took a gamble. I treated it like an impulsive decision na parang, let’s join Drag Den, why not?”
That impulse proved to be the best decision the young queer artist and performer has made yet, because with little to no expectations, forget about taking off, she is blasting off into stratospheric heights with a crown firmly perched on her head.
Welcome To The Drag Den
“I’m grateful for the doors that Drag Den opened for me,” she continues. “Drag Den needed to happen for Naia to get where I am now. All of that struggle, being unsure, mga napagdaan ko, I saw that, too. Sometimes I look at myself onscreen now and ‘di na ako nakaka-relate sa sinasabi niya.” It seems that even with the permanence of showing off on the many platforms that modern technology and entertainment has accorded us, there still exists a certain unease with seeing yourself broadcast for the rest of the world to see. With a situation as unique as Naia and the rest of the drag queens from Drag Den Philippines experienced, the collateral of exposing themselves in their often untethered and most vulnerable is taking some getting used to.
“Just like many, the struggles we shared as drag queens living in the pandemic really challenged us. But it also helped us for what else is to come. In a way, we were made stronger. This is just the beginning,” she reveals. “You saw the growth of the queens on Drag Den, not just me. There’s a difference between what you saw on the show and who we are now,I’m looking forward to reaching greater heights with Naia. There’s so much more na kayang mabigay ni Naia and the other girls who I grew close with.”
As the baby of the collective of queens in season one, and in general, having only been a drag performer for two years, there is something so earnest and pure about the way Naia navigated the competition. In a way, it parallels the genesis of many seasoned artists who basically start with nothing, stumble more than they would like to admit, and have to go on a constant process of change. With the desire to learn, the charm, and the talent brimming from a petite frame, it is understandable how she endeared herself to the audience, capturing their hearts, and eventually arriving at the destination that is victory.
Ready For Take Off, Naia
The take off was, well, turbulent for Naia. From that now infamous basketball jersey and shorts, having to go head-to-head with more experience drag queens, and opening up about past traumas and (death) threats, she had to work through the ascent as hard as she could, pressure and all.
“There is always that pressure. The drag scene alone is a high pressure situation. Every day there are new queens being born—great, young queens ready to take it there,” she explains. “Victory or defeat, I already accepted it. What I did on the show, I loved it and whatever that brought me, I’m very grateful for that. The pressure now is not so much different from the pressure I felt when I joined. I was scared. I was literally shaking when I saw the stage and I was about to say my first spiel. Now, I’m done having to prove myself for anyone. I will bloom for me. So, no, I don’t feel any pressure right now.”
It is this unequivocal persistence and passion that carried her through until the very end, an outcome that even she did not anticipate. Convinced that she could potentially be one of the first ones eliminated (pre twist, of course), Naia did the best she could do: she just had fun with it.
“I have no regrets with the level of preparation I did kasi I knew that was what Naia and I could do at the time. Kaka-graduate ko lang, wala talaga. So, I wasn’t too hard on myself,” she reveals of the rollercoaster ride she firmly strapped herself to. “But for a year, I was overthinking my basketball look. Not anymore now though. I farmed the internet for that clout, which I didn’t expect. When people say, ‘I love that look,’ and I’m like, ‘Sinadya ko siya.’ Natatawa na lang ako.”
But when it matters, Naia really took things seriously, especially now that she feels better equipped to take on the next great ascent. “I’m sure of things now. I love what I do. And I love that young artists like me can have this national, international audience to see what we have to do and hear what we have to say,” she quips. “That’s what I love about Drag Den. It allows for the modern takes on drag, while also giving respect what we started in the Philippines, with those who made these queer things possible. Binasag ng Drag Den ang rules, ang standard, I think. It’s okay to strive for perfection, but sometimes, it’s fun to leave all expectations behind and enjoy the ride. Whatever that means for you.”
Drag Is Personal And Political
In one of the many poignant moments of Drag Den, and arguably, a turning point for Naia was during the sixth episode that zeroed in on why drag is political. Where all the queens offered insightful points-of-view, nothing was more profound in a personal sense for our heroine. “It’s important for drag queens to have an advocacy because you command so much attention. If you’re just drawing attention to yourself, then you’re just a conceited drag queen. You have to use your platform than something bigger than yourself,” she narrated, before revealing a particular moment that affected her mental well-being and courage.
Preceded by the context that “fascism is alive and well in this country,” Naia recounted the instance that really chewed off her confidence. “There was this instance na dinumog ako ng mga trolls kasi may mga nag-spread ng pictures na nagra-rally kami. That was a human rights rally, that was anti-martial law in mindanao. They edited my face. I was holding a megaphone and they turned it into a water gun or NERF gun, I think, which is what I did for my kontrabida theme wear. I wanted to pay homage to that moment,” she details. “Until now, bitbit ko ‘yung anxiety na ‘yun, about speaking up. I feel like noon sobrang vocal ko, tas ngayon, natatakot ako. And that’s what I want to talk about in my speech.”
Harnessing the emotions and consequential wisdom, Naia was able to soar through that particular challenge, tugging hearts along the way. “When I saw that on TV, I look back at the experience and it was kind of a way to reconcile my feelings about it and my being a victim about the situation. I wish I saw that on TV when I experienced this, because it made me a master escapist honestly. I’m pretty good at running away from my problems, but I’m learning to face them,” she shares. “You know, experiencing that in college, ‘di ba, you’re in your 20s, you cannot expect to know everything, to be sure of yourself, and to have a mental fortitude to deal with such things. Though it’s okay, it felt like healing for the Brian that was hurt before.”
Speak Up And Out
While in the process of fully recovering and now rebuilding what was once lost, Naia is conversely aware of the responsibility that is now heaved on her shoulders. “There’s really no excuse now. You saw how I was treated before and how it felt, and I went through it again seeing it on TV. It made me stronger in a way na wow, it’s great to even just talk about it, especially at a time when need to speak up. It’s really scary, definitely, to speak up, because there is a culture to silent dissent. Any dissenting opinion, whether it’s factual, helpful, or for the greater good, wala it is silenced,” she says. “There are good people but their silence is louder than anything, ‘di ba? You really have to take a stand these days. Even us drag queens, apektado sa decisions ng gobyerno, ng status quo.”
With all that will be said and done, Naia asserts that as many have declared before, there is a great deal of work that needs to be done, especially for the queer community. “I feel like we can do a lot more pa, not just work-wise. Billboards, commercials, television, it was bound to happen for the Philippine drag scene. But I feel like we need to see more drag queens on the streets, you know? Drag queens in rallies, why not? Alam mo ‘yun, the point of drag, ‘yung essence niya, drag is a protest no matter how you put it. Even the act of putting on makeup as a man, a queer person, a woman even, that’s inherently political and it’s powerful. You should use that to speak up,” she asserts. “I hope that it does inspire people to speak up, not just with my speech, but with Drag Den in general. Hello, every closing spiel ni Manila Luzon ang inspiring. Mapapisip ka na ang tapang ng show na ‘to, bakit di ko kaya maging matapang din. If not now, when?”
Just like it did in the year 1969 at Stonewall, the truth still remains: trust that trans women and drag queens will get the job done for everyone’s greater good. And now with the renaissance of drag culture in the Philippines, the great work begins.
Fly Higher, Girl
They say that heavy is the head that wears the crown. While it is still too early to tell how the rest of the reign will unravel, Naia is not taking this win lightly. After a year of waiting to air and several weeks of mind-blowing and jaw-dropping competition, she and the rest of the queens of Drag Den can finally show up and show out to the best of their dragdagulan-honed abilities. They may have left the wrecking ball in the underbelly of the still undisclosed drag den, but the queens are going hard and taking big swings, Naia especially.
In the wee hours of the morning before the coronation, Naia shifts from sassy to sentimental, carving out an internal monologue of sorts. You know, as artists tend to do. “No matter what happens, the experience was so, so worth it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, honestly. I have no regrets and I’m very excited for what’s to come. And I’m proud of what I did. I’m very proud of myself for this two-year-old Naia. Regardless of a win or a loss, you did your part, I’m very proud of me. And that’s all you need. Sa totoo lang, that’ so important,” she expresses. “We’re about to fly higher, girl.”
And just like that, we are off to the next great destination.
