The Dragdagulan Returns: Drag Den With Manila Luzon Gets Its Much-Deserved Season 2 Renewal

The Dragdagulan Returns: Drag Den With Manila Luzon Gets Its Much-Deserved Season 2 Renewal

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Welcome back-la! After the runaway success of its inaugural season, Drag Den With Manila Luzon is back for more Filipino drag greatness. 

Off the towering heels of its debut in the colorful, cacophonous, crazy world of drag, it was only a matter of time before the Philippines (and the rest of the world) got more Filipino drag excellence. Beyond the shock and spectacle of its entertainment value, as seen of course in the inaugural season of Drag Den with Manila Luzon, the apparent renaissance of the art of drag in the Philippine context has taken us on a wild ride with its definitively distinct and diverse character and showcase. From the underbelly of the nightlife to the thriving juggernaut that it has evolved to be across industries, there is no stopping our queens from taking over, as they should.

Thanks to the herculean efforts of queer pioneers that have fought bravely blazed trails for the liberties we enjoy today, as well of reality drag competitions such as Drag Den, which is specifically made for and by Filipinos, it looks like we will be seeing a lot more of Filipino drag, as it rightfully deserves to be championed, no less.

Welcome To The Drag Den

“We’re just grateful for all the positive reactions we’ve received so far,” expresses a very grateful Rod Singh, the indefatigable creative and advocate behind the world of Drag Den. “It shows that audiences from around the world are connecting with our show and the messages we want to convey. It’s been quite a journey for us; the history of Pinoy drag culture is full of unsung heroes, and we’ve come a long way. We’ve had clear intentions about bringing the show to where it is now. The show stood for many things, and thanks to our audience, because they, too, stood with us. And because of their support, we’ll continue the fight in season two. Bigger and better, definitely.”

As ominous as the premise was, Drag Den proved to be a lot more nuanced and thoughtful to the Filipino circumstance. Led by the drag lord, Manila Luzon, who has since been enriched and further entrenched in Filipino drag, and further made stellar with the support of drag dealer, Nicole Cordovez, and drag runner, Sassa Gurl, the show proved to be unapologetic in its politics, passion, and purpose, introducing us to a different perspective to the facet of queer culture that has dominated to the world, as well as of a deliciously entertaining cast of queens that were all at gritty, graceful, and great television. Emerging from the drag den was Naia, the first Drag Supreme. 

“We’re always on the lookout to create entertaining content that is relevant to our diverse local audience’s taste, and it’s going to be exciting to work together with Rod and the rest of the Drag Den with Manila Luzon creators to make Season Two even more entertaining,” shares David Simonsen, director of Prime Video, Southeast Asia.

Dragdagulan Na…Again

Valiant in its effort to really broaden the scope of drag, Rod Singh, Sassa Girl, and the rest of the Drag Den queens have since brought their unique brand of dragdagulan to the streets and barangays of Metro Manila (so far). And if those mind-blowing and jaw-dropping coming togethers were any indication, it seems that the runaway hit on Prime Video is going to give us quite the show in season two. 

“Just when you thought you got out, honey, you’re going back underground,” says Manila Luzon, in the rigor of her drag lord character, announcing that finally, auditions for season two of Drag Den are underway. Compelling you to wake up and get a move on, especially if you believe you are, as they say, good items, all that is left to do is to show them what you got. If you are at least 18 years of age, a Philippine citizen and resident, willing to undergo additional interviews, willing to travel to Manila, and willing to stay within Metro Manila during filming, then all you have to do is to log on to dragdenph.com. Here, you are to fill out an application form and upload your audition video. And then, all that is left to wait for that life-changing ring of the phone. Who knows, you could very well be the next drag supreme. 

“Ready ka berls?” With its ear firm on the ground and a pulse on the true essence of local queer culture, Drag Den with Manila Luzon is off to its great work of heroing the best of Filipino drag and taking it to even greater heights. With an ear firm on the ground and a pulse on the true essence of local queer culture, yes, they are ready to fight for it. So, let the dragdagulan begin…again. 

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