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Cassandra the Queen didn鈥檛 expect to be nominated for Favourite Showgirl at the 2023 DIVA Awards. More than that, she didn鈥檛 expect to win the whole thing. 鈥淚 think I said鈥� ‘are you sure?’鈥� she recalled to 17c起草社区.

So, how did this newcomer to the drag business manage to take one of the community鈥檚 most prestigious honours?

That, she could not answer. But she is clearly doing something right. Having only taken up Drag two years ago, this award felt like validation for her, and that she was indeed doing the right thing.

鈥淚t has put a bit of pressure on鈥� she humbly admits, confessing she could no longer take some performances for granted.

 

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Moving From the Philippines to Australia

Performance has been in Cassandra鈥檚 blood long before she ever donned drag. Born and raised in the Philippines, and deeply proud of that fact. 鈥淚 dabbled in drag鈥� she remembered, but a deeply conservative Catholic culture and the fear of judgement held her back. But that didn鈥檛 stop her love of the stage, embracing her home country鈥檚 love of theatre and performing to the fullest extent. However, she does lament the fact that she didn鈥檛 inherit her nation鈥檚 almost supernatural ability as a singer.

鈥淧eople Often Don鈥檛 See Us In The Same Way’

Australia offered Cassandra a fresh start, and though at times she has struggled with some cultural differences (notably the humour she remembered), she has now truly begun to settle in with her drag.

With this, she also has created a totally unique opportunity. 鈥淚 want people to see the visual representation of my culture鈥� she asserted, highlighting the fact that the common image of an Asian in the minds of Australians is dominated by recollections of China and Japan, despite the large number of Filipinos that call this country home.

鈥淧eople often don鈥檛 see us in the same way, but we have very visual representations of our culture鈥�.

Her position as a Filipino drag performer in a predominantly white world is also not lost on Cassandra. She hopes she can serve as an example for not just young queer Filipinos, but all those who want to enter the performing arts. For now, though, Cassandra is just happy to bask in the glory of her award. Hoping one day to commit to drag full-time, this honour has certainly proven one thing, Cassandra the Queen is a name to be looking out for.