'Drag Race Spain' makes the transvestite explosion visible

“There is a transvestite explosion,” says Samantha Ballentines.

She knows it better than anyone.

She is one of the finalists of

Drag Race España All Stars

, a derivative of the Atresplayer drag contest that has three seasons, with a fourth already in post-production and which ended this Sunday with her Drag partner Sethlas as the winner.

Samantha participated in the second season, did not make it past the third episode, and has returned in the

All Stars

format , in which some participants who did not win have a second chance.

On this occasion she has reached the final, she has received praise from the jury made up of Supremme de Luxe, Ana Locking and the Javis, and she has become the public's favorite on social networks.

👑We already have the winner of this first #DragRaceAllStars in Spain!

⁰

Drag Sethlas congratulations darling.

Very well deserved!👏👏

✨You are already in the Olympus of drags, inaugurating the Hall of Fame of #DragRaceEspaña.

pic.twitter.com/ExUR94oo1Y

— Drag Race Spain (@DragRaceEs) March 17, 2024

In addition, she is one of those who works the most outside of the program.

“I like to say that if you're smart,

Drag Race

makes money,” she says, sitting on the couch at her house and not riding, as she calls it in

drag

slang for not being cross-dressed.

“I was about to appear in

Dressed in Blue

, I did the

casting

and I even had to do the costume test, and I couldn't do it because I had to enter the contest.”

He also collaborates on the radio program

Tómatelo less seriously

with Chenoa, presented the program

Sí lo digo,

a production by Atresplayer in which the episodes of

Drag Race Spain are discussed,

and hosted the Drag Queen Gala of the Águilas Carnival.

That apart from her

gigs

in bars, clubs, parties...

More information

Pink Chadora, drag queen and poet: “To censor me they would have to sew my mouth shut”

For the contestants of the program, based on the American competition run by RuPaul, getting to television is a “springboard.”

In the words of Drag Sethlas, the winner: “So many years working in nightclubs, like a crazy woman, going from one place to another, hours on buses from one autonomous community to another and not charging much, changing in a bathroom… In the end this is have to pay for it, this precariousness is a bit shabby.

Entering this program allows you to opt for a little better.”

Javier Ambrossi, Ana Locking, Supremme De Luxe and Javier Calvo, in the final of 'Drag Race España: All Stars'.

And the grand prize, beyond winning the contest or not, is the official tour of the program, which on this occasion will pass through Seville, Torremolinos, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia and Bilbao throughout April.

The

All Stars Tour

will take all the contestants of the edition (Samantha Ballentines, Drag Sethlas, Juriji der Klee, Onyx Unleashed, Pink Chadora, Sagittaria, Pakita, Pupi Poisson and Hornella Góngora) throughout Spain in a format that stands out from the previous tours produced by Locamente Factory.

“With

El Gran Hotel de las Reinas

we managed to fill theaters and reach a very wide and diverse audience.

A part of that audience saw a

drag show

for the first time precisely because it was a theatrical proposal,” explains David Marcos, creative director of the tour.

The previous tours visited theaters throughout Spain such as the Calderón in Madrid, the Coliseum in Barcelona or the Olympia in Valencia.

“This year we have sought to do something different and offer a tour that, taking place mainly in clubs and concert halls, will easily become a big party.”

Onyx describes the tour “like a camping trip” for drag

performers

.

“There is camaraderie, there is gossip, there is a lot of friendship, a lot of laughter…” adds Samantha.

It is also an opportunity to win many boards.

“I even learned how to put on makeup!” confesses Pink Chadora, who participated in the third season and its corresponding tour.

They all agree on the diversity of the public that comes to see the

shows

, people who do not usually see themselves at a

drag

show very often.

“Very old people come, children come, whole families come,” Pink Chadora says excitedly.

“There are many cis women who approach

drag

thanks to the program,” adds Hornella.

“I believe that we open a new window of color for them to be able to dream and be themselves.

In the end, they are seeing people on television who are not afraid to be themselves.”

Throughout the three previous tours, the queens have experienced very emotional moments with their fans.

“There was a girl who had agoraphobia and she came out just to see us perform,” Sagittaria recalls.

"When she told us, we were amazed, she was there for us, we were what had helped her get out... I think it's incredible."

An image of the reunion prior to the final of 'Drag Race Spain: All Stars'.

Another characteristic of Drag Race Spain

followers

who go to the

shows

is their creativity: they come in transvestites, wearing makeup or with very elaborate gifts.

Onyx has dozens of dolls at home personalized like herself; children of all ages bring colorful portraits of them.

“I have a bottle of tequila smeared in gold glitter,” adds Hornella, before lamenting: “I can't drink it because it fills my hands.”

Regarding the boys and girls who are fans of the program, the queens reflect on the liberating and festive nature of cross-dressing just when an

anti-drag

movement in the United States wants to keep this type of art away from the little ones.

“I don't know if these children in the future will be from the LGTBIQ+ group or not, but I think they see us as the freedom to create and have a fantasy,” explains Pink Chadora.

“There is no sexuality involved.

“A lot of my audience is little girls and I'm sure they see me as a princess, like a doll and that's it.”

They are like superheroes.

“I'm more of a supervillain,” Sagittaria jokes.

It's a transvestite invasion.

Beyond the tour, Pakita could be seen dancing in front of Guernica at the Reina Sofía or Pink Chadora moderating a meeting about cinema at the Malaga Festival.

Hornella has created her own party at the Salvaora Brown club in Chueca.

Many are hired at weddings and events.

“Thanks to the program, people have seen that we are capable of doing many things, and they hire us more,” Onyx celebrates.

They are models, comedians, dancers, singers, designers, creative directors and even businesswomen.

They come in all sizes, colors and shapes.

And they all do it by investing their time and, often, their money.

“Because we love it, we continue working on it even though we are in debt and tired,” concludes Samantha.

“Although I am not in debt.”

“I had to say it,” Onyx adds.

If you're smart,

drag

makes money.

You can follow EL PAÍS Television on

X

or sign up here to receive

our weekly newsletter

.

Subscribe to continue reading

Read without limits

Keep reading

I am already a subscriber

_