Marilag Odtohan

Bring it on, Darling: The Making of the Brightest Star

Filipino drag artist Brigiding performing Bituing Walang Ningning during the D'Intervention's Slaysian Royale viewing party on September 10, 2025.

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ABS-CBN News

<p>Brigiding emerged from the shadows as the first notes of &quot;<em></em>Bituing Walang Ningning&quot; echoed in the corners of Rampa club in Quezon City. Draped in a golden gown, she moved with quiet grace and caught every flicker of light. As the song reached its climax, it was not just Brigiding who rose with it — the audience did too. In that moment, above the sea of light sticks, Brigiding was the brightest of them all.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1758092913365IMG_4262.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Filipino drag artist Brigiding performing Bituing Walang Ningning during the D&#x27;Intervention&#x27;s Slaysian Royale viewing party on September 10, 2025. Photo courtesy of Marilag Odtohan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipino drag artist Brigiding performing Bituing Walang Ningning during the D&#x27;Intervention&#x27;s Slaysian Royale viewing party on September 10, 2025. <em>Photo courtesy of Marilag Odtohan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>Then, the entire club erupted with cheers and applause. It was the same kind of joy that filled the room when Brigiding won her first RuBadge in the reality series, &quot;Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale.&quot; For Brigiding, that win marked a major milestone in her drag career.  </p><p>&quot;This journey means more to me than just a competition. It is about resilience, reinvention, and staying true to who I am. I have always believed that learning is the new winning, and I carry that with me every step of the way,&quot; Brigiding shared. </p><p>In the show&#x27;s fifth episode, Brigiding edged out Suki Doll of Canada to claim the coveted prize. Her win was a full-circle moment, coming from the same challenge that led to her elimination in her first run on &quot;Drag Race Philippines.&quot;</p><p>Describing it as a reward for the hard work she poured into her craft, Brigiding proudly claimed that &quot;finally the world sees my efforts. Ang tagal naming itinago ang secret na ito, and to finally let the audience sees &#x27;yong pinaghirapan ko sa competition, it&#x27;s very rewarding but also nag-start siya ng bagong fire sa akin.&quot;</p><p>But more than a personal victory, she owes the moment to the people who have supported and believed in her since day one.  </p><p>&quot;Hindi man ako nagkaroon ng any recognition noong season one, they know my capacity, they believe in me, they know who I am as a performer. And them being with me accepting that RuBadge, ang sarap sa feeling,&quot; she added.</p><p>Since the premiere, Brigiding has been consistently &quot;<em></em>high&quot;<em> </em>for most challenges, until her top two placements in episode four with the brilliant portrayal of Raquel Achoo and her trending statuesque &quot;Face-tival&quot; runway look, and eventually, the makeover win.</p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DOJfKNek5qL/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=1080&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A28736268.599999998%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1365" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe>From someone who once stood in the <em></em>brandless shadows in Season 1, Brigiding has fully stepped into her light.  </div><div>  </div><div><strong>THE FIRST CALL </strong></div><p>Drag in the Philippines has always existed in the refuge of small bars, barangayan, and underground spaces. It lived far from mainstream until the arrival of &quot;Drag Race Philippines.&quot; The franchise opened doors for drag queens to see them, not just as performers, but also as cultural icons and artists in their own right.</p><p>With years of experience, Brigiding took the leap to become one of the faces of the franchise&#x27;s debut season. At a time when the country was still grappling with the effects of COVID-19, it was a bold move for Brigiding — one rooted in hope to escape the scar of the pandemic, and for survival.  </p><p>The four-cornered mobile screens honed the drag queens&#x27; nightlife. Brigiding reflected, &quot;Grabe &#x27;yong pinagdaanan namin na parang from performing every night to performing in front of your cameras with no people, to a lot of people watching. Parang gusto mong makatakas sa buhay na &#x27;yon kasi ibang level ng mental effect sa atin no&#x27;ng pandemic.&quot;</p><p>Brigiding held much hope to become the first Pinoy drag superstar after making her entrance in the competition. But she admitted to carrying too much pride and overflowing in confidence. Until all the things combined, it did not help her thrive in the competition.</p><p>Throughout the season, she was almost always <em></em>safe<em> </em>that even the judges called her attention. She landed in the bottom three times: first, she won against Lady Morgana, then a double shantay with Minty Fresh, only to be ultimately sent home in their rematch.  </p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FabscbnNEWS%2Fposts%2Fpfbid037tuKYcANfoVJt3dXP5bKTDyRxyhnghrJSTVcbmBTwyeX98vwebvFNcsQ9vZzcaxNl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="710" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>But she knew that leaving the competition did not entirely mark a defeat, instead it opened bigger opportunities that sheltered her artistry. It brought loads of success to Brigiding — from opening their Rampa club with Precious Paula Nicole and Viñas DeLuxe, her &quot;Brigiding: The Brand&quot; YouTube show, the formation of House of Ding, and her comeback to the global stage through &quot;Slaysian Royale.&quot;  </p><p>As the competition heats up, Brigiding is more than ready to unpack even bigger<em> pasabog</em> in the coming episodes of &quot;Slaysian Royale.&quot; </p><div>  </div><div><strong>THE MAKING OF BRIGIDING </strong></div><p>Coming out of the first season of &quot;Drag Race Philippines,&quot; Brigiding knew she had more to give. She was looking for an outlet to share her wisdom, that lead to the birth of the House of Ding.  </p><p>Drag has taught Brigiding not just about talent, but also the power of love, family, and what it means to nurture as a mother. These values shaped the core of her drag. She met Zymba, Felicia, and Bomba, who all became a part of her house —  a chosen home that is made in love, learning, and liberation.  </p><p>What started for Brigiding as a passion became a household name in the Philippine drag scene. As they move forward, she hopes that her kids be &quot;grateful and humble... Kasi kapag naging mayabang ka sa mga taong tumulong, nagbigay ng opportunity sa &#x27;yo...that&#x27;s when you to start to lose.&quot;</p><p>Brigiding recalled her memory of going out to party in Malate with a friend and former schoolmate, Maria Cristina, where they would often see drag queens performing. And every time, Brigiding would find herself thinking, &quot;Kaya ko rin &#x27;yan.&quot;  </p><p>Life, however, took her to many different places and chasing different dreams. But no matter where she ended up, the true happiness only showed up until she auditioned as a drag performer.  </p><p>For some parts, she was known as Gigi — inspired by a character from &quot;Miss Saigon.&quot; Eventually, she took center stage with a name that had always followed her authentic self: Brigiding. Since then, she strutted across runways, lit up clubs, traveled the world, and shared the stage with legends.  </p><p>Brigiding remains grateful to &quot;Drag Race Philippines&quot; that helped her understand her brand on a deeper level. It was the challenges, critiques, and unforgettable moments on the main stage that she began to truly see who she was and who she could become.  </p><p>For the coming years, Brigiding hopes to push the boundaries of drag, especially, with how the Filipinos see drag in general. She wants to use this platform to also advocate for gender equality and for &quot;future generations of queens to be inspired with all this beauty, na mayroong career sa pagda-drag, na puwede silang mabuhay at bumuhay ng tao rito.&quot;</p><p>If Brigiding&#x27;s journey has shown us anything, it is that she was never meant to stay in the shadows. Because no matter how dims the world can sometimes be, Brigiding is not just a star — she is the brightest one. </p><div> </div><div><em>Catch &quot;Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale&quot; every Wednesday on WOW Presents Plus, with the D’Intervention Live Viewing Party happening weekly at Rampa from 6 p.m. onwards. </em></div>

<p>From overlooked contender in '<i>Drag Race Philippines'</i> Season 1 to a breakout force in '<i>Slaysian Royale'</i>, Brigiding has turned her setbacks into fuel for a dazzling comeback — proving she was always meant to shine in the spotlight.</p>

From overlooked contender in ' Drag Race Philippines' Season 1 to a breakout force in ' Slaysian Royale' , Brigiding has turned her setbacks into fuel for a dazzling comeback — proving she was always meant to shine in the spotlight.

Brigiding journeys from Season 1 underdog to 'Slaysian Royale' star

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Brigiding journeys from Season 1 underdog to 'Slaysian Royale' star

Marilag Odtohan,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 17, 2025 05:00 PM PHT

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Updated September 17, 2025 05:12 PM PHT

Read More:

Drag Race Philippines

Brigiding

Drag Queen

Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale

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