RuPaul’s Drag Race announces iconic new All Stars season with major twist – only Asian queens can compete
Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale will see Asian queens from across the Drag Race universe Ruturn to compete for the crown. (World of Wonder)
From Jujubee to Joella, Année Maywong to Aurora Matrix, it’s time for a RuPaul’s Drag Race Slaysian takeover: a brand new, all-Asian All Stars format has just been announced.
Billed as an expansion to the existing Drag Race vs. The World format which currently exists in the UK and Canada, new spin-off Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale will see Asian queens from across global franchises Ruturn to compete for the crown.
The spin-off will be hosted in the Philippines, where Drag Race Philippines has proved a huge success, having aired its third season last summer. Drag Race Philippines is currently hosted by comedian, actor and drag star Paolo Ballesteros, known as Mamwa Pao, though it’s yet to be confirmed if she’ll host Slaysian Royale.
In a press statement, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, who founded RuPaul’s Drag Race production company World of Wonder, said: “This new version of Drag Race shines a spotlight on Asian drag as never before, celebrating its culture, its history and creativity in a unique battle royale.”
Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale is set to air on streaming platform WOW Presents Plus later in 2025.
While the show’s cast is yet to be announced, Drag Race is known for platforming an abundance of Asian drag talent. Most recently, Nymphia Wind became the first Taiwanese queen to win the show, storming the competition in last year’s season 16.
The previous year, transgender performer Sasha Colby, who is of Asian American Pacific Islander heritage, won season 15.
Other major Asian fan favourites across the Drag Race franchise include South Korean season eight finalist Kim Chi, All Stars 9’s Vietnam-born Plastique Tiara, Filipino three-time competitor Manila Luzon, Chinese-Canadian Canada’s Drag Race finalist Aurora Matrix, and Drag Race Thailand season three winner, Frankie Wonga.
Asian queens including River Medway, Le Fil, Sum Ting Wong, and Zahirah Zapanta have become big stars among Drag Race UK viewers.
One of the Drag Race fandom’s unanimous favourite queens is Jujubee, who is of Thai and Laotian descent. She’s famed within the fandom for competing four times (on season two, All Stars 1, All Stars 5, and Drag Race UK vs The World) – making it to the final each and every time. She recently told PinkNews that she would not return to Drag Race as a competitor again.
Last year also saw the Ruturn of Drag Race Thailand for its third season, after a five year break.
Drag Race fans and former competitors globally have reacted to the Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale announcement with joy.
“How freaking epic!!!” wrote Drag Race UK vs. The World star Hannah Conda, while Canada’s Drag Race contestant Luna Dubois commented: “Oh this is so fierce!”
Ongina, the first ever Asian-American contestant on a series of Drag Race – on season one, back in 2009 – added: “INCREDIBLE!!”
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 is currently airing on Fridays on MTV in the US and WOW Presents Plus internationally.
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