Maxie makes maximum impact
It was no surprise that Maxie Andreison was crowned the winner of the third season of “Drag Race Philippines.” The queen slayed all season long—a flawless run, according to many—winning three maxi (Maxie!) challenges and never landing in the bottom.
In a cast of phenomenal queens, Maxie shone, not just because of her talent and beauty, but also because of her personality. She’s funny, humble, confident, mature and gracious—but also fierce when she needs to be. And that star quality is undeniable—she really is deserving of the title “The Philippines’ Next Drag Superstar.”
“I feel so happy,” Maxie said of her win. “I’m very grateful and thankful that WOW and this production gave me another opportunity to let people know who Maxie is. Sobrang grateful, sobrang happy. This feels like a dream. I’m enjoying every minute, every second of it.”
Maxie had previously competed in the second season of World of Wonder’s international drag singing competition “Queen of the Universe.” She had been doing well in the show, impressing judges Michelle Visage, Trixie Mattel, Vanessa Williams and Mel B. She could have gone on to win it–she was an audience favorite, for sure—but a medical emergency caused her to drop out of the competition six episodes in.
Redemption
Maxie saw her “Drag Race Philippines” run as a chance for redemption. “I was pressuring myself because this was my only opportunity to redeem myself. I wanted to win this time,” she said.
And she did.
Filipinos first met Maxie as Jayvhot Galang, the self-described “13-year-old stunner” with the impressive singing voice in an appearance on Willie Revillame’s game show “Wil Time Bigtime” in 2012 that would go viral. Jayvhot, who had been joining singing contests since he was a little kid, would go on to star in “Maxie the Musical,” the stage adaptation of the film “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” staged at the PETA Theater Center.
That’s where Maxie got her drag name. In many ways, Maxie was destined to be Maxie. And family is a big part of who Maxie is. In that “Wil Time Bigtime” clip, that was evident, with Maxie’s dad in the audience showing full support for his child, telling him: “Bakla ka man o hindi, mahal pa rin kita. Tinatawag ka nilang bakla, sa akin isa kang dakila. Ganun kita kamahal. (Gay or not, I still love you. They may call you gay but to me, you are great. That’s how much I love you).”
Over a decade later, fans of “Drag Race Philippines” (stream it on WOW Presents Plus and HBO Go) got to witness that family bond as well. Maxie’s sister Angel competed alongside her in the show. It’s only the second time in the entire “RuPaul’s Drag Race” franchise that biological siblings have joined the show at the same time (the first were twins Sugar and Spice who competed in the 15th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”)—and Maxie and Angel made herstory by being the first siblings to make it to the finals together.
Their parents appeared in the show as well, during the makeover challenge where Maxie and Angel transformed them into drag queens.
Maxie said, “It meant a lot. Sobrang naiyak talaga ako. (I really cried.) And I was so proud because this is what we’ve always wanted. Ito ‘yung pangarap namin simula pa noon, na mapakita sa buong mundo ‘yung pagmamahalan namin. (It’s always been our dream to show the world our love.) To see my father in drag and my mom in costume, it made me so proud that they got to try it as well … I was so happy to have my family there with me. Kasama ko talaga ‘yung pamilya ko sa pangarap ko. They’re the ones who make my heart strong. And they’re really the most important people in my life.”
Family support
She believes it is important to show that kind of family support in “Drag Race Philippines.” “It’s good for people to see on TV the kind of love that developed within a family, within a home. We are the product of love, we are the product of the love of our parents, of our family. If you accept your children who are also part of our community, you can have a good connection [as well] … Hindi kami salot. Hindi kami masamang tao. Productive kami, talented kami, at kaya naming tulungan ang pamilya namin sa abot ng aming makakaya. (We are not bad people. We are productive, we are talented, and we can help our families to the best of our ability.)”
Maxie and Angel’s sisterhood was a joy to watch throughout the season (Angel is a superstar as well—clearly, charm and talent run in their blood). Even during her final lip-sync battle against Khianna, the “gangsta sa Manila, kuya sa pamilya” shared the spotlight with her sister.
We asked—what was going through her head then? “A lot,” Maxie said. “This is my final moment … just one more challenge to get the crown. I really, really wanted it. That final lip sync was from my heart, and sharing my crown with my sister was my genuine reaction, genuine emotion to that song. I just needed presence of mind because Khianna was doing the best that she could and I needed to do my best as well.”
They were lip syncing to the song “Lipad ng Pangarap” by Angeline Quinto and Regine Velasquez. “My lipad ng pangarap is me and my sister being in the finale and being in the top two … I really, really wanted to crown my sister too because she also deserved it. And kung hindi siya mabibigyan ng korona ng ‘Drag Race,’ ako ‘yung magbibigay ng korona sa kanya. (If ‘Drag Race’ wouldn’t give her a crown, I’d be the one to give her a crown.)”
How different would her run have been if Angel hadn’t been on the show as well? “Feeling ko mas palaban ako, mas strong ako, mas mapapakita ko ‘yung lakas ko, sa attitude ko, mas strong side ko … Parang mas marami akong mapupuksa, mas madaldal ako. (I would have fought more, I would have been able to show my strength more). Because it’s Angel who softens my heart. My sister is here so I have to be a good role model to her. If she wasn’t there, I wouldn’t have to filter … But I don’t want my sister to see me stressed. I needed to stay calm in front of her so she could focus on competing, so things would go smoothly.”
Patience
Patience is something Maxie learned from her “Drag Race Philippines” journey. “You have to be patient. And dapat may puso ka talaga sa laban kasi kung wala, hindi mo mabibigay ‘yung best mo, so hindi ka mag-e-enjoy. (Your heart has to be in it so you can enjoy and give it your best.) Hindi talaga minamadali ang pangarap. (You can’t rush your dreams.)”
Fans got to see a lot of what Maxie can do in the show—she doesn’t just give memorable lip syncs and energetic, heartfelt performances, she can host, she can act, she can sing live.
“I think that makes me unique and different from the other queens.. I’m one of the few drag live singers here in the Philippines.”
And Maxie is only getting started. She wants to continue performing and continue with her advocacies, including HIV awareness.
“Na-doble ‘yung pagiging inspired ko. I’m even more motivated now. I want to be the best queen that I can be … I want to inspire people with my story. Kahit ilang beses ka matalo sa competition, no matter how many times you fail, there’s always a day for winning … And it’s going to be worth it.”
