FROM DUBLIN TO HONG KONG

While drag has become mainstream, there are countless queens around the world who deserve more recognition. Mateus Dutra spoke to one of them, Pansze Diva, a Hong Kong performer who was introduced to drag in Dublin.

Behind all the glam, glitter and wigs, there are many stories of resilience and LGBTQ+ activism that translate through the art of drag. For many years, being a drag artist was synonymous with exclusion, or was thought of only as comedy. However, with the contribution of RuPaul and many other greatly talented artists throughout the years, it became mainstream and is now adored by countless people around the world.

Even still, what we see in the mainstream is just a section of the vibrant community that exists globally. To look further afield, I spoke with someone who has experience in the Asian market and who, with their charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, has been spreading art and activism wherever they go. Meet Pansze Diva, the drag persona created by the incredible Pansze!

As we started our conversation, they told me about how everything started, back when they were around 25 years old. Pansze lived in Ireland at that time and The George was the first gay bar they went to, providing them their first experience of a drag performance. They described it as a beautiful show that introduced them to the art that would later bring them so much joy.

After becoming friends with many drag queens in Ireland, they brought their experiences back to Hong Kong. When they went clubbing at a local bar, one of the producers invited them to perform as he saw their potential. So, they created a 15-minute show with an Alice in Wonderland theme and they realised that drag would be part of their life from that moment on.

Speaking about the inspirations behind their creative process, from the make-up to the outfits and performances, Pansze said that it comes from different people and ideas. One of the names they highlighted was their drag mother Mocha Diva, who was in Drag Race Thailand and was the one to teach Pansze the basics of the art. Another inspiration to them is a local legend called Tina Ugly Haira, who they admire for their use of colour and the techniques they use to complement an Asian complexion and facial structure. All these people helped Pansze to build up their identity and unique characteristics as a drag performer.

The artist told us about their favourite performance during their career, which was a lipsync of the Eurovision 2024 winner song ‘The Code’ by Nemo. Pansze said that this performance was very beautiful and emotional, containing special effects such as a two-metre-long white dress and giant wings with LED lights, taking a week to produce this epic moment.

Being a queer artist in Hong Kong, Pansze shared some of the challenges they faced since starting their career. They said: “The most difficult part about doing drag in Hong Kong is networking because the opportunities are so little. Even though we have some gay bars here, it’s not every gay bar that is into drag. Even if you have a gay bar gig, it’s not that regular, because you still need to compete with a lot of different drag queens. If you can perform once per month, you are a regular on the main scene already.”

Even though it is not illegal to do drag in Hong Kong, Pansze feels that people still see drag artists as actors. If a person wants to do drag, they need to learn how to build up their career and gain respect in the community.

According to Pansze, the Hong Kong drag scene is unique for showcasing artists from the Philippines who are amazing dancers and very talented. They also said you can find some queens who perform Cantonese songs, even though it is very rare. That diversity is what makes Hong Kong’s drag scene so special.

Pansze Diva is a very fun persona. She is the centre of attention and knows how to entertain the public. However, people need to understand that in order to make it all happen, there is a lot of effort, rehearsal, creativity and study that goes into it. As a result of her hard work, Pansze Diva is going to be the opening act for Laganja Estranja, one of the famous RuPaul’s Drag Race queens, and she is very excited about this moment.

As a last question, we asked Pansze to share some advice for young people who are interested in starting their drag journey. They said: “Don’t be afraid to ask, don’t be afraid to look ugly, you’re going to make mistakes, but the most important is to learn how to fix it.”