Marina Summers on Drag Stardom and What Happens After Going Global

This story is part of “This Is Not A Phase,”  Rolling Stone Philippines’ Pride Month storytelling campaign. Featuring the unapologetic individuals who refuse to back down on who they truly are, “This Is Not A Phase” highlights stories that challenge what’s considered acceptable in Filipino LGBTQIA+ culture.

Minutes before the world premiere of Drag Race Philippines Season 1, Marina Summers and I managed to squeeze a ten minute chat about Filipino drag and representation for a feature on CNN Philippines Life. Despite the RuPaul megamix that blared in the background, as five other queens were interviewed along a narrow hallway, Summers staked her claim, loud and clear. “I think my drag really embodies the future of Filipino drag. It’s not only [about the] performance. It’s digital; it’s marketable; it’s branding; it’s at an international level. So, I’m very excited to show my drag to the world.”

Later that night, Summers graced the stage for the first time as a fully-fledged RuGirl — and in the words of the Queen of Drag herself, this was just the beginning. Little did she know that in the next couple of years, she would serve a fine, fresh, fierce bangus-inspired terno on the Drag Race UK stage, earn the highly-coveted Born-To-Do-Drag title, become an eponym, jumpstart her music career, walk the Cannes red carpet with Angelina Jolie, and tour the world (and eventually learn how to pack her entire life into two suitcases). But before any of that, just for that first night, she gives us a glimpse of the radiance of summertime. 

Three years later, Summers and I would find ourselves once again in the middle of another conversation. This time, she’s seated in the dressing room of a white-walled studio, getting ready for the second layout of a Rolling Stone Philippines shoot. There’s more time; there’s less people; and the playlist is all hers. So, what has she learned about herself, her craft, and the industry now that she’s gone global? Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” starts playing in the background.

Jack of All Trades

How much has the Marina Summers brand changed? At the moment, she’s in her Hyperfeminine, Conditioner Campaign, Sobrang Sikip era. Her classes at Poveda just ended, and she’s waiting for her sundo because her parents have her on a strict curfew. On the weekends, she’s the courtside girlfriend ready to make pahid her basketballer boyfriend’s pawis. All of that, however, is about to change. With RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! in Las Vegas right around the corner, she’s pivoting back to the Tropical Showgirl aesthetic we all first fell in love with. Her ability to adapt with ease and her awareness of what the moment calls for shows just how much she’s developed her craft. “So, number one: depende sa demand. Number two: depende sa era of drag that I’m portraying,” she says. 

The showgirl in her might clock out every now and then, but the performer in her never does. A couple of days ago, Summers released her latest single “WALANG KABA.” At two and a half minutes, the dance-pop track marks her comeback and makes a couple of things clear: she’s a rapper, but she’s also a singer.. She can do it all. So, why is there still a distinction between drag artists and musicians? “I feel like in most industries, ‘di kami sineseryoso,” she says. “‘Pag drag queen, drag queen lang yan. They say that drag music, that’s not music.”

Summers wants to challenge that. In fact, her ultimate dream is the antithesis to that claim. “I wanna be the Pablo Vittar of the Philippines,” she manifests. The vision? To become a Filipino drag pop star, the kind where the vocals are celebrated just as much as the cinched waist, beat face, and front lace. “I feel like it’s about damn time we take up space, and not just take up space, but also be recognized for taking up space.”

Summers is aware, though, that she’s no biritera — which is exactly why the multihyphenate won’t be dropping “drag queen” from her growing list of hyphens anytime soon. “For the longest time, [I’ve been] performing other people’s songs. So, ngayon naman, gusto ko [i-perform] ‘yong sa akin. Pero, sometimes gusto ko magperform ng sad song. [But] I can’t belt out ballads.” Good thing drag offers other options. She might not have the vocal chops to belt along to the chorus of Agnes’ “Release Me,” but she can definitely lip sync as if she sang the song herself.  

“The good thing about drag is wala kang limit,” Summers says. “For me, drag is the most multifaceted form of art.” It’s the kind of art that lets you build a brand and reinvent it with every new era. Maybe the unconventional Drag Race challenges had a point after all because a well-rounded drag queen is eventually going to foster a wide range of talents — from designing an outfit out of flowers, impersonating a disgraced ex-president, to poi dancing while lip syncing to an original song. 

But will a jack-of-all-trades always be a master of none? Probably not if Jack considered a career in drag. Take it from Marina Summers herself. 

The Philippines’ Next Top Bulalo Endorser

“Sabi ko sa inyo, five minutes lang ‘to,” Summers teases mid-shoot. She was right. Five minutes in, and the ooh’s and aah’s from the production team made it clear that we already had the shot. Still, we carry on and take a few more photos.

The model and the producer in Summers comes out when she’s in front of the camera. At one point, she balances on one leg for a couple of shots, just long enough to look like she’s defying gravity. But really, it’s all leg and core strength. In between takes, she squints at the monitor as if to calculate her next move. A quick tilt of the chin here, a flick of the wrist there. Everything is improvised and intentional. “Lumaki kasi ako sa America’s Next Top Model,” the drag queen-slash-model jokes once we get back to the dressing room. 

Tyra Banks may have taught her how to smize and tooch her booty, but Summer’s impeccable body awareness can ultimately be credited to her background in dance. You could probably imagine her as that bibo kid in class who always had a little extra pep in their step, who was always the star in the school and barangay productions. But the swagger and sway we witnessed in the iconic “Sirena” and “Dreamer” lip syncs came from her contemporary street dancing in college. “Doon ‘yong intensive training ko talaga na almost everyday,” she shares. 

In a couple of weeks, Summers will be turning up the heat in the already sweltering deserts of Las Vegasas part of the cast of Drag Race Live!, being the first Filipina queen to join the residency. To top things off, she’ll be serving seven to nine looks per night. It’s like cramming an entire season of Drag Race into a single week. Only this time, there are no retakes. But despite the physical stress of it all, she still finds some comfort in it. “I’m really excited to stay in one place. Clock into work, put on makeup, do the show, get out of drag, and not carry a suitcase.” 

Summers’ nine-to-five era is well-deserved. The rest of the world has already had its moment under her summertime sun when she did UK vs the World, its accompanying tour, as well as the Werk the World and solo tours which followed. She’s had her fair share of highs and lows in those three years of touring. “The London show was one of the best crowds ever,” she recalls. “After I performed, they were shouting and cheering and clapping. Grabe, I was emotional on stage that night.” However, not every stop hits the same. “When I was doing Wizard of Oz, kasi ’di sila major cities, so it was very dry.” But just like any other Filipino, it was the distance from home that weighed the most. 

During the taping of UK vs the World, Summers had two dietary requests: nothing too spicy and a hefty serving of rice. But in a city like London, carbs often don’t come in the form of grains. They have potatoes, bread, and sometimes quinoa. “Quinoa!” she repeats herself in a way that only a Filipino would. “Even [they] don’t like that!” 

When the third episode wrapped up and the homesickness became more palpable than ever, the queen team knocked on her door. It was then she was soothed by the sight of a familiar word. “Bulalo. ‘Yon ‘yong first Filipino word na nabasa ko. It was my first time outside Asia. ‘Yon ‘yong pinakamalayong nilipad ko ever that time,” Summers recalls. “Ginawa ko ‘agad ‘yong cup noodles. Tapos unang higop ko, umiyak talaga ako. Nag-breakdown ako. So, Nissin Cup Bulalo, I’m your next endorser.” 

A Stage of One’s Own

On an international scale, some would argue that Drag Race has entered an era of oversaturation. How could it not? Nearly a decade ago, only one season of RuPaul’s Drag Race aired per year, All Stars came around every three or four seasons, and Drag Race Thailand was the lone international spin-off. These days, multiple seasons air simultaneously, RuPaul’s Drag Race and All Stars alternating, and 17 international franchises, with more coming. The supply has managed to overtake the demand. 

Summers begs to differ — at least when it comes to Drag Race Philippines. Unlike in the U.S., where the main franchise has had almost a decade to build and sustain its fan base, the Filipino iteration of the show is still in the process of attracting more viewers. “For example, ‘yong Season 3 fans, some of them ’di nga alam ’yong Season 1 or Season 2,” she points out. “Every season, merong kine-cater na bagong fans.” We’re still in the process of conversion, rather than oversaturation. 

It’s been three years since the premiere of Drag Race Philippines, and Summers has witnessed firsthand the show’s impact on the local drag industry. Since returning, she’s had the opportunity to tour the country and perform outside of Metro Manila. She’s also observed an increasing number of drag queens in the country. “Yes, dumadami kami. And I think it’s a good thing. Kasi ibig sabihin mas dumadami ‘yong pwede naming i-cater na audiences,” she says. Taken together, it all points to one thing: a healthy and booming drag economy. 

But this visibility also brought a more urgent issue into focus. “Laging napagkukuwentuhan namin ng mga local queens is wala masyadong drag bars. Wala masyadong venues for them to perform sa mga provinces nila.” While drag families, collectives, and independent performers are emerging across the regions, the physical spaces to showcase their work in their hometowns remain few and far between.

In our first interview, Summers, who comes from Nueva Vizcaya, spoke about wanting to become the kind of representation she never had. “To be that image of hope for those young kids like me who grew up not only in the province but in remote areas — I think that’s what I’m representing.” Across the country, curious little kids are slipping into heels for the first time, wrapping towels around their heads like wigs, and sneaking into their mothers’ rooms to play with makeup. Now that they have Marina Summers to look up to, what happens next?

“Yes, maraming fans, maraming opportunities, pero there’s still not enough. Hindi pa ganon kalaki ’yong stage for everyone, and I feel like we are still building that stage para lahat ng drag queens ay merong space.”