“Being drag is an art”, the first edition of Drag Race Italia has started

“Being drag is an art”. This is the claim of the first edition of ‘Drag Race Italia’, arriving from November 19th exclusively for Italy on Discovery +, after twelve editions of the program, created by the US star RuPaul, around the world and the conquest of 24 Emmy Awards. But it is also “the answer – says the drag queen Priscilla, one of the judges of the talent produced by Ballandi – to the shameful applause in the Senate” of those who said yes to the trap by burying the Zan bill. “We represent beautiful Italy to applaud – he added – let’s show the world that we can do it”. There will be 6 75-minute episodes, with weekly release on the platform, of the talent show in which eight drag queens compete with each other in spectacular performances to win the title of “Italy’s First Drag Superstar”. The winner will also become Mac Cosmetics ambassador for a year and will sign her own collection of limited edition products. Judging the performances three judges who will not discount any of the competitors: the drag queen Priscilla, the actress, presenter and writer Chiara Francini, and the influencer and TV presenter Tommaso Zorzi. In each episode the judges will be flanked by a referee who together with them will comment and evaluate the performance of the drag in the competition. “I’m excited – admits Priscilla – it’s the dream of a lifetime. I left the country because I didn’t feel comfortable in the Italian drag scene. I am happy to return to Italy and represent the drag world in the right way. We decided to Neapolitanize many sentences, for example with the ‘nun facite strunzate’ “, translated from the sentence of RuPaul who in a video message wanted to greet the Italian edition of his talent with a” good luck and don’t bullshit “, said in Italian and sending a kiss. “The drag races are people who tell their own life and who do this job and live their character as a ransom. Being here is redemption for me too. More than 100 passionate people – he adds – have worked with passion on this tiring project, believing in it, from the first to the last and discovering the drag that is in them, even among people who are not gay but who have also felt drag “. Chiara Francini, ‘blessing to be the judge of this show made of sequins and meat’ In each episode, the eight drag queens, from all over Italy, compete in real “challenges” in which they are called to unleash talent, charisma, courage, elegance and extravagance with the aim of gathering the approval of the entire jury. Irony and creativity with a pinch of competition are, therefore, essential requirements with which drag queens will fight to stay in the race and try to get to the end. Beyond the sparkling outfits, the spectacular make-up and the funny performances, in “Drag Race Italia” there is more … and it is the concept of drag queen as a performance art. Hence the claim of the program “Being drag is an art”, that is the ability to highlight the uniqueness of a human being through the process of transformation, canceling the concept of binary sexuality. “I feel honored, it was a blessing to be the judge of this show made of sequins and meat – says Chiara Francini with her usual verve – In Italy we need to be fed by programs like this. Now my partner and I only hear songs by RuPaul. I take so much enjoyment and lightness from this experience, but I also feel a little burnt like Giovanna D’Arco. The Drag Race alphabet – he adds – is combined with young people, the show follows the colors and the rainbow of the whole community. The idea of ​​having these gorgeous looks for us self-absorbed is wonderful. The drag masks are disguised to bring out a real part that otherwise, outside the stage, could not come out ”. At the end of each episode the eliminated will be a guest in the talk “After The Race” – available only on Discovery +, every Saturday, from November 20 – in which Tommaso Zorzi will relive with the competitor the most beautiful and most critical moments of Drag’s path Race Italy. “It was a dream – Zorzi defines it – I have followed the talent since its first edition. It is a huge car, where there is a crazy energy, doing it is a drug, drag is adrenaline, walking art, you never know what they can do. I was often speechless, my experience leaves me with a sense of freedom, the awareness that anything is possible “. Tiziano Ferro, ‘I am the greatest expert in Drag Race, thank you for giving importance to this art’ Laura Carafoli, Svp Chief Content Officer Discovery Italia, declared: “With Drag Race a real cult arrives in Italy, a unique television format that has become an international phenomenon, exported all over the world and winner of numerous awards and recognitions. We are proud of the fact that Discovery is proposing this show in Italy, capable of bringing on stage at the same time courage, ambition, skill, passion, determination and fun. All qualities that also belong to our group and with which we try to inspire the widest possible audience. The program – he announced – will go unencrypted in January on Realtime. It has a magic, a unique ability to excite and entertain. It is a phenomenon of international custom, not just entertainment, which thanks to Dimitri Cocciuti from Ballandi, who told us about the potential of this project embraced by the whole company, carries on the story of diversity through the true stories of nearby drag races. to those of all of us. Being there in Italy is a significant act, I think we won’t know how to accept the requests of all guests who want to come on the show “. In the third episode, dedicated to Raffaella Carrà, there will be Tiziano Ferro, said Carafoli, presenting the video message in which the Neapolitan singer-songwriter declares to be “the greatest expert on Drag Race in the world. You are making my dream come true: I love drag art! Anyone who approaches drag art as a professional choice in our country has all my respect and love ”. Ferro was in fact one of the first fans of the program, who at the release of the first presentation video exulted on social networks for the imminent arrival in Italy of the format. “Drag art – underlines Ferro – is a tiring job on TV, in theater, in cinema, what twenty people do they do: make-up, wigs, stylism, tailors, poise, shoes, and they do it with an attitude military”. Tiziano Ferro then addresses the Italian drag queens directly: “Thank you for giving the importance it deserves to this art in the world, which we too have invented since Pirandello’s time – and he concludes – continue like this, with a spirit of fun, with a little healthy wickedness and also carry forward some messages as you have done up to now ”. Paloschi (Ballandi), ‘proud of this production’ Mario Paloschi, CEO of Ballandi, stated: “Thanks to the immediate and enthusiastic sharing with Discovery, Ballandi is proud of the production of this award-winning and loved all over the world. Drag Race Italia is the best opportunity for everyone to experience a new way of making television in the name of fun and inclusion. Drag queens are standard-bearer artists of the freedom to live and to be themselves without any stereotype “. For his part, Dimitri Cocciuti, also from Ballandi, underlined “the high quality standard of the format. We wanted to tell the whole country with the story of drag in the cast, which have a very high level of preparation. Drag art is very complex and complete, their high level did not allow us to make choices easily. The LGBT community is an integral part of Drag Race Italia and the girls of the cast tell intense and very beautiful stories ”, added, defining Raffaella Carrà, to whom the third episode is dedicated,“ immortal icon of LGBT ”. The eight Drag Queens ready to do anything to win the first edition of “Drag Race Italia” are: Ava Hangar, 36 years old from Carbonia, who defines herself as “a reassuring drag, a dizzy soubrettona who doesn’t scare people”; Divinity, 27 years old from Naples, with so many ambitions but above all with a great desire for redemption, brings Neapolitan pride to Drag Race Italia; Elecktra Bionic, 27 years old from Turin, poised, measured, elegant and… junoesque with over 2 meters that she reaches with heels; Enorma Jean, 46 years old from Milan, of the “old generation” is very sure of herself, her characterization is combined with that of a slightly snobbish Milanese sciura; Farida Kant, 33 years old from Lecce, sophisticated, costume designer, dancer is a drag queen who loves to tease to look for the most unexpected reactions; Ivana Vamp, 32 years old from Arezzo, is imposing, nice, with an eye to the past and her hands that sew dresses that wink at Haute Couture; Le Riche, 35 years old from Palermo, is the muscle drag of the cast, a quick-change girl who likes to play with clothes and amaze with unexpected changes; Luquisha Lubamba, 33 years old from Bologna, is a bursting drag, dizzy enough, who manages to surprise with her performances and looks.