Diva Soria pays tribute to the Philippines through her makeup and performances
As both a makeup artist and drag performer, Diva Soria (@thedivasoria) embraces her Filipino heritage in everything she does. Even her name is derived from a location in the Philippines – Divisoria – which Diva describes as a “beautiful place filled with feathers and rhinestones – pretty much a drag queen’s haven.”
“I think it is important for me to showcase my heritage as a Filipino artist because there is not that much exposure of Filipino talent in the mainstream media,” Diva says. “It is very important to show the world that Filipinos are very talented people as well.”
Diva began her drag career while still living in the Philippines, participating in beauty pageants designed for transgender women. After moving to the United States when she was 20, the artist found “a close-knit community of AAPI Queer individuals that support each other” in New York City.
“The Philippines is quite interesting when it comes to living as a Queer person. We are seen everywhere, however, there aren’t really a lot of rights that protect us,” Diva explains. “I’m thankful that I live in the U.S. and I wish that I could have the same liberties that I have here in the U.S. back home.”
As a drag persona, Diva Soria is heavily inspired by vintage Filipino women, bringing modern twists to classic outfits of the Philippines. She also showcases her heritage through makeup, embracing the natural shape of her face and honoring conventional standards of beauty in Filipino culture.
Diva says that she was always interested in the world of arts, reminiscing about drawing pictures of women and faces as a child. Now as a makeup artist, Diva sees her work as the same act of drawing and coloring. She says, “It’s just that your canvases talk back so it’s quite fun and interesting and it brings me back to what gave me happiness as a child.”
She continues, “What I love about makeup is the smile that that person I did makeup on has at the end of the makeup session. Makeup can be perceived as something that is very superficial, but to me, makeup is all about expression and freedom and that is the most beautiful thing that I could think of.”
And Diva’s drag career goes hand-in-hand with her work as a makeup artist and photographer. She says that her drag performances are pretty much an advertisement of what she can offer as a makeup artist and photographer. Diva says, “If there’s one word to describe Diva Soria, that word would be ‘visual.’ She will not necessarily perform a lot in terms of dance movements, but she’ll make sure that she looks flawless.”
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