This Saturday at Salons Mantovani we will find out who will take over the crown from the reigning Miss Travestie Belgium 2022 Miss Sammy Jo!
For people who do not know how this event take place (If really?), our Pink In Our Lives show reporter will take you back to last year with this review of this gala event:
On Saturday the 26th of February 2022, Belgium’s most important & prestigious Dragqueen Pageant took place at Salons Mantovani, Oudenaarde. (B)
2019 was the last time this pageant happened and after these 3 years Miss Thalia, should have a new successor for the title, from Belgium’s Best Dragqueen.
Miss Michelle found this year 6 Queens to battle against each other.
Naming:
1. Sammy Jo.
2. Lexi Storm.
3. Lady Vuitton.
4. La Queen Dior.
5. Billy Jean.
6. Fren Finé.
12 judges amongst them Queens, Flanders celebrities, designers etc had a difficult, but important task.
This year 2 Dutch Queens found their way into Flanders Best Dragqueen pageant.
Lady Vuitton chose Gay Icon Kate Ryan for her first free act.
A medley from La Ryan’s best hits Voyage Voyage, Libertine, Ella Ella, closing it off with the Eurovision classic Je t’adore. All of them passing by, as La Vuitton transformed herself several times.
Closing with Je t’adore, who doesn’t remember the Eurovision act in the orange/pink gown, and ash blond bob hairdo. What we all spoke about, the knee swing. La Vuitton made it happen!
For the Pride act, Lady Vuitton changed Salons Mantovani into Studio 54.
Disco balls projected on the led wall, huge frizzy black hairdo,
Disco dance moves, woop woop, sexy legs in a very slim lined black dress.
Together with her dancers, the music from Artha Franklin, blasted through the speakers.
Think, Deeper Love, climaxing it into R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Get this lady a Stage at Studio 54 darlings, yessss.
Her final act, took another charm from Belgium. Nathalia!
Dressed in a red fringed, skimpy sexy dress combined with the typical Nathalia dark brown, HUGELY piled up, curly hairdo. Three minutes, 3 famous songs from Flanders most loved singer passed by.
Boom, Just Begun to fight, closing it off with Rising. Pounding heart beats, and a lot of dancing happening on the catwalk. The audience loved her! But then, Don’t we ALL love Nathalia.
The other red/white/blue Dutch princess, named La Queen Dior.
She choose for her first free act a semi fairytale influenced opening.
This changed rapidly in another icon from Belgium, Belle Perez.
It’s wintertime, cold and we could do with some burning heat! Right?
Launching her Spanish fab medley, Il Ritmo Calliente , Que Viva La Vida, and finishing Enamorade Boom Boom. The gorgeous blood red outfit with layered tray, gave her even more a La Isla Bonita schwüng. Legs honey, all about the legs. Ending with a lift on her sexy dancers shoulders.
The Pride element this time was, how suitable for the theme, influenced by another gay icon. Lady Gaga. Wearing a metallic golden body with top, warrior hinting. The led wall flaming with fire, crowns, etc. This Queen, definitely knew how to pump UP the base.
Remember us this way….Born this way…closing off with Rain on me. The audience loved it!!
Closing her “threesome” of acts with Rihanna. In her blue/pink tie dye influenced body with skirt, sexy dancers crawling on hands and knees, leeched. S&M, and Disturbia. All very tempting! Ending the act with a fabulous lift by her dancers.
Fren Finé, a veteran Queen with experience, is a well known performer in Belgium.
For many years in the business. La Finé chose influences from the Lion King for the first act. Surrounded by her animal dancers, transforming the stage in a jungle scene.
Coming onstage, as a real life Powerful Jungle Queen. The costume, golden yellow elements, loads of sequins, raising her scepter with a marvelous semi Lioness headpiece.
“He lives in you….” Very scenic and very pure. Staying true to her style!
For her Pride act Fren chose Rainbows, all over the house.
Opening in a black cloak on the music from “Take me to church…” (Hozier.)
In a blink of an eyes, revealing her rainbow outfit on the tunes “Upside Down/I’m coming out!” Miss Ross was in the house darlings. After her last change the gown got exchanged for a shimmering silver suit, rainbow headset and loved the LGTBQ+ Panache on the back. And I also Loved the headpiece! Adding rainbow forces to her statement.
The final act La Finé became a Roman/ Greek Warrior princess on stage.
“I need a hero…” who doesn’t know this one by Bonny Tyler. Showing herself in a sea of waving golden wings and immense feathered headpiece.The sexy dancers next to her. Definitely climaxed the audience!!!
Lexi Storm who recently competed in another pageant, showed again that she definitely, has competition blood. Her first act displaying a dark standing in the back, on scene staging. Transforming from a black shining outfit on Music by Sia Titanium, into a warrior Queen, Power Woman-ish, Barbie Girl, Satisfaction (Benne Benassi), Rythm is a dancer etc, seamlessly glued together. Adding light elements, in the helmet and on her sexy body. High Energy together with her sexy dancers, lifting UP!
For the Pride theme La Storm gave us a semi 90ies New York/London Pride vibe with her Medley. Pet Shop Boys Go West, The Village People Y.M.C.A, In the navy etc.
This time sung by a female singer. Her sweet tooth, powder white/pink outfit and even so wig, transformed her into a high school cheerleader. Pompoms, high kicks, name it, she did it!!! Definitely party in the House!!
For her final act La Storm added extra props, motor elements on her metallic suit, real life blinding lights on the boobs, finishing off with the typical barbarella hairdo and helmet. Driving her motorcycle on Route 69!
Semi hard rock chick, Jon Bon Jovi ….It’s my life, I love rock & roll, closing with Highway to hell. This Queen gets what she want. Guitar included.
8 months ago, Billy Jean put her heels firmly onstage. For her first act La Jean chose Britney Spears. Stepping out in the typical blond curled Spears wig, a emerald green and black short dress revealing her sexy and longer then life legs.
Toxic, Hit me baby one more time, Stronger, into Till the world ends.
As she changed for the last song, into a tempting see through black body suit.
Even Spears would have sighed by seeing this glorious curves and great act.
Another rainbow explosion for La Jeans Pride act. This for me seemed a trademark act in waiting. She used a cage, from where within she stood captured into her black semi rubber-ish long gown. Hair highly piled up into waterfall, of curls. Music by Kelly Clarkson, People like us…..displaying private pictures behind her on the led wall as Michael and Billy Jean. The awaited climax came as she took of her black dress.
While stepping out into a fireworks detailed bodysuit.
Katy Perry Fireworks, taking the catwalk step by step, a tray of rainbows fringes raining from her sleeves and also sexy curved body. Staging even more Fireworks.
It was a LOT!!!!! Obviously this again was loved immense by the audience.
La Jean is someone who goes straight to and FOR the heart. The final act definitely was a party act. Another gold/white fringed V-lined dress revealing, while stripping off the boot cut pants. La Jean pumped up the volume with I wanna dance with somebody, Play that sax and closing off with R.E.S.P.E.C.T!!!
Although “just” 8 months onstage, she is a Queen to watch out.
Last but definitely not least Sammy Jo. Being 7 years onstage and learning from the best, paid off. Her first act transforming from dark smoldering ashes wearing a black satin skintight gown, including feathered shoulder elements, dancers on the floor, a hint to the other element fire perhaps.
“Rise like a Phoenix….” Conchita (Sausage) Würst does it, time and time again, as La Jo takes the catwalk. Building a bridge before the next song “Bronchitis….. Ain’t nobody got time for that!!!!” Couldn’t blink my eyes for one second,
Sammy Jo standing there in a flaming orange yellow outfit, ginger hairdo and BAMMMMM golden/yellow feathered WINGS. Larger than the stage itself. The Phoenix came alive again!
“Babies on fire…”blasting a HQ frequency through the speakers!! “Burning up”, revealing her legs, into ‘Flying High….”All in charge with her dancers taking the stage, from top to bottom and the audience included. That final pose did, Wings honeys, all about the wings.
For the mandatory act, Sammy Jo didn’t choose the “easy” way. Seated in front of a see-through
mirror, displaying a dressing room, La Jo doing her makeup, hairdo, jewelry etc. Helped by her dancers. Wearing a pale pearly nude colored robe, ending with feathered sleeves, and classy old school Diva turban. This is La Cage aux Folles in the flesh, Zaza Napoli realness. “I am what I am….”the song that makes many gay heart jump a beat here sung by Linda Eder. (She has the Streisand sound!)
A small though convincing Pride hint, hanging on the rack dresses in rainbow colors.
(Subtle inside joke with the Captain America suit from Miss Stephany MTB 2017….the audience laughed.)
As she disrobes, revealing a ivory white laced gown and her gorgeous raven black hairdo. Closing pose with a larger than life, stage filling white ostrich cloak, into the spotlight. The audience went mad!!!
For her final free act La Jo used something from the Vintage 90-ies, and pulling it into 20th century. Non-stop Poco Loco Gang hits, combined in a Medley bringing the house down. Let’s go to the party, Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep, blending in with a few seconds of 2 Unlimited Let the beat control your body,….surrounded by light bars…. Amen to that.
Together with her gorgeous girls and boys, dressed in a skintight fluorescent body with sequence studded triangle elements. Who rocked the white flamboyant hairdo? Sammy Joooo!!!!! Closing her act off, with a whistle blowing, directed synchronized rowing scene, by her dancers seated on stage. Music by Party Plane DJ Peter Project!!! Definitely in charge!! Ending with a full ON shoulder lift!!!
Needles to say that for this pageant a lot of work was done, fashion designers naming Dirk Vervoort etc. Aster Lab, Bähm Bähm Wigs, etc.Peter Fargo fabulous mixing music amongst them. But also a lot DIY Queens, respect!
As the judges pulled back from their desks the tension built UP between the fans?
Who would become The Best Dragqueen from Belgium 2022?
Shortly after 12 o’clock, the verdict fell.
Not going to say who…..yet.
The Queens got to choose amongst the group who they found Miss Sympathy.
This was for Billy Jean. Then another important moment came.
Who became the audience favorite? Sammy Jo.
Top 3 for Best Dragqueen Belgium 2022.
3. Lexi Storm.
2. Billy Jean.
And with very LOUD cheering from the audience the final verdict fell.
As Miss Michelle spoke out:
Best Dragqueen from Belgium 2022/ Miss Travestie Belgie 2022; Miss Sammy Jo!!!!
Sammy Jo was my personal favorite for this evening. Why? Because she build her career slowly, performing at shows everywhere. A trustworthy & loyal Showqueen, but most of all authentic Drag. Able to stand out in a crowd, charisma and talent for years to come. So that is for me the reason on being a winner!
Condragulations again Sammy Jo from the Team from Pink our Lives.
Kisses from Christiaan d’Hooghe
Showqueen Reporter for LGTBQIA page Pink In Our Lives and owner Lesley Middleton
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Pictures used by Jan Vens & Ronald Conings & Hermien Arfeuille. Thank you very much.