After taking the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. the World Season 3 , Gawdland didn’t just make history — she fulfilled something she says she’s been manifesting for years.
The Drag Race Thailand Season 3 star became the first international queen to win a UK Vs. the World season (and only the second international queen to win a Vs. The World season where the host country wasn’t their own), marking a major moment not only for Thailand, but for Asian queens across the franchise.
On manifesting her win and representing Asia
For Gawdland, the win was deeply personal — and long anticipated.
“I’m so proud of myself. I’m so proud of my heritage, I’m so proud of all my effort that I have put it’s finally paid off. You know what I mean?” she said.
But more than anything, she says this moment was something she called into existence.
“Oh, baby. Baby. I’ve been manifesting my whole life. And I also manifested the crown, and I finally receive it.”
Her victory also carries a broader meaning beyond just her own journey.
“Baby, I am winning this. This means a lot, not just for me, it’s all about representation. It’s all about Asia,” she said.
Gawdland hopes her win inspires queens — especially those who may not have been part of the RuPaul-led franchises before — to dream bigger.
“You can win RuPaul’s Drag Race, not having been judged by RuPaul before,” she said. “And I am the first one, and I am so proud of this fact.”
“I hope I inspired them to become the person that you dream to be, to dream impossible dreams, and just make it happen. Boom, period.”
On RuPaul’s love and conquering Snatch Game as Cardi B
Throughout the season, it was clear that RuPaul connected with Gawdland, which is something the queen herself felt in a very specific way.
“I think RuPaul just saw me as her Labubu doll. She adored me, she want to pack me, she want me to be her keychain on her back. She want to keep me with her,” she said. “She wants me to be her doll. And I feel so lucky. I am a lucky person.”
One of Gawdland’s biggest moments came during Snatch Game, where she took on Cardi B — a character not known for success in the challenge.
For her, the choice came naturally.
“I think Cardi B and me, we had the very similar personality. We are loud, we are talk dirty. We do nasty s**t, we do some ugly gestures and not afraid to do it,” she said.
Because English is not her first language, she leaned into physical comedy.
“I think it’s going to be so easy for me to rely on the physical humor, because English is not my first language, so to be funny in another language, this is not your mother tongue, it’s so hard though. It’s so hard. It’s very hard.”
She even joked about her own sense of humor, adding, ” I’m not even funny in Thai.”
Still, she stands by the decision.
“To choose the Cardi B character is the best decision that I have ever made in my entire life.”
On sisterhood, Minty Fresh and finding family
Beyond the competition, Gawdland said one of the most meaningful parts of the experience was the relationships she built with the other queens.
“I love the moments when we are on the bus from the hotel to the studio, we spent time that was so nice,” she said. “I feel like I have found another family. And I am so happy to be surrounded by them, and I was also inspired a lot from their artistry also. I love them all so much. I’m going to cry, I miss them. I miss them so much.”
That connection extends especially to Minty Fresh, who was present to celebrate her win.
“Me and Minty, we are so close, especially after filming,” she said. “We’ve been visiting back and forth… it’s probably fifth time right now. And it’s built a very strong relationship, sisterhood here in the Philippines and Thailand.”
Their friendship continues even after the show. “I fly there, she booked me there, she fly here, I book her here, and yeah, we are having a good time,” she said. “And I’m going to have a shoot with her tomorrow also.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Vs. The World Season 3 is streaming in full on WOW Presents Plus.
The post Gawdland On Being RuPaul’s ‘Labubu’ And Inspiring Queens From Non-English ‘Drag Race’ Franchise appeared first on Blavity.
