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Who is Laganja Estranja?
Laganja Estranja was an amazing contestant back on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6. While she was given a “fake personality” edit, I always found the daughter of Alyssa Edwards to be endearing while trying so freaking hard to be a great character on a TV show. She was extra and I never held that against her. Remember, to be on a reality show, you have to stand out. Back then, everybody talked crap about Laganja. Fans were spewing hate online, saying she was not genuine or “real” whatever that means in the context of a reality tv show. The edit didn’t help her and she struggled a lot with her mental health after the show. She even appeared on a Youtube interview with Johnny McGovern saying she just wanted to entertain. I really felt bad for her back then, as she was one of my favorite contestants.
Laganja was and is still known for her crazy dance moves and amazing routines. She is a master in performing dips (death drops), splits and other amazingly difficult dance moves. You need to see her older performances online! Laganja was a star even when she started doing drag and performing in clubs. The crowd always went wild for her moves. I was in awe even back then and I really thought Laganja could win the whole thing based on the performances I saw.
How Drag Race influenced her
Sadly, she didn’t do as well on Drag Race as I hoped she would. The production team allegedly didn’t let her smoke weed, which at the time was the main substance for keeping her calm and collected. Just look at her drag name and you can clearly recognize the importance marijuana has in her life. Laganja said she uses it as medicine for her anxiety. Understandably, she did react a little too dramatic and over the top, but considering she was on a competition show, that was not surprising to me. She did have a friend on the show – Adore Delano, but somehow they didn’t vibe together on season 6.
Fake personality
Sometimes I thought everybody ganged up on Laganja, telling her to “lose” the fake personality. Another contestant – BenDeLaCreme also amped it up for the show. She did say, she was terminally delightful. DeLa seemed overly extra and positive to the point one could say, she was presenting us with a fake personality. Did she get the same treatment as Laganja? Nowhere near as bad. Laganja was struggling mentally during the show. When you’re in this mindset of giving the best and then suddenly realize everybody is against you and saying you’re fake – it takes a toll on you. Suddenly the stress kicks in and you start to think about how this will affect you and your career. How will the show edit this? How will the fans react to this? To the drama? The meltdowns? The tears?
RuPauls Edited Race
It’s no surprise newer drag queens edit themselves so much on the show. The contestants try it before the producers can. That’s why we often get vanilla or “meh” seasons of Drag Race. Why would a queen take a risk and come across as bitchy (poor Phi Phi) or delusional (Milk) or fake (Laganja)? Drag Race is still to this day the greatest platform to showcase drag performers in the mainstream. Some queens would do anything to be associated with the show, even edit themselves to appeal to a mass audience.
Laganja was on season 6 and even back then the overt hate towards contestants was very prominent. Cast of season 14 better watch out, Phi Phi still to this day receives death threats. The fine example of a great season is Drag Race Espana – Carmen Farala didn’t even watch the show prior to competing. Some say the Spanish version of the show is the best by todays standards as the contestants didn’t filter themselves. The drag culture in Spain is also very different from US, even the fans on social media seem to be more uplifting and nicer to the queens.
Laganja’s healing
It really seems so dramatic to be talking about the process of “healing” because of a reality TV competition, but the fact is, many contestants need help after the show. Even on other shows like America’s Next Top Model the contestants needed some form of emotional support. The pressure of appearing on a popular reality show is very real and Laganja had to face it after season 6 had aired. Imagine being labeled a bitch or a fake for your whole life. How would it affect you? Phi Phi even quit drag.
Luckily Laganja continued with her performances and dancing was her hope. She perfected her style of drag and got better each subsequent year. She even appeared on other TV shows like Skin Wars, Germany’s Next Topmodel, So You Think You Can Dance, Queen Of Drags and Chopped 420. In 2016, Laganja’s Dance School, an international high-heels masterclass and confidence workshop, was founded with partner Kristen Lovell. The master class has been held in dozens of cities in the United States and as an international experience, has traveled to Manchester, Nottingham, London, Newcastle, Dublin, Lima, Mexico City, and Amsterdam. Laganja’s Dance School is held weekly at The Basement Center of NoHo in North Hollywood, and a beginning Heels Technique class is held at Downtown Dance and Movement in Downtown Los Angeles.
Comeback
In 2021, Laganja apearred as a lip sync assassin on RuPaul’s Drag Race Allstars 6. She was absolutely incredible and that’s an understatement. Her entrance alone, when she jumped out of nowhere into a split, was worthy of a lip sync win. Laganja slayed that lip sync with Trinity K. Bonet and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I literally had the same expression as that guest judge. In other words, my mouth was open the whole time. The song was so appropriate, “Physical” by Dua Lipa. It was everything I wanted for Laganja to happen.
And the internet agreed. Soon after her performance, everyone was talking about Laganja Estranja! She was suddenly this amazing, glorious performer who effortlessly slayed Trinity K. Bonet in the lip sync. The whole performance was magical and I couldn’t be more happy for Laganja. She made a BTS video on her Youtube channel leading up to the performance. She takes us on a journey and shows how much effort, determination and talent it takes to rehearse and perform a number like that.
After her amazing performance as a lip sync assassin, she was asked numerous times, if she would ever appear on a future Allstars season. However, she responded with a different answer than most fans expected. Laganja would come back, but not as a contestant. She would like to be involved with the show, but more like a choreographer for the dance challenges.
I understand her decision. As much as I would like her to slay the competition on Allstars, I know the stress would be overwhelming for her. Do you remember what happened with Phi Phi on Allstars 2? She wanted a redemption arc, but got the same edit from season 4.
Allstars 7, 8 or 9 perhaps?
However, if Laganja came back to compete, I think she would absolutely kill it. She does it like no other. Her dance moves are amazing and her drag makeup has gotten stunning over the years. Just imagine a Rusical or a finale lip sync number with her. It would be gorgeous. Although everybody wants to see Laganja on a future Allstars season, ultimately the decision is hers and we should all respect that. She is living her best life, feels good and has recently come out as transgender.
I support Laganja in every endeavor and I hope we get to see her dips and splits more often on our TV screens!
How do you feel about Laganja Estranja? How did you like her lip sync assassin performance? Leave a comment, let’s chat!
