Star-studded skirmish _{by Alessia Belsito-Riera}

A star will be born on the 29^th of November. Descending from the heavens to Ivy Bar & Cabaret, local up-and-coming drag artists Mia Gayn, Joe Withanee, Rover Stimulation, Johnny Raven, Silica Gel, Bobby Bottle Blond, and Tina Coco Couture will take to the stage in the electrifying finale of Rising Star 2025.

Featuring jaw-dropping outfits and show-stopping spectacles, the Rising Star finale follows three heats of fierce competition in which the seven finalists battled it out against their eliminated adversaries in the hopes of securing the crown. Now, in their last challenge, they have been tasked with creating a performance based on someone iconic to them to answer the question, “What does performing mean to you”, organiser and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under season four contestant Olivia Dreams [pictured] says.

“The most surprising thing about the performers competing is the level of creativity and detail they are all bringing to the competition,” Dreams says. “They’re all performers who are bringing their authentic selves and showing the judges why exactly they deserve to be the next Rising Star – there’s been such close scores through the competition, so I’m excited to see what the finale brings”.

With dazzling performances and some unforgettable looks under their rhinestone-studded belts, the competition is destined to be glittering, glamourous, and glorious.

“I think the best thing about Wellington’s drag is that it’s quite a cauldron and mixing pot, there’s a little bit of everything”, Dreams beams, adding that for those just starting out, the best thing to do is to “show up, make connections, and just have fun. You don’t need to be the perfect drag artist from the get-go – part of the fun is discovering who you are and what you like along the way”.

See who will fall from grace and who will be the new face of the Wellington drag scene at Rising Star.