She has the outfits – the Lover-era sequin bodysuit, the Fearless gold fringe dress, the Reputation catsuit – and the hordes of adoring fans. As she struts across the stage, crowds bounce up and down, cameras in the air, screaming along with every word.
But this is not Taylor Swift, it’s Taylor Sheesh, a call centre agent who has become a drag star adored by Swifties in her native Philippines and beyond.
Her rise to fame began late last year when Mac Coronel, a longtime Swiftie who performs as Sheesh, went to a listening party for Swift’s music and was asked to give a surprise show. The set was shared on social media and interest grew. When Coronel performed again as Sheesh at a shopping mall in Quezon City near Manila in May, 10,000 people turned out to watch, according to the organisers.
Clips of that euphoric performance – with fans bellowing at the top of their voices – went viral online, allowing Coronel to take indefinite leave from his call centre job and continue to tour around the country.
“Filipinos are great singers, so we always have time for music,” Coronel says, adding that the crowds go wild during performances.
The Philippines is home to a huge Swift fanbase: Quezon City was once listed by Spotify as home to the fifth biggest number of Swift listeners in a ranking of global cities. “I guess all Filipinos can relate to her songs, especially for being in love,” says Coronel.
When Swift announced the dates of her Eras tour earlier this year, many were dismayed the Philippines was not included in her schedule – something Coronel, and others, blame on the lack of infrastructure. Some Filipino fans, if they could manage the costs, spent hours desperately trying to secure tickets for Singapore or Japan, the only Asian countries Swift is visiting.
Coronel hopes that those who weren’t able to do so will be able to see the drag shows so they don’t miss out entirely. “We want them to experience at least 90% of her tour here in the Philippines,” Coronel says.
‘They’re always screaming at the top of their lungs’
Coronel fell in love with Swift’s songs in high school. He recalls hearing Fifteen, a song about teenage heartbreak, when he was 15 and grappling with a high school crush.
“I suppose I related to that song so much. So that’s why I continued to listen to her.”
Coronel has followed her music ever since, endlessly watching her videos and “memorising all her mannerisms – her moves, her songs and choreography”. When the Eras tour began, he followed fan footage that flooded TikTok, observing her outfits and routines. On stage, Sheesh moves much like the American star, with the same hair flicks and hand gestures.
Coronel, 28, grew up in Manila, his father was a car electrician and his mother a housewife. As a child, he realised he was gay, something his family could not accept, he says, adding that he was shy and not someone who enjoyed being in the limelight.
Today, relatives have congratulated him on his success as Taylor Sheesh, but he says there remains a lack of acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines. “There’s no progress here to lessen discrimination, and regarding bullying.”
While some surveys have ranked the Philippines as one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly countries in Asia, the Catholic-majority country does not legally recognise same-sex marriage. Attempts to pass a bill that would criminalise discrimination on the basis of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity have also repeatedly failed.
Coronel says his performances – which are popular among women and the LGBTQ+ community – could contribute to changing attitudes. “Every time we have a show, some of the guests and organisers at least have a knowledge regarding what we’re doing and what the audience are like,” he says.
The rise of Taylor Sheesh comes as Swift is breaking records with her Eras tour, but also at a time when drag culture has become far more mainstream in the Philippines, due in part to the country’s edition of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which began its first season last year.
Coronel describes the Philippines’ drag community as special, adding that competitions are friendly. “We support each other, we help each other with the costumes and finances.
“Drag here helped me a lot [with] how I express myself, how to be a professional … it also reminds me to promote kindness, respect and love,” says Coronel.
Fans’ responses, too, have allowed Coronel to overcome the anxiety associated with performing to large crowds. “They are always screaming at the top of their lungs every time we have a listening party. They come early even if the party starts late. They’re so very obsessed with Taylor, and very passionate about her songs.”
The performances are “not for clout or fame but to celebrate her music”, says Coronel, who adds finally: “We also ask Taylor if she can visit here in the Philippines.”
