Tracing the Trail to Mastery: The Story of Makeup Transformation Performance Artist Andy Crocker

Andy Crocker’s love for Lady Gaga cemented her path toward her true calling. She started in school and ventured into several bars in Cubao, Malate, Mandaluyong, and BGC, which gave her the experience to hone her craft

Andy Crocker is a dedicated artist and a performer through and through. Her passion becomes evident when she speaks about her art. She is known in the scene to be a master chameleon, skillfully using the magic of makeup transformation and her talent for impersonation to create a show rooted in nostalgia. Through her art, she wants us to remember never to abandon our childhood. 

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When being on stage is embedded in one’s DNA, the soul of artistry is revealed. “Ang goal ko is to make one person smile a day. With my job and passion as a drag queen, isang buong bar ang napapasaya ko. So, every performance, quota na ‘ko,” she says. 

To the mother of the House of Crocker, drag is not an escape or an extension of one’s self, but rather the totality of one’s identity and inspirations. “Walang difference si Andy Crocker at si Rj,” she assertively says.

^{Photo: ELROETHEPHOTOGRAPHER (via Andy Crocker’s Instagram)}

The Skill of Makeup Transformation

How did you master the art of impersonation?

“Isa si Viñas sa mga inspirations ko. Magaling siya tumingin ng contours. Ang dami kong natutunan sa kanya noon. Ang pinaka inspiration ng lahat ng magaling sa makeup transformation ay si Paolo Ballesteros. Tinitingnan ko lagi kung paano niya ginagawa. Na-master ko ‘yung art ng pagta-transform sa mukha nung pandemic dahil araw-araw ako nagme-makeup.”

Could you provide some advice for perfecting drag impersonation?

“Ang rule diyan, dapat ang pipiliin mong picture na gagayahin ay kung saan sila may pinaka-nakaharap tapos maganda ‘yung contours and shadows. May isa akong hack na natutunan on my own. Ang style ko ‘pag kumukuha ako ng mga ginagaya, kumukuha ako ng art works, sketches, and paintings nila. Andun kasi ‘yung strokes tapos susundan mo lagi kung saan ‘yung highlights, contours, and saan ‘yung mga lukot sa mukha. May mga kailangan i-tweak at i-omit na details para mag-work sa stage. Trial and error talaga siya and it takes time to master. Huwag ka matakot maglagay ng makeup; madali lang magbura.”

What else?

“Kapag may i-impersonate ka, panoorin mo ‘yung videos niya. Tingnan mo ‘yung mannerisms, paano bumuka ‘yung bibig, paano pumikit ‘yung mata, at ‘yung gestures. Madali sa’kin si Lady Gaga kasi simula pa lang nakitaan ko na siya ng attributes na pareho sa’kin.”

^{Photography MAEMAE (via Andy Crocker’s Instagram)}

Lady Gaga awakened the drag within

How did you first get into drag and impersonation?

“Nag-start lang ako kasi gusto ko gayahin si Lady Gaga. Ginamit ko ‘yung pag-impersonate para mag-cross-dress sa mga speech class nu’ng college. Hindi ko pa alam ‘yung word na drag nu’ng kasagsagan ng Born This Way era. Ultimo Humanities class nagle-Lady Gaga ako! Nag-perform din ako sa eleksyon tsaka mga dance competitions na walang bayad—Lady Gaga lahat. Gusto ko lang talaga ng venue para makapag-perform.”

Where did you learn to do your makeup?

“Hindi ako marunong mag-makeup nu’ng panahon na ‘yun pero feeling ko marunong na ako. Marunong kasi ako mag-drawing at mag-paint. Artist naman talaga ako growing up.”

^{Photo: ELROETHEPHOTOGRAPHER (via Andy Crocker’s Instagram)}

The Dawn of Andy Crocker, the virtuoso of makeup transformation

Tell us about how you evolved as an artist. How did you refine your drag persona?

“Akala ko phase lang ‘yun. Pinangako ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako magtatrabaho sa bar. Nagbago siya nung nauubos na ‘yung channels tsaka opportunities sa school pero gusto ko pa mag-perform. Nag-audition ako sa Buddhakan Bar sa Cubao. Sa araw ng audition ko nung 2011, ang tumulong sa’kin ay si Maria Cristina. Kami ‘yung baby drag nu’ng panahon na ‘yun. Ang mga nyora nu’n ay sila Marla, Susie, at Gorgeous Dawn. Parang nauna lang ng one year sa’kin si Precious saka si Gagita. Ang unang nakapanood sa unang night ko sa Buddhakan Bar ay si Brigiding; hindi pa siya drag queen.”

^{Photo: ANDY CROCKER (via Instagram)}

Bar Hopping

What were the pivotal moments that started to define your path as a virtuoso of makeup transformation and impersonation?

“Nag-stop ako ng school nu’ng 2013. Nakahanap ako ng opportunity nu’ng may na-meet akong senior drag queen sa Malate. Naging regular ako sa Che’lu for a while bago nakahanap ng mas magandang opportunity sa Greenfield nu’ng nagbukas ‘yung bagong branch ng Bed Manila. Doon ako nahulma. Doon din ako nagkaroon ng drag mom. Isang legendary drag queen si Boomerang Joey. Ka-batch niya sila Katkat and Lumina. Doon ako nag-try ng impersonation na hindi Lady Gaga. Isa ako sa mga unang Ariana Grande. Walang gumagawa noon kasi mahirap ang ponytail sa hindi long hair at hindi lace front wig—walang lace front noon! Sa sobrang amats ko kay Ariana, Monday pa lang niya ni-release ‘yung “Break Free,” Friday may costume na ako.”

Many drag artists mention how they’re huge fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race. When did you start watching the show?

“Sa latter years ng Bed ko nakilala ang Drag Race. Ang unang-una kong napanood ay season 3. Si Manila Luzon talaga ang pinaka favorite ko kasi bukod sa Filipino siya, campy siya. Gusto ko ‘yung nagre-reference siya ng mga cartoons. Meron akong building blocks ng brand ko now dahil du’n.”

What happened when Bed Manila closed?

“Nagsara ang Bed Manila nung 2015 kaya napunta ako ulit sa Che’lu in Malate at dun ko nakasama sila Lumina and Arizona. Nasa G-Spot, Cubao din ako kaya Cubao queen and Malate queen ako at the same time, tapos nagtatrabaho pa ako sa film—sabay-sabay sila! Sa film, ako ‘yung gumagawa ng digital signages for fake brands and products. Nagpho-photoshop din ako ng mga photo albums ng mga magkakapamilya na hindi naman magkakasama. Nagpe-paint din ako ng sets.”

Will you ever go back to the film industry?

“Babalikan ko na lang siguro ‘yung prod ‘pag mas matanda na ko tapos hindi na ko suitable mag-show. Pero I still don’t see myself na tatanda na hindi nagsho-show. I aspire to be [like] Mama Eva, Mama Let, and Raging Divas. Ang agang nasemento sa isip ko na magsho-show ako. Alipin talaga ako ng art.”

^{Photography JAGGER STUDIOS (via Andy Crocker’s Instagram)}

Finding a Home as a Nectarine

What led you to Nectar Nightclub?

“Nagpa-audition sila dahil gusto nila may opening act kay Alaska. Ang napili was ako and Gagita. Kinabahan ako nu’n kasi nasa Che’lu pa ako tapos may nag-bad mouth sa pag-raket ko sa Nectar to the point na pinapili na ako ng owner. Sumugal ako. Nag-quit ako sa Che’lu tapos umasa lang ako kung mabu-book lagi. Ang ending, ako ‘yung unang naging Nectarine tapos sumunod sila Viñas, Marla, Vivora, Jona Quin, etc. Nectar is my home talaga.”

Visit Andy Crocker’s YouTube channel to watch her parody videos.

The post Tracing the Trail to Mastery: The Story of Makeup Transformation Performance Artist Andy Crocker appeared first on MEGA.

Tracing the Trail to Mastery: The Story of Makeup Transformation Performance Artist Andy Crocker
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