Meet Taylor Sheesh: Call center agent by day, drag queen by night
When mallgoers passed by the ground floor of a Quezon City establishment in late May, they saw an estimate of 10,000 fans screaming and enthusiastically jamming out to hit songs off of the highly talked about Eras Tour. The crowd and their cheers were at an all-time high for an onstage performer—but it wasn’t Taylor Swift, the American superstar. It was Taylor Sheesh, the Filipino drag queen.
Sheesh took the stage of a packed mall to entertain the audience with a full set a la their idol, complete with spectacular choreography and costume changes associated with Swift’s album eras: Speak Now, Red, and Midnights.
While the hit singer has not included the Philippines in her world tour’s Asia leg, at that moment, Sheesh was somehow able to fill the void and make it feel like the next best thing for thousands of Swifties. With her show that lasted for an hour and 30 minutes, she has since made headlines in international outlets such as Rolling Stone and South China Morning Post, among others. Needless to say, it was her big break.
Who is Taylor Sheesh?
Sheesh is the alter ego of Mac Coronel: a 28-year-old call center agent whose days end only when the clock strikes 7 a.m. He spends the rest of the morning on sleep and the entire afternoon on leisure. By 6 p.m., he completely transforms into Taylor Swift, the international music megastar—a sign that a new day has finally begun. She carries that persona through the night until it’s time to get on the phone and work. Repeat.
Mac has been a hardcore Swiftie since 2009, the moment he heard Fifteen on the radio when he was about the same age. “Nakarelate ako sa song since it’s about falling in love with someone at a young age, then narealize mo na ‘di pa kayo ready. Nagkaroon ako ng crush and nakarelate ako sa song,” he told PhilSTAR L!fe.
“Pinakinggan ko ‘yung ibang songs niya after kasi nacurious ako. Halos lahat ng mga kanta niya, nakarelate ako,” he said, pointing out that Swift seems to have a song “for every situation”—from love and relationships to women empowerment, bullying, and life.
While he has been a drag performer since 2017, he only birthed Taylor Sheesh last year after a fan listening party in Bonifacio Global City. “Pumunta ako dun na naka-Taylor Swift drag as audience para makisaya lang, tapos ‘yung organizer, random na lumapit sa akin and asked me to perform. So I said yes and parang nagkaroon ng surprise performance from me,” he recalled, adding that he has since decided to embrace the persona in most of her drag shows.
Where did “Sheesh” come from then? Dictionary.com refers to “sheesh” as a term “used to express exasperation.” But for Mac, it’s something that perfectly encapsulates her drag aesthetic. “Sumikat talaga siya na parang expression ng mga Filipino, ganun din kasi ‘yung type of drag ko na medyo gangster,” he explained with a laugh.
She's been taking part in drag shows for about six years now, but she still admittedly deals with crippling self-doubt from time to time. “Bago ako magperform, kinakabahan talaga ako. Parang normal naman kasi sa atin ‘yung self-doubt. Napapaisip ako lagi: ‘What if ‘di nila magustuhan ‘yung performance ko?’” she opened up.
But the second she steps on stage, it all goes away. “Tinitignan ko ‘yung audience na parang, once na marinig ko pa lang ‘yung palakpakan tsaka ‘yung cheer, parang dun na ako nagkakaroon ng confidence,” she said.
“Sa sobrang saya, lalo na kapag nagpeperform ako, nakikita ko kung nage-enjoy sila, okay na sa akin ‘yun. Parang napakalaking compliment ‘yun. Ibig sabihin, ‘Ah, okay, maganda ‘yung ginawa ko.’”
It’s always worth it, she said, as she ends up feeling empowered and better than before after every drag performance. “Iba kasi ‘yung bukod sa passion mo, parang may ibang personality and spirit na sumasanib sa’yo,” she added.
Her viral moment at the Quezon City mall has served as one of the biggest validations in her drag career. It has not only earned her headlines in international outlets, but also a myriad of invitations to showcase more of her talent on bigger stages and venues in different parts of the Philippines.
The coming weeks would be by no means dull for Sheesh. Her entire July is already full, and half of next month is just the same by now—but she is only getting started.
Talking about her dreams, she doesn’t plan on limiting herself. “I want to be recognized by Taylor Swift, meet my favorite drag queens around the world, and showcase my talent on a global stage,” she said. And here’s another thing to know about Taylor Sheesh: She wants to continue doing drag for as long as she exists.