Two stars have worked tirelessly to shine bright in the very colourful world of South African drag: Loulou Blu and Holly Diamond . Known off-stage as Robin McBroom and Neil, respectively, these South African drag artists have each carved out unique paths in the local drag community, combining talent, resilience, and a shared love for the art form. From Dance Floors to Stages McBroom, who created the confident and sassy persona that he named Loulou Blu, began his drag journey more than a decade ago.
"I started dragging about 11 years ago now. And it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on," he told News24, reflecting on how drag has merged his various gifts in multiple spheres. In addition to being a dancer until the age of 32, Robin also studied acting and is a professional makeup artist.
"It was almost like a natural progression that drag would have happened, being a professional dancer as well," he said. For Neil, the transformation into Holly Diamond began during more turbulent times in South Africa's history. Now 63, he is proud to call himself the oldest working drag queen in the country, having started during the apartheid era back in the 1970s.
"I still wanna go for another 63 years, and then I probably will be the oldest," he giggled. Throughout his drag career, Neil has graced many stages, performing at clubs, parties, casinos, theatres, and many other places and occasions, including recently at The Sky Hotel as part of Risque, a live drag musical show. For .
