Singapore is fairly conservative when it comes to queerness and its expression, especially our older generation. Among queer Singaporeans, there are all too many stories of rejection from one’s parents and grandparents after coming out, so it’s always heartening to see the polar opposite. In comes Opera Tang, a famous local drag queen, whose 93-year-old Teochew grandmother is their biggest fan, and even helps them with their drag.
Opera has been a drag artist since 2020, making their public debut at—of all places—Redhill MRT Station, where they did a photo shoot. Today, Opera is renowned in Singapore’s drag circuit for their distinct aesthetic, which takes its cues from traditional Chinese opera, AKA wayang, and Singaporean motifs. Some of her original costumes reference the SQ girl, samsui women, and our national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid.
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Opera was the star of Baby Queen, a documentary about Singapore’s drag scene and its attitudes towards queens. In the documentary, Opera’s relationship with her nonagenarian grandma was explored, capturing the hearts of many viewers.
While Opera’s grandmother doesn’t wholly understand drag, she has long been in the queen’s corner, even though the rest of their family was not. In Baby Queen, Opera reveals how her family sent her to a psychologist as a child, because they liked playing with dolls.
Being with her Ah Ma was a respite for young Opera, who felt stifled at home. Ah Ma would let Opera play with the types of toys she wanted and offered a safe haven for Opera to explore her queerness.
Now, 4 years into her drag practice, Opera credits their Ah Ma as being fundamental to her art. Everything she knows about sewing can be traced back to the 93-year-old. Today, even with worsening arthritis, Ah Ma still helps Opera make their costumes on her old Singer sewing machine, one she has had since she was a teenager. The elder has even gone to her grandchild’s drag shows.
So integral is Ah Ma to Opera’s drag that the former makes frequent cameos on the queen’s social media, to fans’ delight. In one Instagram video, Opera films a “who wore it better”, where her and her grandmother both wear the same drag outfit inspired by samsui women. Needless to say, Ah Ma was the crowd fave.
A recent short-form Instagram video by Our Grandfather Story has sparked renewed interest in Opera and Ah Ma’s bond—a touching testament of how love is the most powerful force there is.
At the end of the video, Opera says, “I make sure to cherish her and make sure that she feels loved, the same way that she makes me feel loved. I’m so happy that we were destined to be grandmother and grandson in this life. And I don’t know whether I would be doing the things I am doing today without her.”
Here’s us hoping Opera has many more years with Ah Ma, so they can stay true to their Instagram bio, which reads: “Ah Ma’s fave grandchild (allegedly)”.
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All images courtesy of Opera Tang (@opera.tang) and Baby Queen.
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