It is clear that the complete list of participants of the Benidorm Fest 2023 left us real surprises, although none like that of Sharonne: She could be the first drag artist to represent Spain in its entire history with the European festival. And the subject of her, Aire, gives Eurovision vibes with which everything seems possible. But, who is really Sharonne?
Your real name is Christopher Garrido, born in Sabadell in 1976, and is a drag, actress and singer who has already demonstrated her skills on stage on more than one occasion… Even in other pre-selections for Eurovision. In her long career in front of the cameras, He has shown his courage under the spotlight in various talents, reality shows and programs; some among the most watched in recent years.
One of his latest victories is the one that has brought him the most immediate fame: was the winner of the second edition of Drag Race Spain, being the great favorite of the public from the beginning. She was the one who accumulated the most gala victories, although in the final she managed to go further and be crowned the Queen of the edition. After that, she has participated in Queens to the Rescue next to Pupi Poisson, Estrella Extravaganza y Supremme Deluxe going through towns in Spain to help LGBT people in different situations.
To this recent television career must be added the fact of having been on the podium of the not so well-known edition of Your face is familiar to me for anonymous contestants, Your face doesn’t ring a bell yet. The imitation format intended to discover new talents, and without a doubt, they succeeded with Sharonne —who participated with her real name—; who finished in third place thanks to imitations of Olga Guillot and Chavela Vargas.
His first experience with Eurovision
But long before that, she also fought for her Eurovision opportunity as a drag. And it is that Airehis proposal for this Benidorm Fest, has not been the first song in which he has participated in a Spanish pre-selection: you have to go back to 2001 to see it in Loving us, with his group Trans X.
Con Pascal Languirand as soloist, Sharonne can be recognized as one of the dark-haired dancers in the lineup. As is evident, they were not winners —they had competition from groups as successful in the 2000s as Sonia y Selena, locomia o merch—, finishing in 12th place at the gala. The winner was David Civera con tell her that I love her.
Eurovision and drags
It is not known if it will be done with the bronze microphone of the Benidorm Fest and will be our representative in Liverpool 2023; in fact, if it were, it would not be the first in the history of the festival. Several examples of this are the Slovenian group Sisters in 2002, the Danish DQ and the ukrainian Serduchka’s work —which came in second— in 2007 or the most recent Conchita Wurstwho won for Austria in 2014.
It seems that drag culture is synonymous with success at the festival — and the proof is that figures like Courtney Act o Kaimil Show, among others, have also tried—something that has been known in our country for quite some time. Because Sharonne may have been the most Eurovision Spanish drag of this 2023, but she was not the first: in 2008 and 2009 other already consolidated artists such as Supremme Deluxe o the forbidden.
Sharonne should suffice with everything she’s achieved: has managed to reach the most followed musical event in the country with his song, in addition to giving visibility to the drag phenomenon in full prime time of the public channel. Now, it will be his turn to fight for his dream in the first semi-final of the Benidorm Fest.
