Jiggly Caliente - Entertainer

Bianca Castro is an entertainer, drag performer, singer, and actress best known as Jiggly Caliente. Born in the Philippines and raised in the US, Jiggly was on the medical field career path, and then her drag career started to grow. Jiggly shares, “Like every single Asian kid, Filipino kid, my mom had a different plan. She wanted me to go into the medical field. I went to college for comic book illustration, when I saw it wasn’t happening my mom pushed nursing. I ended up trying drag and kept going.” She appeared on season 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, cultivating her signature drag and finding family moments connecting with her fellow contestants during late night dinners. After Drag Race, Jiggly starred in shows like Broad City and Pose, and released her album THOT Process. On THOT Process, Jiggly’s rhythm flows on songs like “FckBoi,” “I Don’t Give a Fuck,” and “Purong Pinay.” And the video for “FckBoi” is a nod to Memoirs of a Geisha, drawing a comparison between geisha girls and being Trans. “We are artists, we are not selling our bodies, we are selling our art. It’s a visual pleasure and it molds together.”

Jiggly came out as transgender twice. The first time in 2007, privately to her family. Then publicly in 2016. “I came out in 2016 because at that time I felt more secure in myself. Before, I was afraid of the scrutiny that I was going to receive,” Jiggly explains. Through coming out, Jiggly’s confidence radiates in all that she does. And her work towards representation is beautiful. “I love my beautiful small nose, my full lips, my beautiful brown skin. I do not understand why it's not celebrated as much in the Philippines or in Western culture so I wanted to show the world that that type of Asian girl is beautiful. Even my weight and how beauty in body shape has changed, and beauty in plus size girls. I want kids growing up to see people like them that are beautiful and confident.” Jiggly will be appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 which streams on Paramount Plus on June 24th.

She/her
@jigglycalienteofficial
Jiggly Caliente YouTube

How did you create your career path? Were you always interested in singing, performing, drag?
Drag and the choice just fell onto my lap and it just kept on growing. I didn't really try for it to grow but because of the opportunities that have come my way, it has just taken off. Like every single Asian kid, Filipino kid, my mom had a different plan. She wanted me to go into the medical field. I went to college for comic book illustration, when I saw it wasn’t happening my mom pushed nursing. I ended up trying drag and kept going. Opportunities came and I let nursing fall to the wayside. My career flourished! During Drag Race, I was able to cultivate and curate my drag, it let me try new things and let me see if it sticks.

What were some of your favorite memories of Drag Race, season 4?
When we would be in the hallway of our hotel and have dinner late at night, sometimes after 11, and just sit in the hallway like a family. We just sit on the floor and eat. One of my fondest memories is also getting to play a wrestler and “beat up” Willam. Some of those punches were landing. Then I got to know Willam and fell in love with Willam’s personality.

What drew you to music?
It took a few years for my manager to convince me to write an album. My brother has the singing gene, I have rhythm. I love hip hop and rap, and it worked.

I loved the theme of “FckBoi” but wish I had a bigger, real music video budget. The theme of a Memoirs of a Geisha girl reminds me a lot of being Trans. We are artists, we are not selling our bodies, we are selling our art. It’s a visual pleasure and it molds together. That’s one of my favorite videos because the meaning of that song for me is everything.

How important is representation in your work, your music videos?
Representation is so important. There is not enough Asian representation, not enough Brown Asian Representation. In the Philippines, my skin tone isn’t considered beautiful. They think the lighter you are, the more beautiful you are. I love my beautiful small nose, my full lips, my beautiful brown skin. I do not understand why it's not celebrated as much in the Philippines or in Western culture so I wanted to show the world that that type of Asian girl is beautiful. Even my weight and how beauty in body shape has changed, and beauty in plus size girls. I want kids growing up to see people like them that are beautiful and confident. And it took a really long time for me to find the confidence and have the strength to love myself.

Can I ask what it was like coming out as Transgender?
I came out Transgender twice. First was privately to my family in 2007. Second time was publicly in 2016. I came out because at that time I felt more secure in myself. Before, I was afraid of the scrutiny that I was going to receive. I didn’t come out on the show (Drag Race) since I wasn’t ready. I was passable enough, I didn’t want to present female at the time because I wasn’t ready for people’s reactions. When I came out, it took a while for me to feel confident enough. Fans would ask, “why are you always in drag?” but I wasn’t, I was already living as a woman. Publicly was harder, with family there was more understanding.

Who/what has been instrumental in your personal and creative growth?
Janet Jackson. I still look up to her, she is an icon. She’s one woman that always embraced her beauty. Janet has always been beautiful, through all her looks. She inspired me to be a performer.

I also take inspiration from my culture and life experiences. I have a song, “Purong Pinay” talking about my culture.

What do you want others to learn from your story?
That resilience and loving yourself will work hand in hand for you to find the solace in life and happiness. Even if other people don’t see your success as success, but you’re still fighting. That is what I want people to understand, you can define your own success and happiness for yourself.

Do you have anything exciting coming up that you’d like to share?
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 streams on June 24 on Paramount Plus!

Photos courtesy of Jiggly Caliente