Philadelphia-based drag queen, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 16 finalist, and Miss Congeniality winner Sapphira Cristál has been nominated for a Queerty award.
Photo from: @sapphiracristal, Instagram
Photographed by: Ryan Kell
Queerty is an online publication that covers LGBTQ+ entertainment, lifestyle, and news. The Queerty Awards ceremony, or “Queerties,” started in 2012 to celebrate gay individuals who often aren’t recognized by mainstream media.
The 13th annual ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 11th and awarded queer artists across 24 categories. Cristal was one of 11 nominees for the “Future All-Star” category. She revealed in a sit-down interview at local cabaret bar Fabrika that she feels “seen” by the nomination. To her, it meant that “they realize that I was a great competitor, entertaining on television, and they would want to see it again. And it makes me feel good.”
Photo from: @sapphiracristal on Instagram
Photographed by: Runyan
2025 marks her 16th year as a professional drag queen. She is a classically trained opera singer and composer, which she incorporates into her performances. She holds 16 pageant crowns and is globally recognized. While making a name for herself in Philadelphia and beyond, she famously auditioned for RuPaul’s Drag Race 11 times, which taught her to be patient. “You have to be in it to win it,” she says. “You show up, you improve every single time. Trust your intuition”.
Despite her loss at this year’s Queerties, Cristál continues to use her massive reach to spread a message of self-empowerment. This is the heart of her drag and part of her act of resistance.
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