Jiya LaBeija on drag, defiance and building chosen families ahead of the second edition of Drag Dinners

In the high-gloss world of drag — a performance art wielding hyper-stylised satire to deconstruct the gender binary — the distance between the everyday and the extraordinary is measured in panko-thick lashes and a snatched waist. Stepping into a drag persona creates a chosen identity that serves as both a creative sanctuary and a political shield. Ahead of the second edition of Drag Dinners — an immersive evening where drag and curated dining collide, a brainchild of Urbanaut — we caught up with Jiya LaBeija, known in her daily life as Abhishek Singhania. She opens up about the city hustle, the power of her iconic name and why simply existing qualifies as the ultimate act of defiance. For the purpose of this piece, we adopt Jiya’s preferred she/her pronouns, though she notes that she feels, “just as comfortable being confused for a man, a woman or something else entirely,” she winks.

Jiya LaBeija ahead of the second edition of Drag Dinners

Jiya is no stranger to the global stage, with a decade-long career spanning over 100 shows that have taken her from the United Nations Headquarters and the Brooklyn Arts Museum to tours with artistes like Shaan and Talat Aziz, along with a performance alongside Grammy winner Jody Watley. Born in Patna, raised in Chandigarh and later trained in New York, she brings a layered perspective to her work. Whether working alongside icons like Rani Mukherjee or performing at the Lala Land Festival in Amsterdam, she carries the lineage of the Royal House of LaBeija, the legendary New York dynasty founded in 1968. Beyond the spotlight, Jiya is pioneering ballroom culture in India as the ‘mother’ of the house’s local chapter and the founder of Thicc Skiin — a lifestyle movement and sanctuary for those who never quite fit into the mainstream.

“Ballroom brings a sense of chosen family that many of us need,” Jiya explains, recalling her first exposure to an underground club in New York where every identity is present and expressive. “People were just being themselves, expressing freely and there was a sense of community that felt very real,” she smiles. If the first edition of Drag Dinners was any indication, Jiya shows no interest in playing it safe. The theme she has picked for this show, i, serves as a visceral critique of a world addicted to power and consumption. “No matter what we do, it’s never enough — money, power, resources…people always want more,” Jiya states.

Building a home, not just a house

The socio-political commentary inherent in her work naturally extends to the daily grind of urban existence, a theme that features prominently in her performance. Jiya uses the stage to dissect the relentless pressure of the modern rat race. “It’s scrabble time… you’re trying to just hustle to pay the bills,” she laughs, describing how she samples political dialogue to create a satirical reflection of this struggle. For the second edition of Drag Dinners, Jiya promises that while her signature intensity remains, her perspective will evolve. “I will definitely be having a very different approach,” she explains.

Returning to India after experiencing ballroom abroad, she recognises the stark lack of infrastructure for such expression. “India doesn’t have even a single 24/7 queer bar or space,” she says. “You are always in a space of hiding and not hiding,” Jiya adds. “Being ourselves is already a form of rebellion,” she adds. She views the recent transgender amendment bill as a significant regression. “Why should I have to go through all of that just to live the way I want, when I’m already working and paying taxes?” Jiya asks. “It simply doesn’t make sense,” she emphasises.

As the ‘mother’ of the House of LaBeija’s India chapter, Jiya focuses on more than just the stage lights. She already has a daughter, Sonja LaBeija and hopes to foster actual houses where people live as families, rather than just competing for glamour. “I want people to really understand what it is… forget the glam,” she insists, emphasising that ballroom is about survival and looking out for one another. Her upcoming performance is expected to be a high-energy affair of satire and power. “My motto of life is to have zero expectations,” she teases. “That’s when you have the most fun,” she concludes.

INR 2,300 onwards. April 23, 8 pm onwards. At The Humming Tree, Indiranagar.

Written by Anoushka Kundu

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