Drag performer and opera singer Jasmine Rice LaBeija is on the verge of making history, already having become the first drag act to reach the finals of Britain’s Got Talent. With one final performance left in Saturday’s grand finale, Jasmine could be crowned the show’s 2025 winner.
Performing under the name Jasmine Rice, the Korean-American star stunned judges and audiences back in April with a soaring rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun dorma”. Beginning behind a curtain, she emerged in a show-stopping baby blue gown, which she designed herself, earning a rapturous response.
Her semi-final performance of “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman was just as powerful, prompting judge Bruno Tonioli to slam the coveted Golden Buzzer and send her straight through to the final.
“It’s just been a magical experience,” Jasmine tells PinkNews. “This is just an unimaginable dream that’s coming through real life.”
A Dream Beyond Winning
Although Jasmine admits she wants to win, her appearance on the show means much more than a trophy.
“This has been a life goal of mine, to be on the biggest stage in the world and showcase what I have been preparing for my whole life.”
A Juilliard-trained operatic tenor, Jasmine began taking music lessons in fifth grade. She later discovered drag during her university years but initially kept her drag and opera lives separate, believing opera was a more “proper” art form.
Eventually, repeated rejection from the classical music world – due to her femininity and queer identity – pushed her to combine both art forms.
“They would literally flat out say, ‘Oh, you’re too feminine to play this role,’” she says. “I thought opera would embrace [my flamboyance], but instead they wanted to put me in a box.”
Finding Community and Her Voice
After being sidelined in the classical world, Jasmine turned to New York’s queer nightlife scene, performing at bars like Balcon Salon, Pieces and Hardware, where she continues to host free opera and variety shows.
She’s now recognised as the International Godmother of the legendary drag collective, The House of LaBeija.
Appearing on Britain’s Got Talent has brought Jasmine’s talents to a global stage – and even surprised longtime critic Simon Cowell.
“He said I had ‘found a home’ in the competition and scolded the opera world for rejecting me. After my semi-final, he came on stage during the ad break just to congratulate me,” Jasmine recalls. “If I can win over Simon, there’s no big hill I cannot climb.”
Drag Is for Everyone
Jasmine hopes her appearance on the show can help counter right-wing narratives that label drag as inappropriate for families.
“Drag has existed in every civilisation – from Shakespearean theatre to ancient Chinese opera,” she says. “Some performers are risqué, sure, but there are plenty of queens who are family-friendly. If you don’t have a problem with Mrs. Doubtfire, you shouldn’t have a problem with me singing in a beautiful gown.”
Since the semi-finals, Jasmine says children have made up the majority of fans asking for photos. Parents have even messaged her, saying her presence reassured them that their sons who enjoy dress-up can be accepted.
“I thought I was doing this just for me,” she says. “But I resonate with so many people around the world.”
If Jasmine wins Britain’s Got Talent, she’ll perform at the Royal Variety Show later this year – “A queen in front of a king,” she laughs. But whatever happens, she feels like she’s already won.
“I feel like I’m winning every single day since the first audition.”
