If Taylor Swift Isn’t Available, Try Taylor Sheesh

If Taylor Swift Isn’t Available, Try Taylor Sheesh,Taylor Sheesh, the now-famous Taylor Swift drag persona from Mac Coronel, recreated the Eras Tour when he found out the Eras Tour wasn’t coming to the Philippines. Here he talks about selling out shows and what he would say if he met Taylor IRL.

If Taylor Swift Isn’t Available, Try Taylor Sheesh

She may be hitting a total of 20 countries on her globe-spanning Eras tour, but Taylor Swift is in high demand to add even more locations — including the Philippines, which, to local fans’ dismay, wasn’t part of the initial Eras international-leg announcement. That means the only way for Filipino Swifties to see Tay in person is to travel to another country.

Well, that or go to a show starring Taylor Sheesh, the now-famous Taylor Swift drag persona from Mac Coronel. After the 28-year-old performer was hired for a Midnights listening party in 2022, he and Swifties Philippines — the country’s largest fan group dedicated to Swift — began playing their own version of the Eras tour at crowded malls across the country, both to show Swift how much the country loves her and to get her to actually perform there. The group’s biggest show to date, at the TriNoma Mall in Manila, was in front of 10,000 Swifties, with some fans willing to snag obstructed-view seats just to get a glimpse of Coronel. (To put that number in perspective, that’s the same amount of people who attended Swift’s last official Philippines concert, for the Red tour in 2014.) For each performance, Coronel re-creates as much Eras tour and Taylor ephemera as possible: the “Enchanted” ball gowns, Reputation snake replica costumes (“I put on the rhinestones one by one”), the Fearless twirling dance moves, the unplanned viral moments by Swift. He even restages the bestowing of the “22” hat.

Though some early comments of Sheesh’s shows from U.S. fans have been unoriginal jokes like “We have Taylor Swift at home” or “I didn’t realize Temu had Taylor Swift as an orderable option!”, it hasn’t stopped Coronel from trying to get the attention of their favorite singer or from growing his own audience. As he recently told Vulture, “We just want to celebrate and experience the Eras tour as much as possible.”

When did you start performing drag?I wasn’t really into drag at first, to be honest. In 2017, my friends and I went to the bar at Nectar nightclub. We planned just to go there and get wasted [laughs]. There’s a competition every last Wednesday of the month, and that night, the theme was Lady Gaga. My friends and I dressed as her. We didn’t know that there was a lip-sync battle, and my friends pushed me to join. I sang “Bad Romance” and won, and the manager of the bar asked me if I could audition for his drag shows. I became a regular performer there. I had no idea what the drag industry was like then. I didn’t know how to do my makeup at the time. Eventually, I opened for a few Drag Race U.S. queens in the Philippines. Since I was a Taylor Swift fan since 2009, I eventually tried to impersonate her, and it somehow worked out. I didn’t even know that the video of my performance went viral.

How did you learn more about drag once you began performing?I have friends working at Nectar and through them, I met some fellow queens, Viñas DeLuxe and Marina Summers, who competed in the first season of Drag Race Philippines. They helped me improve my drag, aesthetic, how to discover my brand, how real performances work.

You said at first you didn’t know how to do your makeup. Do you do your own makeup now as Taylor Sheesh?I learned that because of them. I now do my makeup as Taylor Sheesh. It takes about 35–45 minutes.

Can you walk me through how you prepare for a Taylor Sheesh concert? What went into the choreography for the show?The first full-production concert that we did was on May 21 in Quezon City, and it was recognized by Rolling Stone. When Taylor Swift didn’t include Manila in the Asia leg of the Eras tour, Filipino Swifties were sad and disappointed. We expected that because of the production of the Eras tour; there’s no stadium that can cater her here, so that’s why we have to go to Japan or Singapore. But some fans don’t have the funds to get a plane ticket and accommodations. We tried our best to ask Taylor to come back to the Philippines.

Swifties Philippines and I organized our event about three weeks before the show. We talked about the set list and I chose the songs to perform. It took two weeks to make the costumes. I put the rhinestones on them one by one because all the costumes are sparkly. I took another two days to make the audio mix and choose the visuals. I asked a choreographer if we could do a rehearsal with blockings. We only had four hours total to rehearse the full production. My best friends since 2013 assisted me with the quick changes, which we only had 30–45 seconds for. You can only imagine how chaotic it is backstage. I’m yelling because I don’t want to be late before the next song starts.

What are the easiest and hardest parts about preparing for a Taylor Sheesh show? Listening to the songs, especially her ad-libs, or her nuances, her smile, everything. That’s always the easiest part. She doesn’t totally dance because it’s a little awkward when she’s so tall. It’s the same with me; I don’t really dance. It’s not like Beyoncé or Lady Gaga.

The hardest is the quick changes, especially with the ball gown. I have two to three friends helping me since there’s a lot happening. There are two to three outfits beneath the ball gown. It’s really hard.

What song gets the best reaction?People are jumping every time for “You Belong With Me,” “Love Story,” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” They give so much energy I think the venues might collapse. It feels like an earthquake.

How do you fund a Taylor Sheesh show, especially when it’s free admission?We get sponsorships from the mall and some brands. We want to make things free as much as possible. We want to make sure all the Swifties can afford to go there and they’re just providing transportation. They sell food at the venue and unofficial merch from small businesses in the Philippines.

How long do you usually perform for?The longest we did was in TriNoma and that was one hour and 34 minutes. So, half of the Eras tour with no stops or breaks. The only time that I can rest or take a breath is during the quick change for 30 to 45 seconds. That’s the longest. The second-longest show I’ve done is one hour.

You also nodded to the Taylor Lautner appearance from the tour. How did you decide to include that?Taylor Laughter is from a 2014 segment in a show in the Philippines, starring an impersonator. We wanted to re-create Taylor Lautner’s appearance on the Eras tour for the “I Can See You” music video. So our organizer contacted his team to make the appearance for a show.

What was your first reaction to Taylor Sheesh’s popularity, especially overseas?It’s still not processing in my brain. I’m totally overwhelmed and grateful to the fans. It feels weird, even when I’m not dressed as Taylor Sheesh, like I’m just walking in the streets as myself. People are like, “Oh my God!” I’m happy just my talent is recognized.

Taylor Swift has embraced drag performers, even having Jade Jolie impersonate her for the music video “You Need to Calm Down.” Have you and Jade been in touch?We just talked on Instagram, actually. She said that she’s proud of me and we’re planning to do a TikTok live concert. There’s no concrete details yet, but we want to plan it. I think she’s a little busy right now with her shows in the U.S.

You first became a Taylor Swift fan in 2009; what song made you a Swiftie?When I heard the song “Fifteen,” because at the time I was also 15 years old. I related to that song so much because you’re trying to be in love at that young age but you need to focus more on yourself than to be in love. I can relate because I had a crush on someone at that age and we actually met last month. He was so happy and proud of me. I thanked him because without him, I wouldn’t have related to the song “Fifteen” that made me a Swiftie.

Awww, that reunion was like your Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner moment.Yes! [Laughs]

What is your favorite era to perform?My favorite album is Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and my favorite era to perform is 1989. However, the fans in the Philippines are more Reputation stans, to be honest. Every time I perform “Ready for It,” “Delicate,” every song has a chant. Reputation has the best visuals, choreo, the songs, everything.

Do Filipino Swifties have chants they created specifically for Taylor Sheesh?I don’t know. It just feels so weird because we’re both Swifties and I just need their energy throughout the show with jumping and dancing instead. I don’t need a Taylor Sheesh chant. I just want to make them happy with my performance alone.

Have you bought a ticket to the Eras tour yet?Yes, someone secured me a ticket, so I’ll be watching her in Singapore, March 4, next year. We will watch her in the parking lot from the night leading up to my concert date and I’ll be in my Taylor Swift costume. Filipino Swifties and I are manifesting for me to get the “22” hat to represent the Philippines.

Do you have a costume in mind for your concert date?I’m not sure yet. I have two plans for the outfit, but I’m waiting to see if she goes to the VMAs this year to re-create that look. Last year’s VMAs dress was one option, and the other was the Grammys long blue crop-top dress.

Have you connected with Taylor Nation or Taylor Swift’s team at all? Have you ever had any interaction with them?I haven’t yet. I’m waiting to get the section number for my tickets to tell them since the venue hasn’t released them yet. Let’s see if on March 4 they shoot me a message, I guess.

What would you say to Taylor if you ever met her?The Philippines exists! The last song of the Red tour was “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and I guess she didn’t come back here. [Laughs] I would say that Filipino Swifties love her and we thank her not just for her songs but for helping us survive every day. We believe that for every situation, there is a Taylor Swift song. It’s more than just relationships.