Singing drag queen Jasmine Rice opens up on her shock heartbreak hours before her first audition and how it spurred her on
Britain's Got Talent hopeful Jasmine Rice has opened up about the secret heartache she overcame to impress the show’s judges. The drag queen opera singer brought the house down with her first audition - just hours after discovering her beloved grandmother had passed away, she has revealed.
She spoke of her shock at receiving a phone call from her dad to say she’d died suddenly in her native Korea. “It totally threw me,” admitted Jasmine. It was out of the blue. She wasn't sick. She did have dementia. My family - including my grandma - have been such an amazing support system for me to continue singing. I basically thought of that and used that as fuel to continue and try to concentrate and do my best.”
Jasmine Rice is promising another breathtaking performance tomorrow night(Image: Tom Dymond for BGT)
She went on to wow the BGT crowd with her rendition of Nessun dorma, with Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli sending her through to tomorrow night’s semi-final. It left Bruno in tears.
“How many people can say that they could dedicate a performance to their loved ones on the day that someone passed?” said Jasmine. “It's an anthem for my grandmother as she enters the pearly gates of heaven. I thought ‘She's hearing my voice as she flies away’.”
New York performer Jasmine says she feels like she’s found her home on the UK stage - after facing rejection throughout her career. Classically trained at the prestigious Juilliard School, she decided to combine opera and drag to create her act, describing it as a “magical recipe” - but has faced obstacles along the way.
“The opera world is rigid, and there are moulds you have to fit into,” explained Jasmine. “I was constantly getting rejected and critiqued for just simply being me from the get go. They thought that it was silly, they thought that it wasn't a real art form. Some people think that it's some kind of a weird kink or fetish. It’s art.”
She opened up about her story during her first audition - leading to Simon branding the opera world “snobby”. “Maybe it’s the snobbishness,” agreed Jasmine. “But there just wasn’t space for someone fabulous and fierce like me when I was pursuing opera."
On her decision to audition for Britain’s Got Talent, she said it was all inspired by a show alumni. “I was getting a little hopeless and defeated with my career,” recalled Jasmine. “Being rejected so many times in the opera world and being a struggling artist in NYC is very hard. Then my friend Loren Allred encouraged me to try out for BGT before I completely lose confidence in myself. So I wanted to come over the pond to prove myself that I am worthy enough to be on stage and that I do have what it takes to make it. She told me I had to conquer this fear, and that the Brits would get me.”
And they did, with a rousing response to her first performance. Jasmine is hoping for the same again with her take on a popular song. “It feels like I’m coming back to a place where I am so welcomed with open arms.," she said. "Where I am embraced and celebrated for who I am and want to be.”
Keeping her song choice under wraps, she teased: “The song is really about how you could have everything in the world but if there isn't love... it doesn't really matter about materialistic things. I hope it brings people together and shows that love always wins at the end of the day. Equality, tolerance and empathy wins.”
One thing Jasmine is revealing is that she will we’re another spectacular outfit. So will she be giving Amanda a run for her money in the fashion stakes? "She is very demure, mindful and cutesy," smiles Jasmine. "I’m more rambunctious, extravagant, and fabulous. I think there is room for all of us. I’m not quite sure if the judges are ready for a glam-off with a drag queen.”
Performing as part of a top drag show in New York, Jasmine recently had pop icon Chappell Roan in the crowd. “She was so low key and tipped us well,” she said. And became friends with Olympic swimmer Tom Daley and The Greatest Showman singer Loren Allred after they came to watch her.
“I did talk to Tom and he is very nice and excited for me," she said. “And when Sydnie Christmas was in New York city doing her concert, I got to meet her and she gave me the most encouraging talk and has been supporting me non-stop.”
She hopes BGT will act as a springboard for the future. “I would love to be able to tour my own show that fuses opera, drag and comedy. And of course, I would love to win BGT and perform for the Royal Family… maybe even make a move over the pond.”
Turning 37 next week, will Jasmine get the ultimate gift of making it to the final? “I hope I get an early birthday present," she dreams.
Other semi-finalists on tomorrow night’s show include singing group Electric Umbrella and performer Mickey Callisto.
Watch Britain’s Got Talent on ITV at 7pm.
