All Hail The Queens! – Raquell Lord Balenciaga: Miss Continental 2025

In the glittering world of drag pageantry, the title of Miss Continental is the ultimate aspiration, and in 2025, that coveted crown found its rightful home atop the head of the supremely talented Raquell Lord Balenciaga, marking the culmination of years of dedication and passion. The reign of Miss Continental 2025, has been nothing short of spectacular, a dazzling tapestry woven with artistry, advocacy, and an undeniable stage presence that continues to captivate audiences across the nation and beyond. As her remarkable year as Miss Continental 2025 progresses, Raquell  continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of drag. We delve into the highlights of her reign, her ongoing projects, and the legacy she is building.

Congratulations on your win! After spending 20+ years competing at Miss Continental, what does this win mean to you? How many times did you compete for the title?

Thank you! Winning Continental means that a dream is never really denied, just deferred in God’s appointed time. I competed in Miss Continental five times.

We often see collaborations between the pageant and ballroom scene. As the founding Mother of the House of Balenciaga and a consistent pageant winner, how do you feel the two have helped you become a better entertainer?

Being in the ballroom scene, you often have to deal with criticism, good, bad, and different, but it also helps you to be a great competitor. Surrounded by cultivating, nurturing family and parents, your focus is not deterred easily by a loss or by the eyes of comparison. You can become very victorious and successful. In the ballroom arena, it helps build up character and tough skin. This is similar in pageantry. The only difference is the judges judge you face-to-face, right then, and you know you’re scoring. This has helped me move in a way where I know I am my best competitor when I compete against myself, and I’ll leave the eyes of scrutiny to those who decide to judge but never take foot on stage.

You’ve spent years surrounded by some of the best in the business, while becoming one of the best yourself. What is one piece of advice you received that helped you get to this part of your journey?

Being graced to still be working in this industry and be relevant is a blessing. My upbringing, influenced by many greats, has significantly shaped my contributions. I follow some of their patterns, which are being courteous to others always, being approachable (where in my early years I didn’t navigate that well). I learned over the years that building cultivated relationships will get you far. The same people you see on your way up are the same people you will see on your way down. People always remember how you treat them, so treat them with love and compassion and always extend grace.

Pageant competitors go into the interview category and often share what they feel could be better or how they could improve a system. What will your reign contribute to the Continental Pageantry System and pageantry overall?

My reign is going to consist of me giving my knowledge and my expertise for my own experiences and failures, so hopefully the next generation will learn and gain faster than what I did. I hope this would lead them to succeed in whatever their success looks like for them. This can be applied to your 9 to 5 in the marketplace, pageantry, or your hobbies. I’m not trying to repair or rebuild something that has been in existence for so many years. What I will say is I would like to add to, to make greater…. With more exposure because we are living in a different time versus when I started 20 years plus ago. #BridgingTheGaps

Lastly, but certainly not least, what is one message you’d give to your younger self? 

The message I would give to my younger self is to not wear your heart on your sleeve. Always be open to listening to constructive criticism and bad criticism because in it there is still a message. Speak to your dreams and fuel them with words of aspiration, not words of doubt. What we speak, we give credence to. Always remember the higher you go, the greater expectation it is going to be of you, and there is no I in TEAM.