BEFORE the bright lights of Pilipinas Got Talent (PGT) Season 7, Nique Harnnyl Mancha—better known as Manza—was already performing. At 30, she’s a professional aerial artist, dance instructor, and drag performer based in Manila, balancing movement, mentorship, and self-expression.
But behind her captivating stage presence was a quiet struggle.
“I was in a very dark place at that time,” she shared.
When the message from PGT inviting her to audition arrived, it came when she needed it most.
“So I took the opportunity to join, para ma-distract... As in, wala akong in-expect at all (So I took the opportunity to join, just to distract myself... I really didn’t expect anything at all),” she told SunStar Davao in an exclusive interview.
Her PGT journey was born not just of ambition, but of a deep need for healing.
When asked about her artistic inspiration, Manza pointed to hardship. For her, turning pain into purpose and finding light in the darkness has always been at the heart of her art.
Despite experience and recognition on international stages, she admitted PGT brought a new kind of pressure—performing for a national audience under tight timelines. Many of the aerial apparatuses she used were new and developed specifically for the show, forcing her to push her creativity and courage to the limit.
“Lahat ng ginawa ko doon, first time ko lang ginawa… lumakas pa loob ko (Everything I did there, I was doing for the first time… it gave me more courage).”
Her final act—featuring daring aerials and complex staging—was a powerful culmination of her journey.
Still, her top priority remained execution and safety.
“Kasi ito na yung last… wala na akong ibang iisipin kundi paano ko siya ipapakita sa mga tao na maganda at malinis (Because this was the last one… all I focused on was how to present it to the audience beautifully and flawlessly),” Manza said.
She placed fourth overall with 44.6 percent of the public vote, just one spot shy of the top three. It took days to process, but for her, simply reaching the grand finals was already a win.
What truly touched her was the overwhelming support from her family, her friends, her hometown in Davao de Oro, and the drag and LGBTQIA+ communities in Manila. Though she didn’t have much time to promote herself back home, the encouragement she received meant everything.
She takes pride in representing not just drag artists, but the entire LGBTQIA+ community across the Philippines.
With her PGT chapter behind her, Manza is now eyeing new stages. A performance tour is in the works, one that will bring her beyond Manila and back to Mindanao, where she hopes to reconnect with her roots and share her art.
She continues to teach dance, helping others find their rhythm, just as she found hers.
Looking back, Manza credits Pilipinas Got Talent for pushing her limits, shaping her growth, and giving her the stage to tell her story to the world. Ashley Panaligan, Spamast Intern