Fierce Factor Grand Finale at BlendXL

I love being in Amsterdam on a Thursday.

The city feels different. The weekend hasn’t fully started, but the energy is already there. People are out, the streets feel alive again. I think the Dutch call it little Friday.

It’s been one of those weeks. I’ve been deep in building Fruity, shipping features, staring at code for a bit too long. So I decide to reward myself with some good drag. Lucky for me, the Fierce Factor grand finale is happening at BlendXL, just a 12-minute bike ride from home.

I meet up with the usual suspects — Heather, Freya, Alectrona and Neon. My favourite kind of night is watching drag shows with other drag queens out of drag. It just means chaos. A lot of kiki-ing, a lot of laughter. Freya won last year, and she will absolutely not let us forget that.

The room at BlendXL is packed

You can feel it straight away. This isn’t just another show. People have been following Fierce Factor for weeks, and tonight it all comes down to this. One winner.

And honestly, it makes me really happy. To see a gay bar this full, the energy in the room, the way people are showing up and supporting — it’s a reminder that nightlife is well and truly alive.

The competition itself is brutal in the best way. Performers go through multiple rounds — a talent show and lip sync performances. And in the end, the top two battle it out in a final lip sync for the crown.

And behind it all is Sederginne, holding the entire night together with sharp humour and absolute control.

Sederginne on hosting Fierce Factor

After weeks of hosting Fierce Factor, she tells me she’s feeling both exhausted and energised.

Right now, it does feel like I could use a bit of a break. But at the same time, it’s really important that Fierce Factor starts up again soon.

For her, this isn’t just a show. It’s a gateway.

I’ve experienced myself how difficult it can be to find a stage as a beginning drag queen… this is honestly the best way into the business.

Watching her on stage, it looks effortless. But she admits the nerves never really go away.

Actually, I’m always a bit nervous when a show starts. But during Fierce Factor, it’s not just hosting… the girls are nervous, the DJ, the judges, there’s a lot going on.

And you can feel that energy in the room. The stakes are high, and everyone knows it.

Dice Spiders: finding a different kind of drag

One of the performers who keeps pulling my attention throughout the night is Dice Spiders.

There’s something different about them.

Not just the performance, but the presence. It feels unpredictable in a way that’s exciting.

I actually started as a drag queen, but I didn’t like it. I was really confused… I thought this was something I was supposed to love.

Instead of forcing it, they stepped away. But the pull to perform never left.

Everything changed one night at a party.

I jumped on stage while I was a bit intoxicated, did a backflip, and it got filmed.

That moment led them to the House of Spiders, and into a completely different world of drag — one that felt right.

There’s so much more to drag than just female impersonation… club kid, creatures, aliens. That’s where I found myself.

What you don’t see from the audience is the mental game behind it all.

I really wanted to win. But I also really wanted to have fun. It was stressful, but also very exciting.

And then they stepped on stage — and everything just clicked.

The final

By the time the final round hits, the room is electric.

This is where it gets real. The performances are tighter, sharper, more desperate. Everyone left knows they’re close.

It all comes down to two: Dice Spiders and Layla Palmer.

Sederginne knows that feeling all too well.

So many thoughts go through your head in that moment. It honestly gives me goosebumps… it’s intense.

You can see it on their faces. The adrenaline. The nerves. The fight.

And then, just like that, we have a winner.

Dice Spiders takes the crown

But the win feels bigger than just a title.

For me, it represents that alternative drag is just as important. We deserve to be celebrated just as much.

It’s not just about them either. It’s about the people around them.

Their chosen family, the House of Spiders, showed up in full force.

They really feel like family. There was no rivalry, we just wanted each other to win. Their support meant everything.

Standing there, you realise this isn’t just a competition. It’s a community.

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As the night winds down and we spill back out into the Amsterdam streets, I can’t stop thinking about how much talent exists here, just beneath the surface.

People experimenting. Performing. Finding themselves. Building something from nothing.

That’s what makes nights like Fierce Factor special.

And honestly, that’s exactly why I’m building Fruity. To make it easier to discover these performers. To give them more stages. More opportunities. More visibility.

Because if this is what the scene looks like right now, it’s only going to get better.

What’s next

You can catch Dice Spiders performing soon across the Netherlands, including upcoming shows in Utrecht and Amsterdam, and on the main stage at Pride Amsterdam.

And if you’re a performer thinking about stepping into the scene — Fierce Factor might just be your starting point.