Anita Verga

Basilio Romo (b. 1993) is a Mexican American LGBTQ Performance Artist who creates music in the Pop genre. Basilio’s training in Performing Arts began at 16 with Shaun Royer who developed Artist such as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff and other legendary American Pop sensations.

Basilio Romo is a multifaceted artist who has made significant contributions to both the music industry as a pop artist and the LGBTQ community through his performances and activism. His journey from Mr. Gay San Antonio to becoming a prominent figure in the drag scene with his alter ego Anita Verga showcases his versatility and dedication to self-expression. Basilio’s musical career is marked by his ability to create poignant songs that reflect life from a gay perspective, resonating with audiences across Texas and beyond. His performances at various LGBTQ festivals and events have not only entertained but also served as platforms for advocacy and visibility. The creation of Anita Verga in the wake of his partner Jonathan’s passing demonstrates Basilio’s resilience and commitment to honoring their memory while finding solace and expression in drag. Anita’s recognition and accolades within the drag community, including being voted as the 2nd Best Drag Queen by the San Antonio Current and gracing the cover of Texas Fashion Awards Magazine, underscore Basilio’s talent and impact as a drag performer. Anita’s involvement in co-directing and producing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” for the ... view more »

Basilio Romo (b. 1993) is a Mexican American LGBTQ Performance Artist who creates music in the Pop genre. Basilio’s training in Performing Arts began at 16 with Shaun Royer who developed Artist such as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff and other legendary American Pop sensations.

Basilio Romo is a multifaceted artist who has made significant contributions to both the music industry as a pop artist and the LGBTQ community through his performances and activism. His journey from Mr. Gay San Antonio to becoming a prominent figure in the drag scene with his alter ego Anita Verga showcases his versatility and dedication to self-expression. Basilio’s musical career is marked by his ability to create poignant songs that reflect life from a gay perspective, resonating with audiences across Texas and beyond. His performances at various LGBTQ festivals and events have not only entertained but also served as platforms for advocacy and visibility. The creation of Anita Verga in the wake of his partner Jonathan’s passing demonstrates Basilio’s resilience and commitment to honoring their memory while finding solace and expression in drag. Anita’s recognition and accolades within the drag community, including being voted as the 2nd Best Drag Queen by the San Antonio Current and gracing the cover of Texas Fashion Awards Magazine, underscore Basilio’s talent and impact as a drag performer. Anita’s involvement in co-directing and producing “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” for the Hard Rock Cafe and co-hosting the Texas Fashion Awards Red Carpet further solidifies her influence and versatility beyond the stage. As a liaison for Pepper Magazine, Anita continues to bridge the worlds of fashion, entertainment, and advocacy. For those interested in experiencing Basilio’s performances and staying updated on Anita Verga’s shows and appearances, following Anita Verga on Instagram @anita_verga_ is the way to go. Through his music and drag persona, Basilio Romo aka Anita Verga continues to inspire and uplift the LGBTQ community while leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.

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Artist Statement of Work

Tell us about your work (style, approach, philosophy, subject and/or theme):

When I am getting ready my entire home needs to be perfectly clean and everything needs to be in place. If the zen is off in the room, my makeup will be too! Once everything is nice and tidy, I like to turn on music pour myself some wine or bubbles and calmly start my process. When coming up with a performance number, it's just about being honest with myself or with reality and turning it into something beautiful or uplifting. I'll listen to music until a certain song strikes a chord with me, then figure out what story I'll tell, and finally come up with my look for the performance to go with the story. Not always in that exact order, but generally. I like to create an atmosphere for feel-good positive energy, with encouraging, uplifting messages. I want people to feel empowered when they leave my show." I think my love for drag goes all the way back to my childhood before I even knew I would ever be in drag or even that I was queer. A lot of my inspiration mostly comes from TV and film-all the way from the beginning of cinema to today's blockbuster hits. I'm inspired by pop culture, art, cartoons, and fashion. My taste for drag has been manifesting for a very long time. It's something I've realized has always been a part of me. Performing in drag now feels very full-circle. I've been able to exude the essence of so many of my favorite childhood heroes. Performing in drag feels more honest than any other performance art I've ever pursued.

I got my start working in the Gay Club scene for a while as a male pop entertainer. Then fall of 2020, I decided I was going to transition my performance art as a male pop singer to Drag Queen. I wanted to keep it a secret. I didn’t even have a name, but I started saving my extra coins and started working on building my debut look.

Summer 2021, was My first time in Drag. I wore a platinum blonde human hair lace front , a friend of mine at the time did my make up , and my late partner hand sewed a silver Versace chain metal dress onto my body. It was a dream come true, my inspiration for that was Paris Hilton infamous 21st birthday dress . I always imagined my first look in Drag would be to replicate Paris Hilton 21st b-day look, and I actually pulled it off with human platinum hair and real custom Versace chain metal dress! It was so surreal, I almost can’t believe it!

Then in February 2022, I hosted not just my first drag show but also the very first drag show ever at Hot Joy. A tiki bar and Asian fusion restaurant in the historic South Town district in San Antonio Texas.

My very first time hosting and performing in Drag, I had people congratulating me left and right! It was a huge success! My team and I worked so hard and it paid off. That was when I knew, this is my gig!

I didn’t plan to be in drag this much. It was something I was gonna do once in a while for fun, or for fundraiser events but in August 2022 my Creative Director, Best friend, and partner Jonathan passed away.

I was a mess. I wasn’t sure what to do next.

A few months after that I met my now best friend and partner Ace, who has been 100% supportive that I do drag from the moment I met him. I’m not too sure if I would even be doing drag had I not met Ace, his support really got me on the track to be able to focus on my drag. By spring 2023 Anita was back in full effect!

Then around the end of May my friend, called me and said I was nominated for best drag performer of the year by SA Current for 2023.

I was beyond excited! It was a very surreal moment. There was a lot of known queens campaigning for that nomination, and I was not. So it was very very shocking to find out I was nominated.

However I didn’t take the nomination or opportunity for granted. Immediately I went to work on campaigning to be voted the best in San Antonio . I’m knew to drag in this city so I knew I had a lot of ground work to do if I wanted to get the votes! I made flyers with qr codes with different photos of Anita and passed them out to people I met out at the bars or at work . I talked to different venues and got myself booked to promote myself and get my name out there so I could get votes. And I’m very proud to say Anita was announced 2nd place July 26th, 2023 .

It’s been so eye opening and validating to physically see how much support I have in my drag.

So my experience in this world of Drag has been pretty random and a little traumatic, but even still, I’m starting to realize things are they how they are supposed to be.

I’ve always been an actor and this role as Anita just kinda fell into my lap. The dream I have for my drag is to transition my drag from lip syncing and hosting in bars to creating online scripted series, or even sketches, possibly even do tv series.

When I started doing Drag it truly was for no other reason but to see the Queens in my city face crack when I enter a room. I wanted to make them envious of me and get a good laugh about it with my Late Partner.

After he passed away I started to drag because it was the only way I was able to communicate how I was feeling. I couldn't talk to my friend or family. Most people get really uncomfortable when I talk about him.

I do drag because it's how I get to share our story. I believe our love story is worth being told and heard. There is no guidebook for queer relations. Our relationship wasn't perfect. but it was honest. I do my drag to share these stories. So the younger generation has some insight on when love is love and when its time to walk away, to ask for help when they're struggling with wanting to be alive. letting them know they are special too , and that life is better with them in it.

I believe doing Drag is how I'm going to achieve all of my dreams. I love that I can impact the world doing drag. That's why I do it.