Diva Mayday
Born in Amsterdam
Mayday is the alter ego of Robin, who already enjoyed wearing his mother's high heels and dresses from the age of four. His mother was also a Dolly Parton fan, and so Robin wanted to look just as feminine. Together, they bought a wig at the Waterlooplein market. By the age of seven, Robin was already performing in lip-sync shows for Dolly Parton, Madonna, and other divas, often winning the first prize.
Robin made his breakthrough as Diva Mayday during a drag pageant in 1995 led by
Nickie Nicole. Afterwards, Mayday performed regularly at Amsterdam's renowned discos RoXY and iT, as well as at the popular gay dancing Havana in Reguliersdwarsstraat. From there, Mayday also served as an ambassador for this street for a time.
With great charm and perseverance, Mayday has not only secured a place in the spotlight but has also gradually followed in the footsteps of Nickie Nicole as one of the Netherlands' most famous and popular drag queens.
Mayday is a true Diva for a reason; she always looks perfectly groomed and styled, with gorgeous blonde hair, striking makeup, and the most glamorous clothes. This not only impresses straight men but also makes her a prized subject for photographers, who have already captured Mayday in numerous photos.
Diva Mayday during Hartjesdag at Zeedijk in 2007
(photo via Wikimedia Commons)
Mayday has performed countless times throughout her career, with a repertoire ranging from Madonna to Diana Ross, from Whitney Houston to Divine, and, not to forget, Dolly Parton. She has also presented a wide variety of shows, parties, and events, both large and small, throughout the Netherlands.
Specifically, Mayday has worked as a hostess at the trendy Supperclub in Jonge Roelensteeg and served on the jury for the Mr. Gay Netherlands contest. In 2008, Mayday hosted the monthly club night Vintage at the former gay club
Exit in Reguliersdwarsstraat:
Diva Mayday hosting the Vintage party in former gay club Exit in 2008
Mayday's birthday parties were always special events, but the Mirrorball Party she organized became an even bigger gay event in the style of the legendary Studio 54, iT, and RoXY. Diva Mayday celebrated her 21st (artistic) birthday on October 18, 2008, with an extra-glamorous Mirrorball party at Marcanti in Amsterdam.
From 2010 to 2014, Mayday organized the highly successful party nights
Can You Feel It? several times a year at Club AIR in Amstelstraat. In 2013, Diva Mayday also returned to Reguliersdwarsstraat, where she hosted her own weekly Thursday night at gay café
Soho:
Mayday in gay bar Soho in 2013
(photo: Café Soho)
On October 2, 2014, Mayday celebrated her 25th anniversary as an artist with a grand birthday party at Soho. This coincided with his 40th birthday in real life. Several artists were present at the party, the highlight being a performance by Karin Bloemen:
Diva Mayday's birthday party in Soho, October 2, 2014
(video: MVS Gaystation)
Less pleasant was an incident that occurred in May 2015 on her own Reguliersdwarsstraat: after a night out, Mayday was threatened and verbally abused by a man with a firearm. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the perpetrator was quickly arrested.
In 2016, Mayday presented the Fabulous Cocktail Night monthly on Wednesday evenings at the
Taboo Bar and Drag Fever weekly on Sunday evenings at café Amstel Fifty Four on the Amstel. Later that year she was one of the ambassadors for
Pride Amsterdam.
The Fabulous Cocktail Night at Taboo Bar in 2016
In October 2016, Mayday won the OUTtv Media Award and for her years of dedication to the acceptance and emancipation of the LGBTQ+ community, Diva Mayday received the Frans Banninck Cocqpenning, a prestigious municipal award, from the mayor of Amsterdam on August 5, 2022.
- Social media:
Instagram
- Gay News:
Mayday, Thirty Years Diva
