Asttina Mandella

Aston Joshua, known professionally as Asttina Mandella, was born on February 11, 1993, in London, England. She began her career as a drag queen in 2012, initially gaining recognition for her extensive dance background. Mandella is trained in various dance forms including ballet, tap dance, jazz, voguing, hip-hop dance, waacking, and street dance. This technical proficiency allowed her to work as a backup dancer for notable artists such as Hercules & Love Affair, The Pussycat Dolls, Little Mix, and Kanye West, establishing a foundation in the entertainment industry prior to her prominent drag career. Her drag name, Asttina Mandella, is a combination of the first three letters of her birth name, a tribute to American singer Tina Turner, and a nod to former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Mandella’s career saw a significant turning point in December 2020 when she was announced as a contestant on the second series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. She made a notable entrance, coining the catchphrase “Rude!” and winning the first episode of the series. Despite a strong start, she placed in the bottom three in the third episode and was subsequently eliminated, finishing in eleventh place overall. Following her appearance on the show, Asttina Mandella participated in RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: The Official Tour in February 2022, alongside other cast members from the second series. This tour was a collaboration between World of Wonder and Voss Events, extending her reach to live audiences across numerous locations in the United Kingdom.

In August 2021, Mandella was also a featured performer in Klub Kids London Presents: NOIR: The Tour, a production that dedicated 25% of its proceeds to the Black Lives Matter movement. Her involvement in such initiatives, coupled with her public discussions regarding the representation of Black Queer icons within the United Kingdom, underscores her engagement with social issues and her role in advocating for diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. Asttina Mandella continues to perform and engage with her audience through various platforms, having built a career that merges performance art, dance, and advocacy.