The Canadian queens are as follows: Priyanka, Juice Boxx, Rita Baga, Kiara, JIMBO, AnaSTARzia Anaquway, Lemon, Tynomi Banks, BOA, Ilona Verley, Scarlett Bobo and Kyne.
Get ready to learn the about the various drag scenes across Canada and expect copious servings of shade between Montreal and Quebec. Who will come out on top? With these twelve queens representing their districts, find out who will claim the crown and become Canada’s First Drag Superstar.
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will not be disappointed. As per the mothership, the major elements of the award-winning franchise are intact. Her majesty, RuPaul delivers his weekly cryptic challenge by Rumail to twelve queens, who all enter the werkroom in the full knowledge that they are entering the Olympics of Drag. Not only do they need to serve their finest drag looks, but they will need to sing, dance, act, improv, tuck, sew, glue, beat, work in teams, work alone, throw shade, death drop, and lip sync for their lives if they are to avoid the weekly elimination, and hear “shantay you stay”.
Although now, it has an additional Canadian spin, the cult status lexicon remains, and of course, charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent are the key judging criteria. Most importantly, the characteristics that differentiate this franchise from its other competitive reality counterparts are a major ingredient in the Canadian version. The mirror chats, the werkroom solidarity, the warmth, the outrageous wit, the friendships, the untucking, and the sharing of personal struggles and journeys are also at the heart of this new sisterhood, adding an extra special insight into Canadian LGBTQ+ culture and the Canadian Drag Scene.
Transmitted weekly in line with Canada and the US, viewers can expect a serving of fresh Canadian bacon each week. The series is a production for World of Wonder, produced by Blue Ant Studios in association with Crave, a division of Bell Media.
There is all you need to know about the Canada’s Drag Race line-up below.
28, Toronto
Things you should know about Priyanka
- She is no stranger to the camera, having worked as a kids TV host for years before she switched to a full-time career in drag
- She graced the cover of Toronto’s NOW Magazine in 2019 when she was voted Favourite Toronto Drag Queen by their readers
- She edits and produces her own material from music videos, to looks to performances
- She's won two crowns and is one of the first double titleholders in Toronto
In her own words…
"I love drag so much. I had a drag queen perform at my 26th birthday party and they suggested I do drag. Now three titles, two music videos, and one big opportunity to be on Canada’s Drag Race. I could be ‘Canada’s First Ever Drag Superstar’… what’s my name?!"
31, Toronto
Things you should know about Juice Boxx
- Juice Boxx is bright, bubbly and sinful and always adds a little bit of spice
- She is avidly into fitness and CrossFit
- She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts - Visual Arts from the University of Windsor and a Diploma of Makeup Artistry and Special FX from CMU
- Her signature move is her iconic hair whip
In her own words…
"I’m so excited to be on the first season of Canada’s Drag Race and I can’t wait to show the world how incredible Canadian drag really is."
32, Montréal
Things you should know about Rita Baga
- Rita Baga is a versatile queen and one of most recognizable in Montréal
- She is the most awarded queen in the city having won 'Best Drag Queen in Montréal' four times
- She is very involved in the LGBTQ+ community in Montréal and has been a driving force as part of the bid committee that submitted the city for World Pride 2023
- Rita Baga has also been a part of many TV shows in Quebec, including her own reality show!
In her own words…
"I'm beyond excited to be part of this journey! I want to make my province proud and to be the very first francophone to own a Drag Superstar title. Dreams DO come true!"
21, Montréal
Things you should know about Kiara
- Kiara recently quit her job and put school on pause to focus full-time on drag
- She has taken the local scene by storm, quickly getting booked all over Montréal
- Kiara has struggled with body issues and self-esteem, but drag has helped empower her
- Kiara is one of very few queens of colour in the Québec drag scene. She is proud to represent her community
In her own words…
"Being on Canada’s Drag Race is a dream come true. I’m beyond excited to be on my favourite TV show and I can’t wait to make queer Canadian her-story!"
36, Victoria, B.C.
Things you should know about JIMBO
- JIMBO’s day job is working in film as a costume designer
- JIMBO has a background in clown and loves to incorporate elements of that into her drag
- She aims to create iconic moments that are funny, glamorous, twisted, and weird. She likes her audience to find laughter in the uncomfortable
- As a cabaret performer, JIMBO loves standup and singing and wants to showcase that side of drag
In her own words…
"Drag is the perfect gateway for self-discovery and self-expression. It’s the beautiful culmination of courage, joy, performance, and artistry that inspires and entertains. Drag is a personal and political statement that challenges the social constructs to help inspire change in the world."
37, Toronto
Things you should know about AnaSTARzia Anaquway
- AnaSTARzia is a pageant queen who mainly tours the US and rarely works in the Toronto drag scene
- She’s won more than 15 pageants across Canada and the US
- Her drag is inspired by her Caribbean roots and is heavily influenced by the American drag pageant scene
In her own words…
"Being on Drag Race is the culmination of an amazing 17-year career. It allows me to represent all the little black boys and girls in third world countries like the Bahamas that have huge dreams but no resources to make them a reality."
24, New York City
Things you should know about Lemon
- Lemon is a professionally trained dancer.
- She was chosen by RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sasha Velour to be one of the models in a New York Fashion Week runway!
- She does a lot of Drag Roulette where the audience tips a dollar and chooses a song that you have to perform to, whether you know it or not
- Lemon wants to bring the NYC Drag Scene influence to Canada
In her own words…
"I am so excited to be on Canada’s Drag Race so I can show the world I’m not only that girl, I’m that *Canadian* girl."
38, Toronto
Things you should know about Tynomi Banks
- Tynomi is known as the Dancing Queen of Toronto; she is one of the most celebrated drag queens in the city
- Tyra Banks inspires her looks, but on the inside she feels like Naomi Campbell, hence her name, Tynomi
- The first time her mother saw her in drag was when she performed at World Pride 2014 in Toronto
- She has worked with big brands that have featured her in national advertising campaigns
In her own words…
"Tynomi Banks is fun, flirty, and fashionable. She will entertain you, all the while stealing your man in plain sight and you won't even realize it's happening."
24, Toronto
Things you should know about BOA
- Her drag name “BOA” is actually her real last name and nickname growing up. BOA is also an acronym for “Bitch on Arrival".
- BOA was a victim of a violent hate crime when she first moved to Toronto. The community rallied behind her and their support helped her recover and heal. She also used this opportunity to speak out and advocate against violence in the community
- BOA is a sober queen. Last year, she hit her lowest of lows and made the vow to quit drinking! She is actively working on her addiction by focusing all of her energy on drag with the help of her partner and the support of her friends, family, and fellow drag sisters
- Although she doesn’t consider herself a comedy queen, she tends to grab attention of her audiences with goofy mannerisms and quick wit on a mic, but put her in a 3” block heel and she'll high kick and cartwheel!
In her own words…
"I love drag because it gives me the opportunity to be my authentic, goofy self and bring my audience happiness. When an audience is happy, so am I! I like my drag to allow people to let loose, have fun, laugh and forget about all the negativity in the world."
24, Vancouver
Things you should know about Ilona Verley
- Ilona Verley is a two-spirit indigenous artist who grew up Nlaka'pamux and strives to be the representation she wished she had seen growing up watching mainstream media
- She is always serving monochromatic head to toe pastel looks and has a strong social media presence
- She is a self-sufficient queen who is able to put her own looks together in all departments from hair to custom shoes
In her own words…
"Drag is important to me as it is how I visually express how I see myself on the inside, and how I manifest my female energy as a two-spirit person!"
29, Toronto
Things you should know about Scarlett Bobo
- Scarlett Bobo is a community builder and is dedicated to empowering people to be their most genuine selves
- She created and produces a local drag competition which she uses as a platform to talk about community needs and to inspire the younger generation of queer youth
- Scarlett Bobo went to circus school because she was bored! She learned to eat fire, light herself on fire, and perform aerial skills
- She likes being a voice for a different kind of Drag Queen, those who have too many tattoos and don’t wear hip pads
In her own words…
"I love, love, LOVE doing drag because it allows me to live my truth every day and there are no rules to what I am allowed to do, say, or accomplish. Canada’s Drag Race lets me express every side of myself and show others how to be fearless and authentic. I want to prove that you can stay true to who you are, no matter what."
21, Kitchener-Waterloo, ON
Things you should know about Kyne
- Kyne is a YouTube star with more than 100,000 subscribers to her channel, which focuses on her love for makeup, costumes, hair, and art
- Kyne describes herself as "a larger than life Drag Diva Visionary"
- She is a math major and tutors high school math on the side
- Kyne was introduced to the divas from the karaoke machine, where she and her family loved to sing Celine Dion and Whitney Houston
In her own words…
"Drag is my vehicle for all my joy, ambition and creative energy. It makes me feel alive."
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