Canadian Drag icon Priyanka, sat down for Narcity's qNa series to spill the tea on Canada's Drag Race, her new album, and what it's like being an icon.
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MTL Blog - Montreal’s largest online network, created by and catering to a new generation of Montrealers.
Website: https://www.mtlblog.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MTLBlog/
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TravelTranscript
00:00I'm a goddess. Look at my face now.
00:02Like, this is beauty. This is grace.
00:05This is Miss United.
00:06No, I'm Canadian. That's my job.
00:14Hello, my name is Priyanka.
00:16I am a drag superstar, pop star, icon, diva.
00:19I'm 30 years old and I'm from Toronto, Ontario.
00:23Hello.
00:24I started drag about four years ago.
00:25I had a drag queen perform at my birthday party
00:27and she was like, you should start drag.
00:29You should enter this fun local bar competition
00:30at Cruise and Tangos.
00:32So I did.
00:32I came fourth place and I looked really bad,
00:36but look at me now.
00:37Look at me now, Toronto. Look at me now.
00:41I saw the posting for Canada's Drag Race come up
00:44and I literally looked at my co-host, Spencer,
00:46and was like, my life is about to change.
00:48When I first went on the show,
00:49I definitely thought that I was a contender to win.
00:52But when I got put in the bottom twice
00:54and gave you two iconic lip syncs, you're welcome.
00:57I was like, maybe I don't have it in the bag.
01:00I remember the makeover challenge
01:02and we were sitting there and I was like,
01:05I'm next to go home if I don't nail this.
01:06Elton, my drag daughter, came in and was like,
01:10Toronto's rooting for you.
01:11You're the reason I feel safe in the bars.
01:13I love you.
01:13And I was crying and crying and just painting that face.
01:17If you watch that episode,
01:19you realize that I'm not talking while we're getting ready
01:21because I'm so focused.
01:22I think that it's okay to fall sometimes
01:25because that's what really solidifies the crown on your head.
01:30When I won, I felt nauseous, anxious,
01:33like I was going to have diarrhea,
01:34like my life just changed,
01:36like I was rich, like I was poor,
01:38like my boyfriend just dumped me,
01:39like I just got married.
01:40Like all these feelings rushed my body all at once.
01:44The thing that I was most proud of was the look I won in.
01:48And when I won, I was very just like to my mom,
01:51like, you're such a big part of this.
01:54You being open and accepting and loving me
01:57and being here at the finale and understanding the drag
02:00and opening your mind to it
02:01is the reason why I feel even more like a winner.
02:04Being a kid's television host
02:06is something that's so near and dear to my heart
02:08because I also didn't think that I was going to be a kid's TV host.
02:11I thought I was going to be an entertainment reporter
02:13on Entertainment Tonight or E! Talk
02:15and that's what I was going to do.
02:16I was going to interview celebrities and that was it.
02:18But now, lo and behold, I am the celebrity.
02:20Surprise.
02:21I find it so inspiring that like kids growing up,
02:24like they're going to have this guy
02:25that they used to watch on SpongeBob SquarePants
02:28now be the winner of Canada's Drag Race and that's normal.
02:33Cake is so important to me
02:34because it's the lead single off an album
02:36that's coming out very soon
02:37and I get to really just enjoy my dreams.
02:41I wanted to create music that sounded like girl group music
02:45because I wanted like the fans to be in the girl group with me.
02:48Every single song on my album that's coming out
02:49is about a boy who broke my heart or made me happy.
02:52Like it truly is just drama.
02:54It's so amazing that, you know,
02:56you can take your traumas and turn them into art
02:57because now you get cake.
03:04Being one of the first ever drag queens to shoot at that castle
03:06was like you just feel like you're paving the way.
03:08I had to get funding for the video.
03:10I got a sponsor for the video
03:11and we were able to shoot at a castle
03:13and I worked with this amazing director, Caroline Torti
03:15and I wanted to have my sisters come.
03:17Like I'm the winner of that season.
03:19I sent all those girls packing.
03:21But it doesn't matter
03:22because like we're all so iconic in our own ways.
03:24Like all these girls like truly inspired me in a different way
03:28and I love sharing the love
03:29because we all come from the first iconic season
03:32of Canada's Drag Race and nothing will ever top it.
03:36Drag isn't a job.
03:37It truly is a culture
03:39and like learn where people have come from.
03:42Learn about the ballroom culture.
03:43Learn who's the top, you know, performers.
03:46Learn from people.
03:46I was able to walk out of my front door in drag easily.
03:50No one even bat an eye
03:50but there are some drag performers that did it
03:52and it wasn't so easy for them
03:54and just do it and ask questions and get excited
03:57and know that like drag could change your life.
03:58And know that like if you're not seeing yourself yet
04:01in the media, know that like you could be the first person
04:04to do that.
04:05Like it doesn't have to be such a negative thing.
04:08I was driving on the Gardner
04:09and I saw myself on a billboard.
04:10Little old brown boy from Whitby who now is a drag queen.
04:14Former kids TV host on a Gardner just surfing.
04:17What I want people to know is
04:18that like if you feel like you're not represented
04:20like you are the representation
04:21and we have to just keep working hard to make the strides
04:24to make sure that we're seen everywhere.
04:26I'm a champion of our community
04:27in whatever way that means us to be all accepted.
04:31If you want to find me, head over to my Instagram
04:33at TheQueenPriyanka
04:34or you can hear my brand new single
04:36Cake at thequeenpriyanka.com.
04:38Stream it, listen to it
04:40and watch the music video to find out who killed Priyanka.
04:43Happy Pride everybody
04:45and don't forget you can work so hard
04:46to make your dreams come true.