True, north, strong and fierce!
By: Zoie Karagiannis
(Ish Chopra/CanCulture)
Canada’s Drag Race is a cultural phenomenon, and while it contains all the qualities you love from RuPaul’s Drag Race, it is branded specifically for a Canadian audience, putting a northern twist on a beloved franchise.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is an incredibly important queer show on television today, and has been a catalyst for sparking important conversations about issues that impact the LGBTQ+ community. In my opinion, the Drag Race franchise plays a big role in introducing drag queens into popular culture, resulting in a mainstream audience across the country.
The Drag Race franchise has grown internationally, with versions in The United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, Thailand, Spain and, of course, Canada!
Canada’s Drag Race premiered in July 2020 and has since amassed a large following. With three seasons of production under its belt, the show features 12 of Canada’s most sickening drag queens competing for the title of Canada’s Next Drag Superstar, as well as a grand prize of $100,000. While the concept of the show is similarly formatted to the American version, viewers get to experience Canadian charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent.
We are gifted with Drag Race’s classic puns and wordplay — but this time, they made it Canadian! In the first season, episode titles such as Eh-laganza Eh-xtravaganza and Not Sorry Aboot It made an appearance. For the very first main challenge, queens were assigned to make outfits using Canadian-inspired material boxes. The moment I saw the themes of this design challenge — some of which included “Man of Green Gay-bles,” “Yukon Gold Digger,” and “Muskokurrr” — I knew Canada’s Drag Race would be a new favourite of mine.
Through these subtle tributes to Canada, the production makes it a point to nod to fun universally-acknowledged Canadian cliches, which is something I love. There’s a reason it has already won 11 Canadian Screen Awards, including five awards in its first season and six in its second.. Especially as the Drag Race franchise has such a global audience, it is my hope that other viewers outside of Canada become more informed about Canadian culture through this show.
There is one notable difference between the Canadian production and RuPaul’s Drag Race is the judging situation: there’s no RuPaul! Of its English-speaking counterparts (RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul's Drag Race UK and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under), Canada’s Drag Race is the only show not to feature Supermodel of the World RuPaul Charles or Michelle Visage, Mama Ru’s dear friend. Both RuPaul and Visage have been central to the heart of the show and the brand, so as a fan of the franchise, I was admittedly disappointed they did not offer their judging skills to Canada.
However, it's been great having Canadian judges and guest stars featured on the show. While the judges panel has shifted and changed in the three seasons, there is one ever-constant presence: our very own Queen of the North, Brooke Lynn Hytes!
The Canadian host and drag icon was a competitor on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11. She is a proud Torontonian and the first Canadian to be featured in the franchise. I remember being so in awe of her talent as a competitor, as she was such a polished show queen. Her Lip Sync For Your Life against fellow Season 11 drag queen Yvie Oddly will forever be one of my favourite Drag Race moments, and it’s been such a treat to have her host Canada’s Drag Race.
Traditionally, RuPaul is the one who makes any final decisions when it comes to eliminations and winners on his show, but on Canada’s Drag Race, it’s a true drag democracy. All judges get a vote on who stays, and who sashays away.
Other long-time viewers of the show are just as hyped about this Canadian spin-off as I am. Evelyn Young, a fourth-year media, information and technoculture student at the University of Western Ontario, has been a dedicated fan of Drag Race. She has followed the American version for years, and has also watched RuPaul's Drag Race UK and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
“I was very excited to hear that Canada was getting its own version of Drag Race. It came out during the pandemic, and it was a fun show to look forward to watching while in lockdown,” she said. “I love the silliness and the camp aspects of the show.”
Young is grateful to see Canadian drag showcased with talent from all across the country. “I think it's super cool to have queens from smaller towns or provinces that are not as well known for drag to be seen.”
Our country is diverse, and Canada’s Drag Race does a great job of reflecting that in their casting of queens on-screen. The show features plenty of queer BIPOC representation, along with queens of various body types; from two-spirit Indigenous queens to non-binary identifying queens, the show includes contestants from various underrepresented communities.
“French-Canadian queens are very unique to our country and it's interesting to see them perform,” Young added. “In addition, we have many Indigenous drag queens, and to see their unique styles of drag and how they incorporate their culture is also very special to Canada.”
Canada’s Drag Race is bursting with talent, and it's here to make its mark on the global drag scene. Worlds collide when Canadian queens compete against other Drag Race icons, when Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs The World premieres on Crave on Nov. 18.