Say her name, Canada! The queen of the north was crowned in the finale of “Canada’s Drag Race” on Thursday and it’s none other than beloved Toronto drag queen Priyanka.
After 10 thrilling episodes — that weren’t without their fair share of criticism — the 29-year-old lip sync assassin accepted the first-ever Canadian title. Here’s what you should know about the Toronto queen:
She made history with her win
Priyanka is the first winner from RuPaul’s international franchise of Indian descent — specifically, its first Indo-Caribbean drag queen winner.
It’s also noteworthy that the first of her name accepted the crown in one of the most stunning “Drag Race” looks ever: A gorgeous crimson lehenga that gave big bridal vibes.
“This look that I’m wearing is why I love doing drag because I get to represent an entire community of people,” Priyanka said in the finale.
Her name is Priyanka for a reason
The finale also revealed the reasons behind the “What’s my name?” catchphrase, which many from her hometown will know.
“I named myself Priyanka so that people would know there is an Indo-Caribbean, West Indian queen coming on stage so that they know they’re represented,” she explained. “That’s the reason why I make you all scream my name all the time, to make you remember a girl named Priyanka can be successful.”
Fans were understandably floored by her cultural runway eleganza.
She was a YTV host
The Crave franchise spinoff isn’t Priyanka’s first TV foray. As Mark Suknanan, a.k.a. Mark Suki, he’s been a fixture in Canadian children’s television for years as a host on YTV. On the finale, he dubbed himself the “Hannah Montana of Canada” for juggling his daytime role with his nocturnal alter-ego.
He left his long-time gig last October in order to compete on the show.
Her drag persona was a family secret
Priyanka was voted Toronto’s favourite drag queen in Now Magazine’s Readers’ Choice 2019 awards and has amassed several other titles in just a short amount of time as a public performer. However, it wasn’t until recently that her father knew her truth.
“I named myself Priyanka so people would know there is an Indo-Caribbean, West Indian queen coming on stage, so that they know they’re represented.”
- Priyanka
While the weekly show was running, she told her father ― who believed Priyanka was the name of his son’s girlfriend ― about her profession, she revealed in a Twitter thread.
He took the news well, she tweeted, and began to watch the “RuPaul show” as he calls it.
She always speaks her mind
Especially when she’s advocating for her community.
The Toronto Church-Wellesley neighbourhood, known as “the Village,” faces intense gentrification.
She was up against talented queens in the finale
The other competitors were nothing to sneeze at. Scarlett Bobo, a well-known activist in the Toronto scene, gave an unforgettable lip sync performance to a remix of RuPaul’s “U Wear It Well.”
And renowned Quebec queen Rita Baga represented campy old-school drag and her province well with her commitment to character.
While only Priyanka went home with the crown, scepter, and grand prize of $100,000, all three made the episode a finale to remember.
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