Queen Priyanka was born to be a star.
It’s evident when you see the Canadian drag queen and first winner of Canada’s Drag Race perform: the way she commands the stage, effortlessly entertains and engages the audience with — as RuPaul would say — her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent, there’s no doubt she has the “It” factor that only comes naturally to a select group of people.
I’ve witnessed Priyanka’s star power firsthand. Not only from her performances as a drag queen, but also as a friend of “Boyanka” (a.k.a. Mark Suknanan) in our Whitby, Ont. high school.
Though we were a few years apart (yes, I’m the older one), I’ll never forget encountering Mark for the first time and thinking to myself, “Who is that?” While Mark was auditioning for our high school fashion show, my friends and I could not stop talking about the new brown boy in our school who was so funny and entertaining. We immediately cast him in the show, not just because he was a great addition, but also because we just wanted to hang out with him and become friends.
Flash forward to an industry Halloween party in 2018 where I “met” Priyanka for the first time. Seeing her perform on the stage instantly brought me back to our high school days when Mark would show off his (impressive) choreography to The Pussycat Dolls. I screamed at the top of my lungs with joy and pride as I watched Priyanka do those same moves she had done 10 years earlier in our friend’s basement — but this time in heels and a killer outfit.
The evolution of Priyanka since then has been incredible. From winning Canada’s Drag Race to starring in HBO’s We’re Here and now releasing her debut album, Devastatia, Pri has fulfilled her dream (and destiny) of becoming a global icon. And as one of those lucky people who knew her from her early days, I couldn’t be prouder to see my friend become the most unapologetically authentic version of herself.
In our latest episode of CONVERSASIANS, Pri and I take a trip down memory lane and talk about her journey to becoming a drag superstar. Watch/listen below, and be sure to stream Devastatia and catch Priyanka on tour starting October 9th.
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