Canada’s Drag Race has taken Toronto by storm. With plenty of talented drag artists in the city, the show has given a platform to some local stars, including Miss Fiercalicious.
The local queen is known for her fierce and delicious (fierce + delicious = Fiercalicious) persona, and we had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one with the Toronto icon for a special Hennessy Conversation to learn more about how she was introduced to drag, what she’s up to currently, and more!
“I wasn’t expecting to get this much traction after the show, because I was the villain of the show,” she laughed, adding that people have since warmed up to her.
Fiercalious explained that thus far, being part of Canada’s Drag Race has been the most surreal moment of her career.
“I learned about drag from Drag Race, so seeing myself on there was crazy.”
She explained that she had never seen drag performers before watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, and became intrigued and inspired while watching Violet Chachki on the popular show.
Fiercalicious was living in London, Ontario, and studying at Western University when she decided to try drag for the first time.
“I was good in school but I hated it. It was a lot of memorization and I wasn’t happy. Then I found drag and it’s more creative. I never got to do more creative stuff as a kid, and I wish I did,” she explained, adding that this was when she decided to take some time off of school to pursue her passion for drag.
What is Drag?
As drag shows continue to be a trending topic of conversation, the art form is becoming more prominent. So why do people get involved in drag, and what can people expect from a show?
“You can do the fashion route, the comedy route, the performance route – like acting. You can literally do anything with drag and I don’t think people realize that,” she explained.
“It’s an art form, it’s a way of creative expression. People do it to make them happy, I think, and to express their creativity.”
“You can go to a comedy drag show, like a standup show. Or one where it’s lip syncing and you see splits and dips and cartwheels and flips. You can do live singing drag shows. There are so many different types of drag.”
Miss Fiercalicious: The Rise to Stardom
As previously mentioned, drag performances have been a hot topic in recent headlines. With some people speaking out against the art form, and labeling performers as predators. Fiercalicious shared her belief that this narrative is travelling north from the States.
“It started in the States and now it’s trickling over, about drag queens and trans people being predators and groomers,” Fiercalicious said, adding that they feel this narrative should be addressed with education, so people learn what drag is really about.
But the star is used to facing adversity. She shared that at the beginning of her career her family, which she describes as very religious, was not supportive of her work as a drag queen.
“After Drag Race they kind of warmed up to it more and understood it more because I got successful from it. So, they realized that it’s a job, it’s a career, and they started taking it more seriously.”
Fiercalicious shared that she never had the chance to come out to her family, as she was outed by her sister.
“It caused a lot of turmoil in my family. But they have been trying to make an effort to be more understanding lately. But it’s hard for me to let go of everything that has happened in the past, but I appreciate the effort.”
Having risen to success in the midst of turmoil, the Toronto queen shared advice for 2SLGBTQ+ people in similar circumstances.
“Just be yourself and do what makes you happy. Because that’s when I feel I started thriving. When I was in school and I was doing sciences, I was good at it, but I wasn’t happy doing it.”
“Once I finally started embracing myself and accepting every aspect of myself, that’s when I started flourishing and making good connections. I met the queer community in Toronto and they’re like my family now,” she continued.
“You’re going to find a support system, you’re going to find people who are like you and support you and accept you and you just need to start by accepting yourself first.”
Miss Fiercalious shared her favourite queens, why she doesn’t really date, and more on this Hennessy Conversation.
