How Dahlia Doll built a double life in banking and drag while becoming one of Canada’s rising queens

Ever wanted to learn how to do your makeup like a drag queen? Toronto drag superstar Dahlia Doll stopped by the studio to get Queer & Now writer Dev Banfield all dolled up, while dishing on all things drag ahead of the Fierce & Fabulous Expo. 

At 4 a.m., before the wigs, rhinestones and stage lights, Dahlia Doll was waking up in Scarborough to catch a bus to Richmond Hill for work. Years before becoming one of Toronto’s rising drag stars, she was a young immigrant balancing school, healthcare work and the uncertainty of starting over in a new country. Now, she is preparing to take the stage at what organizers call Canada’s largest-ever drag expo: Fierce & Fabulous, raising money for the You Do You Foundation.

One of You Do You’s success stories, Dahlia is set to take the stage Saturday, delivering a performance chock full of her iconic diva energy and good vibes. But for her, drag is just one chapter in a story shaped by immigration, perseverance and community. 

Growing up in Mexico, with politicians for parents, Doll told Queer & Now that political opponents of her father set fire to their family home, forcing the family to move from Mexico to Texas when she was a teenager. Reflecting on her youth in the U.S., she describes feeling unwelcome at times, even within the local Mexican community. At 19, she left her parents behind, moving to Canada to pursue a master’s degree in public health at the University of Toronto. This move changed her entire trajectory. 

From healthcare worker to queen (from reporter to a queen!)

After completing her master’s degree at 21, Dahlia, who had participated in theatre productions and dance as a young person, soon began to branch out into an artistic career while pursuing corporate avenues at the same time. She credits a City of Toronto masterclass with helping her develop skills and make connections early on, leading to a career that has seen her consistently booked and busy.

Inspired by some of the most iconic divas — Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears, we’re looking at you! — Dahlia is known for being incredibly fierce in her own right. You can catch her performing regularly at venues across the city, and on your screen. But nearly 10 years into this journey, and despite finding success as a queen, including winning Miss El Convento Rico 2023, and appearing on shows like Private Eyes, Call Me Mother, and Cash Cab Music, drag isn’t Dahlia’s full-time job; she also works in a bank. 

While she was inspired to pursue her art by a family that included a musician grandfather and a mother who sang, she explained that, like many children of immigrants, she also felt immense pressure to pursue a stable career. With her mother urging her to be more like her physician brother, Dahlia first started working in healthcare, administering COVID-19 testing and mass vaccination efforts during the pandemic. She remembers waking up at 4 a.m. to commute from Scarborough to Richmond Hill for work, balancing ambition for a drag career with the realities of starting over in a new country. 

Now, working in a bank and juggling professional responsibilities with her drag career, she encourages aspiring artists to treat their art as a business. That includes networking with other business owners, building relationships within the community, and not being afraid to advocate for themselves. While opportunities often come through networking, she says success can begin with a single connection. 

“You only need one person to believe in you,” she shared.

While doing this columnist’s makeup in the most fabulous fashion, she also shared some hot tips for getting all dolled up. As per Dahlia, mastering your perfect look is rooted in getting a hang of the fundamentals rather than chasing complicated techniques. Using tape is also one of the most important techniques in her toolkit, helping create the sharp, dramatic lines that define many drag looks. 

She added that blending is equally essential, ensuring colours transition smoothly and work together rather than appearing harsh or disconnected. While drag makeup can be intimidating for beginners, she emphasized that strong results come from practice, patience and learning the basics before experimenting with more advanced styles.

Fierce & Fabulous: Queer culture and representation

An alumnus of the You Do You mentorship program, for Dahlia, participating in Fierce & Fabulous is about more than performing. As a former mentee and an artist, she views the expo as an opportunity to introduce new audiences to Queer culture and create space for connection at a time when 2SLGBTQ+ communities continue to face political and social challenges.

She highlighted that these same tensions also see the expo come to Toronto during a time when funding for Queer artists and event programming is tight, and opportunities can be hard to come by. While drag has become increasingly visible in recent years, she says that many artists are still navigating a difficult environment. 

“Now in the U.S., all around the world, we’re losing a lot of opportunities,” she said, noting that organizations and events often have fewer resources than they once did.

Despite those challenges, Dahlia remains optimistic about the future of drag, with events like Fierce & Fabulous playing an important role in creating platforms for artists to showcase their work, connect with audiences and build careers. For emerging drag artists, she believes those spaces are more important than ever.

“Hopefully in the future we get to see more opportunities,” she said. 

Tickets for Fierce & Fabulous are available now and start around $37.