We got a new Queen of the North on Thursday’s episode of Canada’s Drag Race: Icesis Couture.
The Ottawa-based queen –along with Kendall Gender and Pythia– battled it out in the finale to a fierce and icy performance of Brook Lynn Hyte’s “Queen of the North” remix. While all of them absolutely delivered in lyrics and choreography by the one and only Hollywood Jade, it was Kendall Gender who slayed her verse.
But it was Icesis and Pythia who dominated the runway category. Pythia dazzled as Grecian statue, while Icesis shined with another handmade look. Wearing a lace bridal gown with a bedazzled teeth guard, she looked dramatic, weird and captivating all at once.
Kendall Gender also took pride in her roots with her last runway look. She emphasizing her hips in her classic bodysuit and wore cornrows, features that she says is often not accepted in society or is culturally appropriated.
By the end of the episode the queens had one last lip sync to Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” It was an emotional moment, with all three of them hugging each other.
Before the judges announced the winner however, Priyanka had her last moment as the Queen of the North. She absolutely reminded us why she is the OG. She slayed in a bold red gown with multiple arms, emulating the Indian goddess Durga.
In the end Priyanka crowned Icesis Couture her successor. It was a full-circle moment for her, coming a long way with being comfortable in her own skin. This season had a lot of wins for Icesis, winning both of the design challenges, the Reading Challenge and the art challenge in episode six.
We spoke to Icesis Couture after her win on Thursday night to talk about that episode and what she will do with her reign.
Congratulations. You did it. You are Canada’s Next Drag Race Superstar.
Oh my god. Isn’t that crazy? Oh my god I won.
What does this win mean to you?
It literally means so much. Like I said on the finale: life has just been shitty to me. I’ve just been working so hard. I’d sacrifice so much and the fact that I was even considered to be on the show in the first place. It means so much to me.
I have a hard time explaining it because it goes deeper than a crown. I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t find the art form of drag. The fact that I’m being celebrated for something that saved my life is just so hard to explain.
Who’s the first person you spoke to after winning? How did you celebrate when you found out?
So last night, me, Pythia and Kendall had a show together. We had a viewing party together. Our drag families opened for us, and all of her families were in the audience. So all of our family all of drag friends – we were all together and in one big theatre. And when they called my name I just … Girl you know I like to cry.
And that’s okay! So lot’s of crying, lot’s of tears then?
Yeah. And the other girls were so they were so warm and loving. And we all embraced each other. Like what we said earlier in the week about [just wanting] one of us to win and none of us would be upset if the other won. That is literally what happened. And they’re so happy for me, and I’m so happy for them. And it was just a magical moment.
I feel like you have cried regardless who won.
You know me.
Also I wanted to talk about that runway look in yesterday’s episode.
Did you like?
I loved it. It was so good. My friends and I were watching and we gasped. What was your inspiration in creating that look?
When we got the list for Drag Race, I kind of played it very feminine. You know what I mean? Kind of trying to be very commercial. And I thought to myself, if I’m going to get all the way to the end, I want to do what makes me happy. I want to be that little weirdo. You know what I mean? I want it to be beautiful, but weird. And you’re slightly turned on but you don’t know why because it looks wrong.
That was my mentality, crazy outfit. On top of that one of people’s biggest days is getting married. I just felt like after everything that I’ve been through, my big day should be in a wedding dress and put my own spin on it. Your wedding day or your graduation or whatever you get dressed up for is supposed to be that monumental time in your life. I wanted to feel and look what I felt was authentic to me.
It was kind of giving me romantic bride goes to the dentist because of the tooth thing.
Can I tell you the amount of drool that was on that runway? Every time they talked to me, it was just pouring out my mouth.
They were like “Do you want to take it off?” And I was like “Well, I can’t lip sync with it in so I’m going to take it off” and they said it was okay, so I’m great.
Yeah I wonder if that would have changed the outcome.
Yeah! Me too. I’m not sure how I can emote if I can’t use my mouth.
I wanted to dig a bit deeper into the connections you made on the show. Do you feel like the connections you made are long lasting?
Like I said in my Meet the Queens: I literally came to meet a friend. The fact that I made 12 – and they’re girls, guys, whatever they identify as– that I actually thoroughly like. I really do love them.
Like we said before, we’ve done this through a pandemic. So just the fact that we were able to meet somebody new, touch somebody new, it was just so special. Going through this whole entire experience together just creates this bond that no one else can understand. Because it’s so hard,so special, so rewarding. Just to be able to look over and know that you don’t even have to say something to somebody because they understand, it’s just like such a special connection I feel it with all of them. I’m so grateful to have all of them in my life.
What are your next steps as the new Queen of the North?
I released a single last night didn’t realize it was happening, because I was getting crowned. But tonight, to go along with that music, I [released a video].
I will continue to do music, I plan on touring the world, really spreading the love and making sure that everyone knows that it’s okay to not be okay. That is one of my biggest messages. We’re in a world where we think that everything is solved with medication or everything has to be fixed immediately. Sometimes you just need to just sit and realize that you’re okay to not be okay. I want to save space for everybody.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Watch our video with Icesis Couture below.
