Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 has made a dazzling entrance, unveiling a dynamic ensemble of 11 queens hailing from diverse corners of the country. Brimming with an air of anticipation, this season teases unparalleled twists, including an entrant marking a historic milestone as the franchise’s oldest contestant.
Amidst the promise of dramatic upheavals and astonishing moments, the stage was set for a riveting clash of wit and glamour. Notably, Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 introduced the intriguing concept of “rosebuds”, alongside a mysterious twist dubbed the “golden beaver”, adding an extra layer of allurement and excitement to an already exhilarating competition.
The episode unfurled with the vibrant energy of Brooke Lynn Hytes, the Queen of the North herself, welcoming audiences and teasing a competition far beyond the queens’ expectations. As each queen of Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 made their grand entrance, the room ignited with diverse styles and personalities, setting the tone for a fierce battle ahead.
Venus, the unfiltered queen, made a bold first impression with a reveal and also stated that she doesn’t tuck with the intention to become the most unfiltered drag queen, this series. She then walks back out and she is followed by Denim, a self-proclaimed socially awkward clown with an eye-catching Y2K denim ensemble. In the confessionals, we learn that Denim is a proud trans man. Next up was Kiki Coe, hailed as a fashion maven, and Luna Dubois, boasting unapologetic shade and a look-centric persona.
Sisi Superstar, known as the queen of the underground scene in Montreal, stormed in with a goth bimbo vibe. Melinda Verga represented Edmonton with pride while Kitten Kaboodle, at 57 – the oldest drag queen to be cast across the Drag Race franchise, embraced her drag legacy with a stunning ’70s showgirl allure, and confirmed she has been doing drag since 1981.
Nearah Nuff brought a Marilyn-inspired look but faced a wardrobe malfunction, while Aurora Matrix dazzled with a hyper-femme popstar look, then The Girlfriend Experience stunned viewers with a beautiful look that was inspired by anime mixed with a ’00s star. Last but no means least, Aimee Yonce Shennel shined with her regal Beyoncé-inspired persona.
The episode brimmed with tension and excitement as Brooke Lynn Heights, Brad Goreski, and Traci Melchor entered the werk room, and announced that Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 would be full of twists and turns, and the main challenge in-fact started the moment they stepped into the room, with their entrance looks being judged and will also be a part of the critiques later. The judges then gave out “rosebud” awards each to the queens that impressed them the most.
The queens continued to navigate their first challenge, The Premiere Ball, where judges meticulously observed the queens’ shimmering showgirl presentations, which saw them enter a room and strut, dance, and pose in their showgirl outfits – Sisi Superstar makes a hilarious lasting impression – quite possibly the wrong one, but hilarious none-the-less, going on to hit her head on a lamp before toppling the velvet chaise longue.
The pressure intensified as the spectre of elimination loomed but the queens went on to have extremely important mirror chats, focusing on pronouns as well as the dragphobia happening in the US that is trickling into Canada. The Girlfriend Experience had a huge heart-to-heart with her fellow cast members about being a trans woman and the difficulties she’s experienced. Denim added to the conversation about being a trans man, and the joy he felt when he saw that another trans person had been cast in this series – we’re excited for the conversations these two trans icons will be having, in addition to the conversations they’ll have with the non-binary and two-spirited contestants.
Guest judges Tegan & Sara added their star power and insight, encouraging the queens and offering guidance. They went on to absolutely nail the critiquing part of being on the judging panel, and we can’t help but hope we see more of them in the future as they were such a ray of light.
In a groundbreaking twist for Canada’s Drag Race Season 4, none of the queens faced elimination. Instead, the top two performers, Venus and Denim, engaged in a lip-sync battle for the win to the beat of Tiësto’s “Feel It In My Bones” featuring Tegan & Sara. Venus emerged victorious, securing the coveted first maxi challenge win.
The episode concluded with a glimpse into the upcoming week’s challenge which will see the queens navigate live TV personas as they attempt to sell products on their very own shopping channel. Are the queens quite prepared to embrace yet another unexpected turn in their quest for drag supremacy? We’ll have to find out next week – and hopefully, we’ll learn more about this so-called “golden beaver”.
New episodes of Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 are dropped every Thursday night on Crave in Canada, BBC Three and iPlayer in the UK, and WOW Presents Plus in the US and the rest of the world.
You can follow all your favourite queens from this new season of Canada’s Drag Race across all social media by checking out our article here.
