Drag Race: Canada Vs. The World Week 1: Did The Right Queen Get The Boot?
Let the games begin, eh?
Friday's premiere of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World welcomed nine of the franchise's most sickening queens — ten, if you count host Brooke Lynn Hytes — to the Great North for another international smackdown.
Repping this season's host nation are Icesis Couture, Kendall Gender, Rita Baga and Stephanie Prince, joined by Anita Wigl'it from Down Under; Vanity Milan and Victoria Scone from across the pond; and Ra'Jah O'Hara and Silky Nutmeg Ganache from the good ol' US of A.
Week 1 divided the queens into girl groups of three for back-to-back performances of "Bonjour, Hi." As far as earworms go, it's no "UK Hun," or even a "Not Sorry Aboot It," but it was cute. Fortunately, the premiere's "Queen of the World" runway category did not disappoint, with some of the contestants serving truly exquisite looks.
Read on to see how the queens fared in Friday's premiere, including the first one sent packing, then drop a comment with your early impressions about of Canada vs. the World.
SAFE: Anita Wigl'it
This energetic kiwi charmed the judges with her "signature face" (you know the one), but her "Bonjour, Hi" performance left them wanting more.
To be fair, more of Anita is never a bad thing.
SAFE: Silky Nutmeg Ganache
No, the Reverend Dr. Silky Nutmeg Ganache did not pull a confectionary treat from her cleavage upon entering her third Drag Race Werkroom. But she did treat us to a runway reveal that was both delightful and unexpected.
Just like Silky!
SAFE: Victoria Scone
An injury cut Victoria's run on Drag Race UK short after just three episodes, so the franchise's first cisgender woman contestant definitely arrived in Canada with something to prove, which she absolutely did.
And can we talk about those vocals in the group performance? I always appreciate when queens diverge from the tired rapping — even more so when that queen can actually sing!
SAFE: Icesis Couture
After snatching the crown in Canada's Drag Race Season 2, Icesis could have simply rested on her laurels. Instead, she's back to show these other queens how it's done. And to quote Ms. Hytes, "Just because you were safe, that doesn't mean you weren't fantastic this week."
SAFE: Ra'Jah O'Hara
This seasoned queen was perfection in purple on the runway, coupled with a sickening verse in the group performance. She may have been safe, but she was definitely among the tops of the night.
TOP 2, RUNNER-UP: Rita Baga
The judges couldn't take their eyes off this French Canadian diva during her "multifaceted" group performance, and those eyes remained firmly in place when she returned to the runway in a campy ensemble fit for a queen.
She absolutely earned her spot alongside Vanity in this week's Top 2, though we weren't entirely surprised by the outcome of the lip sync. Sure, Rita brought the energy, but Vanity had it in the bag before the song even began.
TOP 2, WINNER: Vanity Milan
Is it too early to start throwing around words like "frontrunner"? Probably, but I'm going to do it anyway in regards to Vanity, who seems more fired up than ever since placing fourth in her season of Drag Race UK. Performance, check. Runway, double check. I wasn't positive who else was going to be in the top this week, but I was certain of Vanity's spot.
As for the lip sync, while Rita certainly put up a good fight, she was no match for Vanity, whose reputation as an assassin precedes her.
BOTTOM 2, SPARED: Stephanie Prince
Stephanie's performance in Friday's premiere was as wobbly as the headpiece she struggled to keep on during her walk down the runway. Sadly, we weren't the least bit surprised to see her on the chopping block.
And thanks to Vanity's benevolence, she'll live to slay another day.
BOTTOM 2, ELIMINATED: Kendall Gender
Considering how well Kendall Gender fared in her own season of Canada's Drag Race, I expected a better turn-out from her this week. So did the judges, who didn't feel that Kendall was present during her group performance. Not even this fun, futuristic runway look could make up for that.
Those lofty expectations made it even harder to see Vanity reveal Kendall's lipstick, ending her latest journey before it even really began.
"I feel very sad, but I really hope that this is just a small chapter in the Book of Kendall Gender," she said as she returned to the Werkroom solo. "Maybe I didn't win this competition, but I'm still forever the people's princess."