Under bright lights, colorful makeup and a glittering bodysuit, Toronto-based drag artist Queen Priyanka performs solo in front of a crowd of more than 50 people at Chicago’s Schubas Tavern on Wednesday night. performed an act.
Priyanka’s performance was part of her multi-city tour and featured lively pop numbers, comedic twists and mock pageants with the audience.
The tour follows Priyanka’s debut album DEVASTATIA, which was released in August and included eight singles and collaborations with Canadian singer Ralph and drag artist Lemon. It is.
The concert began with the accompaniment of opener and self-proclaimed “Palestinian pop princess” Amira Jazeera and artist Tilona.
Priyanka’s opener was Chicago-based Amira Jazeera, who performed a song she produced herself.
Jazeera’s friend and audience member Matt Callahan said they were a “dynamic duo” and applauded their energy on stage.
After a second opening by fellow drag queen and mentor Ecstasy Love, Priyanka took to the stage. Starting her set with the pop track “I’m a Star,” she delivered a high-energy, focused 70-minute set using songs from both her new album and "Taste Test,” as well as a selection of her songs. performed a choreographed spectacle. Time for “Canadian Drag Race.”
Priyanka was accompanied by dancers Emily Xavier and Loïc Bellaire, adding a touch of luxury and comedy.
Chicago residents Jonathan Kadecki and Will Stockdale are big fans of the drag scene and first saw Priyanka on the first season of “Canada’s Drag Race,” where she won. He said it was time. They said they streamed her music in anticipation of the event.
“We love watching ‘Drag Race,’ and we can't wait to hear her sing,” Kadecki said.
Priyanka’s season of “Canadian Drag Race” was filmed before the pandemic and aired in the midst of COVID-19, when other reality series were on hiatus.
Priyanka said winning the season amid the pandemic made viewers feel more connected to her.
“I feel like I’m the light at the end of the tunnel for a lot of people,” she said. “Winning ‘Drag Race’ changed my life, but it also gave so many people hope that they too can be winners.”
After winning “Canada’s Drag Race,” Priyanka said she wanted to pivot to pop music. She finds that the intersection of drag and pop is more closely intertwined than people realize, citing high production values and flashy costumes worn by popular touring artists.
“I don’t think it’s as tough a battle as I thought it would be,” she said. “You look at Chapel Lawn, you look at Charli XCX, you look at Megan Thee Stallion, you look at Nicki Minaj, you look at Beyoncé, they’re all doing drugs.”
Drag has long been a sanctuary for Priyanka, but she said recent backlash has cast doubt on the genre. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Spectrum WT v. Wendler decision upheld drug prohibition on college campuses across the country.
Priyanka claimed that drug restrictions are biased. She also criticized those who use religious views as a justification for opposing the genre.
“As long as you give us room to be who we want to be, we’ll let you believe in your God,” she said. “There will always be space in my home to love God and have religion if you want. But that doesn’t mean hate has to be involved.”
Meanwhile, Priyanka said she remains optimistic about the future of drugs.
She said it’s difficult to overcome the stigma against drag, but there’s still room for everyone.
“The challenge is to find what is the common ground for us all to exist on this earth with love,” she said.
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