Drag queens are competing in Edmonton for a $1000 prize and the chance to call themselves 2018’s champion. Evolution Wonderlounge is hosting Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar. The first round of eliminations happened on March 9, where nine drag queens presented their best costumes, makeup and lip-synching skills. A panel of judges rated each presentation, and every audience member was given a chance to vote for their favourite.
Similar to RuPaul’s Drag Race, Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar features a number of twists and turns. Four of the nine queens advanced to the finals in the first pre-elimination round. The event also featured some surprises, including a mystery queen and a lip-synch battle for fourth place set to P!nk’s Raise Your Glass.
The 2017 winner, Divina Diefor, hosted the competition adding witty banter and her advice. “My year was all about energy, bringing hype to performances.” She said that to become the winner in 2018, the competitors will have to bring “a level of artistry above what they usually do.”
Diefor thinks that the competition is “an incredible platform for Edmonton drag.” She says the success is partial to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race but says that passion for drag has to be supported locally. “Supporting your local queens in competitions, every day shows, tipping your queens. It’s where it really counts. It’s where drag starts.”
The next elimination round for Alberta’s Next Drag Superstar takes place on March 23 and features nine more queens and another mystery queen. Calgary’s Twisted Element also has elimination rounds throughout March. All of the finalists will be at the finale on May 4 at Evolution Wonderlounge.
