Upon entering the Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. The World 2 werkroom, Cheryl arrived with a determination to make her third turn on RuPaul’s Drag Race her best one yet. With that intent in mind, she rose to the finale of Canada vs The World 2 and while she did not snag the crowd, she is relishing in finally receiving her well-deserved flowers. I sat down to chat with Cheryl about her triumphant Canada’s Drag Race turn, her longtime sisterhood with the newly crowned winner Lemon and why this season, she just may have decided to read the comments.
Michael Cook: Cheryl what was it like for you to join the cast of Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs The World and see a familiar face; Lemon, who you become fast friends with during and after UK vs The World Season1?
Cheryl: We go back so far, people don’t know the Lemon and Cheryl journey began in a New York bar in 2018. I was getting ready to be announced for UK Season 1, and Lemon had just gotten the call for Canada’s Drag Race. I feel like we’ve gone through every iteration of this journey together, which is so bizarre because not many people can say that.
When she walked onto that main stage, I just felt like, at least I had that one person. I love every single member of the cast and this is the first cast I’ve been on out of all three seasons that everyone has gotten so well. I knew that we would have a great time but I knew that the one diva that had my back was Lemon. We were both finalists for the first time, had in hand, and that was the best journey ever.
MC: From your runways to a newfound sense of confidence, it almost seems like Canada vs The World 2 saw us truly seeing Cheryl come into her own as a queen.
C: I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. I think that this is me fully realized in the moment. I won’t ever say that this is the final evolution, because the minute you stunt yourself as an artist, you are limiting every possibility that could be thrown at you. I will forever keep growing and evolving. To have this version of myself encapsulated for the rest of time in this Canada vs the World season so that everyone can look back and see what I did in comparison with the other seasons, I was not who I am now.
I feel like if we were given the chance, Lemon and I would have had the same journey on UK vs The World had we been able to showcase our skills and our talents, because they haven’t gone anywhere, they have been there from day dot. I was just not believing in myself in the way that I do now. I came into this season after the hardship of being eliminated the way that I was on UK vs The World saying “Nothing can be as bad as that”. I am coming into this season absolutely saying “Fuck it”. If they send me home first, whatever. I think because I left those worries and insecurities at the door, I was able to just be me and have fun and throw myself into every challenge without having that self doubt and “inner saboteur”.
MC: After watching your Canada vs. The World journey. did you have a moment where you knew that you could potentially make it to the finale of the competition?
C: I have to say, I have never had a good run on Drag Race until now. Season 1 of Drag Race UK, I think I set a great track record for being in the bottom each week. To finally get my flowers week one, and actually hear positive critiques and think “bitch you did well” it it took me back. I think that really set me up for the rest of the season for every challenge that came up after that. We all know that looks and sewing are not going to be my strong suit, but it was like “All right, I am still standing”! Maybe I wouldn’t have been if it had been the lipsticks instead of the Golden Beaver, so I am thankful for Miss Beaver, not that I needed it.
That first episode really set me up to go” You’re going make this season you’re bitch” I never read the comments, I have done that and I am just protecting myself. That is what ruined me after UK vs The World, and I am not going to do it again. This time around, Lemon told me “You need to look, because you are getting your flowers”! So many people have said that I made this season my bitch. People can use the fact that didn’t win a challenge against me, but I was consistently in the top four out of five episodes. If it was a lipsticks top two lip sync, I would have been right there with my girl Lemon!
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