Day one of DragCon was, quite frankly, one word: crazy. A chaotic descent into madness is how one could describe the press room once the doors opened. With this being the biggest year for queens in attendance, there was one star in particular who shined brightly amongst the madness, and that was Drag Race Canada’s finalist, Makayla Couture. Who was more than happy to be embracing the excitement that came from the day, “Oh my God. No, seriously. It’s insane. There are drag queens everywhere; it’s like Disneyland. All of my favourites are in one room, and I’m like, “Finally.”
Being at Dragcon that weekend was especially meaningful and unique for Makalya, having advanced to the final four on the show, with the episode airing the night before. But the pure pride and joy for not only her journey but for her fellow queens as well. “Honestly, my journey has been nothing but amazing. I honestly have enjoyed every single moment. I have been able to just be myself and also make close friends like Helena. Being surrounded by all these incredible girls makes me so excited to see what the new year has in store for all of us and to continue levelling up! She said with a joyous laugh.
Makalya is somewhat of a pro on reality TV. No stranger to being in front of the camera, she first appeared in the makeover challenge of Canada’s Drag Race season two, where the queens were paired up with LGBTQ+ teenagers and created prom looks. An emotional chat ensued about attending prom as their genuine selves. Paired with Iceis Couture, their bond was so strong that Makayla ended up being adopted into the Haus Of Couture.
Shortly after, she later went on to dominate Call Me Mother season 2, a journey she sees as a beautiful timeline of her growth. “Honestly, it feels like everyone has watched me grow up on TV. I literally started when I was 18, and now here I am at 22. I’ve always said that I just want to continue being me.” Reflecting on her experiences across two reality TV shows, she sees them as a unique time machine that she can look back on with pride. “They’ll become capsules, or almost snapshots, of my life that I feel that I can go look back on and reflect on, like, look at her at 18, look at her at 22, and just watch her go (laughs).”
And that we certainly did; Canada Drag Race season 5 was a whirlwind blend of glamour and untucked moments that, while at first undeniably dramatic, ultimately had us all hooked and became iconic staples in the drag world. This season they truly switched up the game, from contestants designing looks for the host, Brooke Lynn Hytes, to the return of the infamous beaver. While there may have been some rocky moments that might have caused others to shy away from, Makalaya, ever the wise young woman she choose to embrace it all. “I was so proud of it. Plus, it opened up that whole moment with me and Xana. We are all literally besties now; like, I love her. As for the challenges, they really switched it up on us for season 5. I will say I think that they really wanted to make it feel new and fresh. That’s one of the reasons I and others love the Canadian franchise.”
One of the inevitable aspects that comes with the show is, of course, those ever-so-lovely trolls—what many refer to as armchair drag critics. Many of us all agreed that they need to go outside and realign with nature. In fact, humorously, we both say in perfect time, without missing a beat, to “Go touch grass (laughing).”
But ever the positive spirit, she has shrugged off any negativity and instead has chosen to embrace the overwhelming love from fans. Drawing on lessons from her previous time on TV, she didn’t feel completely lost in the glare of the camera or the watchful eyes of the internet. Instead feeling prepared to tackle whatever came her way, “Oh, absolutely. I feel like it allowed me to understand what producers are looking for and what the fans want to see. Plus, getting to see myself from a bird’s eye view—like watching the show. It gives you this whole new perspective. I finally get to see the outer version of what everyone else can see rather than what’s in your head. So it was, honestly, exactly what I needed to prepare myself for season 5. I made it to the finals, and I can proudly say I made it; I really did that.
Talking with Makalya feels like a friend straight away, someone we should all take that warm energy from and focus on what’s most important: ourselves. Determined and ambitious, she’s also a person who knows how to balance gratitude with grace as she looks towards focusing on the present and future: “This truly is the start of something beautiful, and I think this really is only the beginning. She reflects, “There is so much more to me… Like, hello, yes, I’m Makalya Couture…. But part of me will always love to just be Makayla Walker. Someone who loves to be told I’m beautiful and then later needing my downtime. I love to be grounded and chilling at home too. But there’s this other part of me that’s truly out there, and she’s thriving and striving to be bigger and better.”
As with any queen fresh off the show, there’s always so much to see and do, with many people to meet. Yet Makalya has her sights firmly set on the big goal, which is to be on the big screen. “Oh my God, this year I’m really working hard to get a lead role in a film. I’ve done TV, I’ve done reality TV, and I actually have a show coming up next year with a speaking role—but I can’t say too much just yet.” She shared excitedly. “So I’m just looking forward to continuing this journey and to focusing on having the best fun time. Honestly, it’s iconic.”
After Dragcon the final concluded with her just missing out on the crown, but as always with Makalya she’ll undoubtedly bounce back and I’m sure we’ll see her on All Stars that’s where the best of the best end up.
Season 17 of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE exclusively drops weekly in the UK on the streamer of all things drag, WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe now at https://uk.wowpresentsplus.com/
