Stephanie Prince walked into Canada’s Drag Race direct from Alberta and infused the season with some youthful exuberance and plenty of sass during her time in the competition. As she departed the competition, Stephanie sat down to chat with me about her Drag Race experience, her work with the Haus of Prince, and what she has planned for her post Canada’s Drag Race next act.
Michael Cook: Tell me about your Drag Race Canada experience…
Stephanie Prince: Regardless of what happened, I had so much fun. It was so much fun being there but it is very stressful. This experience is one of a kind. I made so many friends and family and bonded with a lot of the girls, even though I was only there for three episodes; I just had so much fun.
MC: When did you know that drag was going to be more than a hobby and was going to evolve into a full-blown career?
SP: The first time I went with a friend to find out about the drag scene and how it worked. I went and watched the show, and asked a couple queens how to start doing it. They suggested I start showing up on every Saturday and that it was an open stage. The next week, I showed up in drag. From there, I have performed every since. I have a lot of talents, including cooking, without drag I would have been a chef or a yoga instructor. Drag is just who I am as a person. I grew up in the Philippines, and there are a lot of lady boys there, which I hated growing up; internalized homophobia and all. They always told me “you’re going to be one of us”; and here we are (laughs)!
MC: Canadian drag has so many variances and so much diversity. What was it like going into a competition with girls who represented so many different styles of the art form?
SP: Honestly, I am not shocked. Going into the room, I saw so many types of drag, that is all we have in Calgary. I do glam, I do camp, I do commercial drag; I feel like one of those people. Going into a room and seeing that variety, it is what I relate to. I am very versatile.
MC: So many people walk into Drag Race with an idea of what they think it will be like, but it many times is something different. What is one thing that really was different post experience that surprised you?
SP: The long hours! The hours were extremely long and it was hard, stressful. It was all worth it though.
MC: The platform that Drag Race has given you is a platform that many performers would be absolutely thrilled to have. What do you think you want to do with that platform?
SP: Actually, I am not sure what I want to do in the future just yet. I do have some ideas, like taking the Haus of Prince on a tour. I firmly believe that they are more talented than me (laughs)! I am known for giving birth to the best kids. They are more talented than me, I strongly believe that. Maybe putting out some music, but I don’t like “drag music”. I want to make music in drag, but I want to keep in as much “drag” as possible.
MC: What does it take to be a member of the Haus of Prince?
SP: It doesn’t matter how much dancing you do or outfits you wear on stage, that can all be improved. If I am going to adopt a child, I really want to see a stage presence; that is what I am really looking for. You not be the prettiest one in the room, but I want someone who commands the audience to watch you. If you are planning to go on Drag Race in the future, you are going to be walking onto the biggest stage in the world; you have to have stage presence. No matter what you’re wearing, sell it!
MC: What do you think is the one thing that you have learned from the last couple years that you are taking forward with you?
SP: I hated this pandemic; I thrive off of the people on stage. I hate performing on Zoom or my laptop and I thrive on the people; that is what I learned.
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