In the four years since winning Canada's Drag Race, Priyanka has been hard at work.Photo Illustration by The Globe and Mail. Source: Fabian Di Corcia/The Globe and Mail
Off Duty is a series of lively conversations with influential people, from CEOs to celebrities, on life, work and the art of taking time off.
Priyanka just might be Canada’s most prolific drag queen. Also known as Mark (Suki) Suknanan, the drag performer, singer and media personality has been in the national spotlight for years: first as the host of children’s television network YTV, and later as the very first winner of Canada’s Drag Race.
In the four years since winning the reality-television title in 2019, Priyanka has been hard at work. Drag has been at the centre of her life for quite some time – allowing her to produce art she genuinely believes in and show up as her authentic self – and attaining this level of success has given her the opportunity to focus on another passion project: music. In addition to touring as a drag performer, she recently began recording her own original songs, came out with a new single about being told “no” and going after your dreams anyway, and is working on shooting a “cuckoo bananas” music video for her next single. She’s having a “chaotic, psychotic and iconic” Pride season, including a recent performance at the AGO. She’s also planning a new YouTube series and hopes to go on tour early next year.
Beyond work, Priyanka is learning to prioritize self-care. At a time when the LGBTQ community, and especially drag queens, are facing mounting vilification – lawmakers have introduced dozens of bills banning drag shows across the U.S. this year, and protests outside drag events have been escalating in Canada – it is particularly important for her to find things that make her feel good. Here, she talks to The Globe and Mail about coming into her own, standing up to hate and taking care of herself.
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What has the art of drag done for your life?
Growing up, I was in the closet and so unsure of myself. I was really hustling for a TV career and I did get the YTV job, but I didn’t start truly winning in life until I came out of the closet and started drag. That’s when I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Drag is the thing that made me feel like an artist – it allows me to create art that really comes from my heart.
Drag has also brought me closer to my family and helped them understand me better. Before I was on Drag Race, my dad didn’t even know I was gay, and now he’s met my boyfriend. He still hasn’t seen me perform, but I know for sure there will come a day where he comes to watch me. One step at a time.
What would you say to parents who might be struggling to accept that their child is queer or interested in drag?
As long as you support your kid, nothing else really matters. People say, “I’m just so scared that my kid will get bullied,” or, “I’m scared that they’re going to have a hard time in life.” But a lot of children’s trauma comes from the way their parents have treated them and haven’t accepted them. So if you do accept your child in whatever way, shape or form they come in and show them support, they will have an easier life regardless of anything else that happens to them.
How does it feel to witness increasing vilification of the LGBTQ community and the particularly intense vitriol aimed at drag queens right now?
I’m frustrated because it feels like this started to happen just as we were beginning to see so much drag and queer representation. It’s also frustrating because so many brands that would knock on our doors during Pride season are now scared of us because they worry that people are going to ban or boycott their business. I’ve talked to so many queens who say they’re not making as much money this year for Pride because brands are staying away.
I won’t say it’s scary because we’re not scared of anything. We’ve been through it all as a community – we’re always under attack. But we can’t give in and give those people the power. We will definitely overcome this. Drag queens like myself will keep fighting and eventually the tide will turn. It has to. You can’t just delete people from existence.
On a personal level, how do you plan to celebrate Pride?
It would be nice to go and be a part of the community in some way. Being in drag and performing is obviously fun – last year I headlined Toronto Pride – but this year it would be nice to also go out on the streets and just to the bars and have fun. That’s the way I want to do it, just immerse myself in the culture.
What are you watching right now?
I’m currently rewatching Jane the Virgin and I can’t get enough of it. I’m obsessed with anything murder-mystery, so I love Pretty Little Liars, How to Get Away With Murder, Scandal. Also Grey’s Anatomy, although not a murder-mystery in its truest form, it does have mystery to it. I’m watching Priyanka Chopra’s new show, Citadel, because I’m obsessed with her. I’m waiting for Yellowjackets to be fully released so I can binge it because I can’t wait weeks to find out what happens. Once I’m in the storyline, I’m in the storyline.
What brings you joy outside of your career?
Being in a relationship has really taught me how to find a balance between my work and personal life. I love going to the movies and getting popcorn and hotdogs – that brings me so much joy. I love going out to eat with people, especially now that it’s summertime, and I love spending time with my dog Daisy. I also just like doing things to take care of myself, like going for runs and going to the dentist and getting a massage. Those kind of mundane things are so important because they’re just little things that make you feel good.