“Canada’s Drag Race” finalists Rita Baga, Scarlett BoBo and Priyanka. ALL PHOTOS: Bell Media

They wore it well, they danced it well, they sang it well, they walked it well — the top three did Canada proud on the first season finale of “Canada’s Drag Race.” And I do mean proud. I am really proud of all three.

Also, I’m glad I’m not a judge because I could have pictured any of the final three walking away with the crown and the title of Canada’s first “Drag Superstar.”

Montreal’s Rita Baga killed it in the maxi-challenge: rewriting and remixing RuPaul’s “U Wear It Well” and then lip-syncing it to a dance routine choreographed by Hollywood Jade. Rita’s lyrics were the best, she sang them the best and, despite her troubles in rehearsal, she killed the choreography and looked hot doing it.

Scarlett BoBo, Rita Baga and Priyanka perform RuPaul’s “U Wear It Well” in the last maxi-challenge.

So did Toronto’s Priyanka and Scarlett BoBo, who also both slayed on the “Coronation Eleganza” runway: Scarlett in a beautiful black gown with a flowing train and hot pink lining; Priyanka in a gorgeous, sparkling West Indian lehenga. And if I didn’t love Rita’s green-skinned alien queen look, I can still appreciate the artistry behind it.

And then there was the lip sync, with all three queens performing “You’re a Superstar” by Love, Inc. Wouldn’t you know that the contestant who hadn’t lip synced all season was the one who blew the roof off the place when she finally got her chance?

Scarlett BoBo promised Canada “the best fucking lip sync they have ever seen” and she delivered.

Scarlett BoBo spun and cartwheeled and death-dropped and high-kicked and hair-flipped and slid across the stage on her knees, and spun right out of her dress partway through to reveal a black and nude bodysuit underneath.

So who won the title and the $100,000 prize? The pop star, the rock star or the French Canadian diva? Go ahead and say her name: it was Priyanka (my personal favourite).

Canada’s Drag Superstar Priyanka with her sceptre. It comes with a matching crown.

The judges didn’t explain their decision, but earlier Brooke Lynn Hytes called Priyanka a star. “She just has that ‘it’ factor,” Brooke said.

And she’s right, Priyanka is a star — and that’s after just two and a half years of doing drag. But Rita and Scarlett are stars too and though they lost, they also won. They’ve gained valuable exposure from being on the show; they’ve taken their drag to a new level and they’ve elevated Canada’s drag scene in general by demonstrating how talented our queens are.

All 12 “Canada’s Drag Race” queens with judges Stacey McKenzie,
Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and guest host Traci Melchor.

And not just them, but all 12 of the contestants, with the eliminated queens back for a final walk on the runway and to show their support for the finalists. It was a great season and I really hope, pandemic permitting, there will be more to come — and not just because it’s entertaining to watch.

There were several reminders throughout the finale that “Drag Race” is about more than the competition and all the things viewers love so much about it: Snatch Game and Everyone Loves Puppets, and the runways and the makeovers, the reading and the shade and so on.

The top three queens got a couple of chances in the finale to talk about what drag meant to them and it kept coming back to two things: wanting to inspire other people and wanting to be their true selves.

Priyanka, Scarlett BoBo and Rita Baga in the werk room.

“Drag saved my life,” Scarlett told Traci and Jeffrey in an interview. “Drag was the only thing that made me feel like I took up space in the world and I meant something.” Later, she told the judges she wanted to give “all the queer youth the armour it will take for them to rise above and come to this point right here,” and to inspire people who, like her, might feel like they never fit in.

Rita Baga, who’s done drag for 13 years, also talked about feeling like an outsider. Priyanka said she wanted people to feel “loved” and “lifted” through her drag. And she talked about how proud she was to represent her culture on the runway. (Speaking of representing culture, Ilona Verley wore a version of an Indigenous jingle dress on the finale.)

One of my favourite parts of the episode were the moments of sisterhood between the queens, whether it was Rita giving an encouraging look to Priyanka as she talked about her runway look; the finalists all holding hands at the end of the lip sync; or Ilona, Lemon and Kiara telling Scarlett, Priyanka and Rita how proud they were of them.

There was a cloud hanging over the season because of hate being spewed online by people who didn’t like the judging or were angry when their favourites got voted off. I’m not a drag expert, but that kind of thing seems completely at odds with an art form that’s all about acceptance.

Jimbo does a multi-coloured reveal on the final “Canada’s Drag Race” runway.

Better to focus on the positive: we have a very deserving winner, it was a fun season — and we got to enjoy another special Jimbo look.

As Priyanka said at the start of the night, “Jimbo is a literal creature from outer space brought here to entertain the masses.” For which the masses are grateful, to her and all the queens.