The top four write and record a new single with the help of Canadian pop diva Nelly Furtado and a new queen is crowned…
We’ve finally made it to the end of the road with the fourth season of Canada’s Drag Race, and what a journey it’s been. We met 11 new queens who showed us what it is to be true, north, strong, and fierce every single week. This season also made some serious herstory. Kitten Kaboodle became the oldest queen to compete in franchise history, Nearah Nuff became the first Canadian queen to ever win a lip sync slay off, Melinda Verga graced our screens as the first queen from Edmonton on the show, and two episodes from this season became the highest rated out of all four seasons. Tonight a new queen is crowned, but before she is given her crown and scepter the top four must write, record, and perform an original song for the judges. Let’s get into it.
Our finale begins in the werk room following Melinda’s elimination. The top four enter the werk room and immediately head over to the mirror to read her inspiring lipstick message. Over on the couches they celebrate being in the top four and how all of them are so different from each other, but they were able to connect over the art of drag. Each of them talk about the strengths they bring to the competition before getting out of drag. After a quick break, it’s a new day (and nearly the last day) in the werk room. After the top four make their entrance, they head over to the table to chat about if their track record matters at this point in the competition. Aurora and her two wins say yes and Venus says this is the last chance for them to really give it their all. Ru interrupts with a video message congratulating the queens on making it to the finale and lets them know they have a MAJOR challenge coming up they have to slay if they want that crown.
Traci enters the werk room to tell the queens that for the final maxi challenge of the season the queens will have to write and record their debut single and get choreographed by none other than Hollywood Jade. They’ll have to get it right because their producer, as well as this week’s extra special quest judge is Canadian pop icon Nelly Furtado! To kick off the star studded finale, they’ll also be sitting down with another extra special guest. One by one the queens head behind a set of velvet curtains to talk to the current reigning queen Gisèle Lullaby. They each have a quick chat about what it means to be Canada’s queen, their personal journeys and have a quick photoshoot on the bow of a ship. It’s giving Titanic.
After their chats with Gisèle, the queens get right to work writing their debut singles. Each of them dig deep to find the lyrics that’ll introduce them to the world. Out on the main stage they get to record each of their songs with Nelly Furtado. Aurora starts off and is eager to take any constructive criticism Nelly has for her song, and she pretty much gets it done in one take. Denim is up next and she’s having a bit of trouble with the timing and pace but she gets it right. It’s Nearah’s turn and her verse has a lot of words. Nelly helps her edit it down, which Nearah fights back a little. Venus is up last and Nelly is feeling her lyrics and gives her some style tips to help her nail her recording session. After their studio time they get some steps in on the runway with Hollywood Jade. Aurora gets her choreography down right away, Denim is a little nervous because she’s more concepts than steps, but Hollywood works with her to get her there. Nearah is next and is game to give the judges a dance-heavy performance, which Hollywood Jade is totally up for. Venus is last and she’s scared to learn the choreography. She has a bit of trouble but Hollywood encourages her to take up as much space as possible during her performance.
It’s the final day in the werk room AKA Coronation Day! The queens are so close to the crown they can taste it. While they get ready for their performances and last runway,Nearah asks the other queens what their first impressions were of everybody. They all compliment each other on their various wins and the connections they made with each other. Out on the runway Brooke Lynn introduces the judges for the last time this season, Brad Goreski, Traci Melchor, and this week’s extra special guest judge Nelly Furtado. Aurora performs first. Her dancing is tight and the judges are eating up her lyrics. Denim is second and her lyrics are equal parts cute and inspiring. Her dancing isn’t as polished as Aurora but she makes it work for her performance. Third is Nearah and both her lyrics and choreography are popstar-level good but her song is still really wordy and it’s hard to make lyrics out. Finally Venus makes her debut and also gives popstar energy. Her dancing might not be as strong as Nearah’s but her stage presence and interaction with the judges more than makes up for it. After their performances the queens strut down the runway and the category is “Coronation Eleganza”. They are truly serving us their best looks.
Following the runway, their best photos with Gisèle are shown and each of them talk about what it means to them to make it to the end. Denim talks about being the first trans man to compete in CDR history and how important it is to prove to herself that she could get there. Venus talks about how she pulled herself out of her own darkness to be able to chase her dreams. Nearah talks about the struggles of growing up in a small town and how it led her to drag in Calgary. Finally, Aurora talks about the difficulties growing up in her religious Asian house and how the show has brought her and her parents back together. Critiques start with Denim and Brooke tells her she’s finally broken in those jeans. All of the judges adored her performance and applauded her individuality. Brooke calls Venus’s song an earworm and Nelly says she’s inspired by her. Traci is obsessed with her old Hollywood finale look. Next is Nearah and both Traci and Brad are both impressed by the wordiness of her song and Brooke tells her she dominated her choreography phenomenally. Nelly tells Aurura her song was fantastic and had one of her favourite hooks of all the songs. Traci tells her it stayed true to her brand and Brooke tells her she loves that she always pays homage to her Asian heritage with her looks.
While the judges deliberate, the queens head backstage to relax on the couch and are interrupted by all of the eliminated queens. They get to chat about their time on the show all together. Sisi Superstar asked what drama went down. And everybody kind of clears the air and apologises to each other. Kiki Coe brings Miss Golden Beaver back and everybody toasts to the end of season four. All of the queens head back out onto the runway, including the eliminated queens. The judges share that they have made some very tough decisions and only two of them will be lip syncing for the crown. Brooke announces that Venus and Aurora will be lip syncing for the crown. This means that unfortunately Denim and Nearah’s journey on the show ends, but it is truly just the beginning for both of them.
Venus and Aurora Matrix lip sync for the crown and $100,000 to Try by Nelly Furtado. Both queens make it clear that they both want the crown, badly. Each of them give emotional and raw performances. After a passionate lip sync from start to finish, Gisèle Lullaby makes her grand entrance to pass on the crown. It’s finally time. Brooke Lynn announces that the winner of Canada’s Drag Race Season 4 is…VENUS! Venus is a superstar who is only going to continue to rise and her win makes her the first Indigenous queen to win Canada’s Drag Race. We can’t wait to see what she does with her reign.
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