The Vancouver queen talks to IN Magazine about the origin of her name, the pressures of the competition, and her dream lip sync song…
Tiffany Ann Co. is the second queen to be eliminated on season 5 of Canada’s Drag Race. (You can read IN’s recap of episode two “The Slayoffs Teams Edition” here) She established herself as a west coast pop diva from the first moment she entered the werk room and she lived up to her name every step of the way leaving a bit of her sparkle on all of the challenges. She chats with IN Magazine about the most difficult part of the competition, the challenge she was most looking forward to, and which pop princess she’s manifesting working with.
I have to start by saying that my jaw hit the floor when I heard your name for the first time because I thought it was so incredibly clever. It’s obviously a nod to the iconic jewelry brand. What led you to taking that on as your name?
Yeah, I think I wanted something that was a nod to fashion that also represented me with being expensive and sparkly.I also wanted a gentle nod to an Asian name. Cause with Co being an Asian last name as well, but I didn’t want to be too on the nose or too spot on with it. So that’s kind of, I melted my love of the Asian in me and like the fashion world as well.
What was a challenge that you were really excited for that you didn’t get to do?
I really wanted to do the girl group challenge! Or a choreography challenge because I think that’s where I would have really excelled. I mean, with this episode, I really excelled as well. It just didn’t work out in my favor, but I really wanted to do girl groups.
Was there something that surprised you about the competition that you maybe weren’t expecting or like thought would be easier once you got there?
I think the hardest part for me, I think I learned that I broke down a lot of walls being there (on the show). And that’s with meeting the other queens and being open to their stories and finding all that stuff, and it kind of unlocked a lot of things that I didn’t realize I was holding on to. You saw in my exit speech where I said “I cried every episode”, but I think it was because I was processing so many emotions. And I literally didn’t cry for like, a good seven, eight years. So I’m like, “I didn’t know how to grasp those emotions”. I think that probably the hardest part is that it’s a pressure cooker. So you’re emotional and processing all of that, I would say.
During the untucked portion of this week’s episode, you mentioned that the circumstances were kind of stacked against you. And that was kind of the way the cookie of the competition had crumbled. I can’t imagine the mental and physical toll the competition takes on you when you’re in the thick of it. How would you approach it differently knowing what you know now?
I don’t know. I think the only thing I would approach differently is I just wouldn’t have worn three body suits on episode one (laughs) because that was what started this trajectory. Because I think if I didn’t wear that, I would have been at least safe episode one. So then if I was in the bottom again this episode, it would have just been two bottoms versus it being Tiffany’s third time in the bottom. But I don’t think I would do anything differently because I stayed true to who I was and with these circumstances, there’s no controlling it, right? I think you go into Drag Race, and there’s only so much you can prepare. So, when they throw these twists at you, there’s nothing you can really do but like roll with them. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the best cards dealt to me.
If you could go back in time and tell pre-Canada’s Drag Race, Tiffany, a piece of advice, what would you tell her?
Tell that inner saboteur to shut up! Like, you’re here for a reason and you’re good enough to be there. And maybe cut down on the bodysuits (laughs).
You were only on the show for three episodes, but that’s still plenty of time to make a meaningful impact. What do you hope to be remembered for?
For what I got to show, I really do hope I will be remembered for my performance ability. That’s something that I pride myself on. I grew up being a competitive dancer. It’s what everyone back home in Vancouver knows me for, so I want the rest of the world to be able to remember that. Like those lip syncs that I did.
Last week when I talked to Tara Nova, she said something unique about the Newfoundland drag scene was that they often go all out with themed shows. What’s something unique about the Vancouver drag scene that drag fans in Canada who haven’t been able to experience it themselves would be surprised about?
I think with us there’s a lot of different drag in Vancouver and there’s space for that different drag. We have a lot of kings, queens, and things, so we create shows where there is space for all those performers to come in. Because I feel like with some queens, it’s like you have the kings and this is the king show that you have, your queens and this is your queen show, this is your monster show. Whereas we curate shows where there is very much space for all of us.
If you could pinpoint one person or aesthetic that kind of inspires your artistry as a queen, who or what would it be?
I don’t think there’s like one really, but a lot of what I pull inspiration from is a lot of the pop icons. So, like Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter. I pull from The Pop Girls, and that’s why I always say “I’m a pop star” because I take a lot of my inspiration from them. Not so much from other drag queens.
The pop girls are having such a moment right now it’s like a renaissance.
Yes! So good! It just means I get to perform more!
You lip synced a few times in this week’s episode, two songs. If you had to lip sync for your life again, but you got to choose the song, what would you choose and why?
I would love to do “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman. I would love to showcase that, yes, I am a powerhouse performer, but I could also hold my own in a ballad if I need to.
I literally was just listening to that like an hour ago!
It just does something. It’s so good. Like the note just does something. Or “Defying Gravity.” I just watched Wicked and it does something to me inside.
In a year’s time, where do you hope Tiffany Ann Co. is?
I hope in a year’s time, Tiffany is still traveling the world, producing the Asian Baby Girl World Tour, but I would also love to have a little comeback moment because I do believe my time was cut short. So, I would love to do some kind of All Stars or like a Vs the World or Love Island. I would love to be there as well.
What is your biggest dream you want to put out there and manifest right now?
Oh, I will be working with Tate McRae. I will open for her. Like that’s what’s going to happen. She’s going to be here in Vancouver during pride.
Antony / 10 December 2024
Great job Tiff!