IN Magazine talks to the season five finalists Helena Poison, The Virgo Queen, Makayla Couture, and Minhi Wang days before the grand finale…
Season 5 of Canada’s Drag Race has given us fashion, meme-able moments, a good ol’ fashioned feud, and four top queens from Toronto. Makayla Couture, Helena Poison, The Virgo Queen, and Minhi Wang all have a distinct drag style that sets them apart and truly showcases how diverse and beautiful drag in Toronto can be. Whether they were killing it in design challenges, getting laughs in the Snatch Game, or laying the perfect vocal track down, these queens have won audiences hearts over the few months. In just days, one of them will be named Canada’s Next Drag Superstar (you can read all of our recaps and interviews from season 5 here).
IN Magazine talked to the final four just three days before the finale all about their personal season highlights, what challenges they would do-over, and of course, what winning the crown would mean to them.
Starting with you, Helena. As a fellow elder emo, I have to know if your name is paying homage to a specific My Chemical Romance song?
Helena Poison: Yes, it’s actually an homage to two different My Chemical Romance songs. So, obviously, “Helena,” and then “Party Poison.”
You’re also so talented and creative when constructing your own looks. Even when we saw wildly different looks on the runway from you, they were so distinctly Helena. What’s your best tip for a successful D.I.Y?
Helena Poison: Can I be honest? A lot of weed mostly (laughs). Yeah, a lot of weed. I think the best tip for a D.I.Y is just don’t overthink it. Just go for it. Let the project evolve, don’t be afraid to do anything, and That’s where the weed comes in handy.

Makayla, we saw you go through some tough moments in the competition, but you always fought to stand up for yourself. What’s your biggest piece of advice to harness your own strength and be your own biggest supporter?
Makayla: Okay. I think the first thing is to always remember that you’re a bad bitch. Even if that means telling yourself in the mirror every morning, do what you need to do to know that you are the one. You have a purpose. We’re all here living and breathing, so clearly you’re meant to be here and to do something big. Period, believe it yourself.
The Virgo Queen, when I talked to Sanjina after her elimination, she spoke about how you two were family and the importance of having a support system in a competition like this. From a mother’s perspective, what was it like having a daughter in the competition, and what were the responsibilities you felt like you had in the time that you were both competing together?
The Virgo Queen: That’s a great question. The first feeling was excitement and joy because I know that this is a huge opportunity for me and then obviously for her as well. Then, you know, as the weeks progressed, I just was so proud of her because she was doing so well. It was really awesome to bond in a different way where we’re separated from our normal day to day routine where we can really just focus on our shared passion and shared love of drag.
I’m really proud of her because she’s grown so much even after the show. If we didn’t do it together, it might not have happened as positively for the both of us. We’re both very satisfied, and I’m happy about that.
Minhi, your performance in the Snatch Game was instantly iconic. What was the thought process behind choosing to portray an out-of-the-box and controversial figure like Chairman Mao?
Minhi Wang: With Snatch Game, the tactic that I went with was to choose somebody that we don’t really know. You may know stuff about them, but you don’t really know them, so you just infuse yourself into it. With Chairman Mao, I think I said in the show, “he’s Chinese, I’m Chinese. You can’t make those jokes, I can make those jokes” (laughs) So that was really the route. I just think about my Asian aunts and uncles, but I was like “how would you bring that into the challenge and make it funny?” I literally just looked at Brooke Lynn and was like, (as Mao) “Oh, you are very fat right now.” Like, they just have no filter. They say whatever they want.

Minhi and Makayla, this wasn’t your first time appearing on the franchise. What was it like walking into the werk room knowing that you’d be competing for yourself this time around?
Makayla: I mean, I feel like there’s been a lot of buzz online for a few years since I appeared on season two and I think it was just about time for me to finally be able to, you know, come back and show everyone that I’m not just like daughter of Icesis Couture. I am my own person and my own drag queen. I feel like I really got to show myself and separate myself from the House of Couture, and stand out from the three of us because we’re all talented, but we all want to be able to show our individuality.
Minhi Wang: It’s just a completely different thing! Being a Pit Crew member, especially in season one… They were also filming in a different location where there was no heating, so it was just so cold. We were just in and out. There wasn’t really much more to it. I was doing drag, actually, prior to being on the Pit Crew. So I think coming back as a queen was just a completely different and new experience.
What’s a piece of advice each of you would give to a new queen walking into the werk room for the first time?
Minhi Wang: I would say, it’s so hard not to do, but try not to overthink. Don’t get in your head, because, literally, I think for all of us, we can all agree at times, that’s really what literally almost sunk our ships. Like, we all almost annihilated ourselves (all nod in agreement).
Helena Poison: Your hardest competitor in the competition is yourself, because it’s very easy to get in your own way and to not be able to get out of your own way. My advice to somebody walking into the werk room who is about to have this experience for the first time is just… it sounds easier said than done, which it is, but just have fun.
Don’t be scared of anything. Don’t be scared to land at the bottom. Don’t be scared to fail. Don’t be scared to succeed. Just go in there and have a good time because it all is gonna come out fantastically in the wash in the end, so, even your low points will maybe be a high point in the show for you.
Makayla Couture: Yeah, absolutely. I would even go on to say you know, be yourself. Be as authentically yourself as possible, because I think that’s what’s gonna attract people to you. Also remember that it is really challenging, the competition is hard, but the real challenge is after you’ve left Drag Race. When the show is done and aired, you now need to take this platform and turn it into something that’s going to work for you. Drag Race can’t hand it to you, you gotta work for it.
Helena Poison: Yeah, don’t try to be anyone but yourself unless you’re really smart and good at that (they all laugh).
Minhi Wang: Because they can see through it! That’s the other part. The fans, they all can see through it. And it’s hard work to put on a character, so it’s much better to just be you.
Helena Poison: Yeah, just be authentic, feel your emotions, feel your feelings, and don’t be afraid of that.
The Virgo Queen: I would add on to what Helena was saying. Just don’t be afraid to have fun. And also, I would say, just never give up on yourself. Try to remind yourself of the person you know you are prior to walking into the werk room. And try to hold on to that piece of your individuality because your uniqueness is gonna make you shine, right? And I feel like that’s the thing that people relate to and that’s the thing that’s gonna make you succeed in a competition like this.

Finale aside, I’m curious to know what each of you think your personal highlight of the season was?
Helena Poison: Personal highlight was last week’s episode. To finally win a challenge. I won a challenge that, in my opinion, is really the most real world challenge to win because we’re literally doing that challenge right now. Also I got to win in my favorite runway look in front of Ts. Madison, so that was the highlight of the season for me for sure.
Makayla Couture: I feel like I have two. My first highlight would be just like all of the first episode, that was so fun and amazing. That was probably my favorite episode, truly. And then obviously getting to wear my ‘90s runway. I think it’s definitely the one look that I’m most known for at this point.
The Virgo Queen: My favorite part of the whole competition other than being there with Sanjina and seeing her blossom into the beautiful person she is, I would say, the singing or rapping and recording sessions. All the challenges that have to do with the live singing or recording, I just love music, so I feel like it was a really, really gratifying experience and It was new and different. I’ve never done it in drag. It’s so much fun.
Minhi Wang: I think we’ve all touched on it in a way…Winning. Like winning is really fun. We literally have just highlighted our best parts of when we all won. So basically winning is really good. You know when they say, ” Winnings not everything” ? Well, I think it’s because they’ve never won anything before. Like, they’re literally just losers. So…winning. (All four queens erupt in laughter).
If you could each have a do-over in any challenge, what would it be and what would you do differently?
The Virgo Queen: Oh, that’s easy for me! I would definitely do-over Snatch Game. Although I did love clacking those little shoeless heels…
Minhi Wang: Oh yeah!
Helena Poison: That was so good. That was art. That was emotion. That was drag.
Makayla Couture: THAT WAS DRAG MAMA!
The Virgo Queen: I wish I stuck with my original choice of doing Drake. I feel like that just would have been a better choice for me.
Minhi Wang: I would redo Slay-Offs. But I wouldn’t change the way that I did it, because I still would have done Minhi, but just going up against this one (gestures to Makayla), like I literally turned, do you remember? I literally turned to you both (Helena and Virgo) and I was like, “sorry guys”. I just wanna go up against somebody else.
Makayla Couture: You held your own though, you held your own! I feel like my do-over would definitely be Snatch Game. Because I got a do-over with the design challenge. I think for Snatch Game, while I came with Tiffany Pollard, I would have done Keke Palmer (instead). I think she’s so funny. I literally listen to her podcast all the time. I literally listened to her this morning with Issa Rae. Check it out, everyone! I love Keke.
The Virgo Queen: I feel like you would have ate Keke down.
Makayla Couture: Right? Exactly. Sorry to that man! (laughs).
Helena Poison: I think I’ll piggyback off Minhi and say I’d redo the Slay-Offs, even though I did win my lip sync. Knowing what I know now, I would fight Xana to the death for Heads Will Roll, and I would have still annihilated it, and still won, and then everyone would know how much of a super sick performer I am.

And finally, what would winning the crown would mean to each of you and what would you do with your reign if you were to win?
Helena Poison: Winning the crown to me would mean everything. While filming, it was my 10th year of doing drag professionally and now I’m in my 11th year of doing drag. And I think that having this crown would just be such a nice topper on this beautiful chapter of my life. With my reign, I would continue to represent for weirdos and queerdos and the overlooked people of our community and continue to preach that delusional, unapologetic self-love that I think everyone should embrace once in a while, because even if you don’t believe it, just say it until you do, you know?
The Virgo Queen: I mean, winning would be really, really, really gratifying. I feel like it would make me feel like all of the work and the effort that I put into creating my brand, creating The Virgo Queen, it would solidify me as a household name. Then I feel like it would open up a lot of opportunities for me to represent people from my community, because where I come from, big dreams like this don’t often come true, and I think that I have a good message for people to really believe in themselves. I would like to open more doors for other people, and create spaces for queer people, trans people, neurodivergent people, you know, minority groups that don’t often be seen. I feel like that’s super important.
Makayla Couture: I mean, of course winning is everything. Winning would mean the world to me, like Virgo, where I come from, this is literally not possible at all. Basically my whole life I’ve been told that I need to just quiet down and take what I can, because being from where I’m from, that’s all, that’s all you get.
And I think that I proved that not only to my community of the people I grew up with, but to anyone who’s ever been told that it’s not possible, that it is possible. I’m 22 and in the finale of Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 with amazing drag artists that I look up to and hold in so much respect. It would mean so much to anyone who’s ever been told no, and I think it’s finally time that queer people and trans people can finally say, “You know what, I am that bitch, I am gonna go and do what I need to do and get it done, and not have to worry about anyone else.”
Minhi Wang: I think the winning part is pretty easy, like, who doesn’t want the money? Even though we’ve spent a year living this life in terms of “the Drag Race life”, we’ve all done drag for way longer. So again, much to Helena’s point, it would just be like a cherry on top and just round it out really nicely. But I also think it’s funny because Makayla says she’s 22. I’m 39. Lexi Love, they’re calling her a Grandma and she’s 34. I’m like, “I’m pretty much a corpse right now.” I don’t know what Jaylene is. She’s like a spirit, like a fossil (they all laugh).
When we talk about representation, when you get on later in your life, you wake up every day, you go to do work, you have your family, you have kids, you just live for that. But every now and then, you really should just do something for yourself. So I think that’s really important, and to keep some special part of something that you do that brings pure joy, that has nothing to do with money or anything, you just do it because you actually love it for what it is. And then, I think the other group that we really need to consider are just those really large shouldered people. Like, I don’t want to have to keep hiding my shoulders, so when I win the $100,000, I’m just gonna buy a bigger wig. (Everyone laughs).
READ OUR INTERVIEWS WITH ALL OF THE CANADA’S DRAG RACE QUEENS!
- Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 Sashay Q&Eh: Perla
- Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 Sashay Q&Eh: Xana
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- Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 Sashay Q&Eh: Jaylene Tyme
- Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 Sashay Q&Eh: Sanjina DaBish Queen
- Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 Sashay Q&Eh: Tiffany Ann Co.
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