Ahead of her Stripped II tour stop in Toronto, “your favourite drag queen’s favourite drag queen” opens up about history-making moments, chosen family, resilience, and why joy is drag’s greatest protest…
By Christopher Turner
Photos by Preston Meneses
Sasha Colby is more than a drag queen: she is a living, breathing emblem of transformation. Throughout her career, from bathroom ballrooms in rural Hawaii to the global stage, she has remained deeply rooted in authenticity and resilience. Her story is a testament to how drag can be not just art, but armour – and how one queen’s journey can embolden countless others to step into their own power.
Born on July 26, 1984, in Waimānalo, Hawaii, Colby emerged from a conservative Jehovah’s Witness upbringing as the youngest of seven siblings. Her early years were marked by secret drag experimentation at home, locking herself in the bathroom to dress in her sister’s clothes. From those beginnings, she would later blossom into having one of the most commanding and transformative drag careers.
In 2012, Colby clinched the prestigious Miss Continental title, a highlight in the drag pageant world that helped cement her status as a “pageant legend.” Fast-forward to 2023, when she became the first Native Hawaiian and openly transgender woman crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar, winning Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race – making history not just with her victory, but as a cultural milestone. Months later, she was praised by RuPaul as “Trans advocate? Check. Sex goddess? Check. Performer extraordinaire? Check.”
But Colby didn’t just win the reality competition crown. She’s an activist whose influence extends through the drag community as a nurturing matriarch who exemplifies mentorship. She’s also a legendary performer, currently headlining her Stripped II tour. From February to April 2024, she embarked on a 22-city North American headlining tour in partnership with Live Nation, Sasha Colby: Stripped tour. Riding off the success of that first Stripped tour, she’s heading out on a second leg, Stripped II, from September to November 2025, with one stop in Toronto on October 23, her sole Canadian performance.
We sat down with “your favourite drag queen’s favourite drag queen” ahead of her Stripped II tour stop in Canada and spoke about everything from making history, to her life after Drag Race, role models, chosen family, how the community can come together during these challenging times, and much more.
Hi Sasha! We’re big fans! Let’s kick things off by talking about your new tour, Stripped II. What can fans expect from the show?
Hello, big fans! What the fans can expect at Stripped II is the same ‘stripped’ storytelling as our first round, but with completely different stories and new costumes. If you’ve seen the first Stripped tour, I think this is a great continuation of that. We are doing a lot of world creation – taking a lot of fantasy and making a lot of moments of escape in what is a crazy world nowadays.
How did you feel when you learned that you had made history as Live Nation’s first headlining tour with a drag artist?
I must say, I am honoured to be able to work with such an amazing company as Live Nation. I’ve been to so many of their concerts. To have them see drag as an art form that needs space to be seen feels really gratifying. I can’t wait to show them what I got.
If you had to describe to a complete stranger who Sasha Colby, the drag artist extraordinaire, is…what would you say?
To a complete stranger, I guess Sasha Colby would be the girl next door that you wouldn’t want to trust leaving your partner alone with. Sasha Colby gives you fierce goddess energy, loving mother vibes, and definitely some sex on heels.
So many people have loved you for years, but there are so many who were first introduced to you on Drag Race. What has life been like since the show aired? What was the biggest change in your life post Drag Race?
I think the amount of drag that I do has not changed. I still work a lot and am really grateful for that. I just think the scale of the drag that I get to do now, and the amount of people I get to reach, is a lot more. I get to travel to a lot farther places and share my love for drag and performing. It’s really been amazing to be able to see different cultures, go to different places, and show them what Sasha Colby’s got.
What is your advice to any drag queens, or anyone else who may look to you as a role model?
Be kind to yourself. Allow yourself the grace and freedom to make mistakes and not feel ashamed about it. Everything that you go through makes you a better person, whether good or bad.
Who do you consider a role model?
I consider my family to be my role models: especially my drag mom, close friends and chosen siblings who have really excelled in their fields and professions. They’ve always encouraged me when I am doubtful of myself, and they inspire me to work hard and to make them proud.
What does chosen family mean to you?
To me, chosen family means a collection of humans that see who you really are, allow you to be your most authentic self without judgment, who have the patience to ride out the hard times with you, and are always there to celebrate you.
So, Kerri Colby, your drag daughter, killed it on All Stars. How proud were you of her?
Yes, she did kill it. I’m so proud. I am happy with what she has presented, and I think she did a great job and handled herself like a really respectable trans woman.
Speaking of All Stars…the inevitable question is, would you ever consider going back for an All Winners season?
Never say never, I’m always open to opportunities.
You’ll be stopping in Toronto on this tour. Have you been to the city before? If so, any fave spots or memories from your time here?
I have been there a couple of times, and I think my favourite memory was performing at Toronto Pride. To be in this huge square in the middle of Toronto with a sea of people who were just so happy to watch drag and who welcomed me to the city with open arms was such an amazing experience.
We are seeing so much political hate and anti-2SLGBTQI+ legislation happening around the world right now.… How do you think the community can best come together during these challenging times?
I think the most important thing when our humanity is being challenged and stripped is to come together as a community. When we create safe spaces for community, to create, and queer joy – it’s our biggest protest. It shows that all the work they’re trying to do to divide us isn’t working, and we’re going to keep on protesting with joy. That’s what Pride is about, and Pride isn’t just in June.
How do you personally stay positive?
A lot of weed, a lot of weed.… I love good music, I love the sun, I love the beach, and I love creating. I loved creating Stripped II, and that’s actually helped me a lot to stay positive and excited about being a human.
What do you want people to know about you that they might not already know?
Oh my gosh, I feel like y’all know everything about me. I am an open book, so I actually don’t know. I’m actually very excited to see what else I could reveal about myself. I’m pretty sure I’ve shown every single side of me possible.
After the tour wraps…what’s next for you?
I have some great projects coming up, and can’t really divulge too much about them yet – but it’s really exciting and it’s just an extension of my storytelling. You’ll have to keep an eye out!
Last question. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us that we haven’t covered off!?
I just wanna say thank you to Toronto and Canada for always being such a welcoming audience. I can’t wait to see everyone out there at Stripped II. You know, if things get tough here in the States, I might be needing to move there, so I’m looking for a husband.…
Sasha Colby’s Stripped II tour runs from September to November 2025, with one stop in Toronto on October 23, her sole Canadian performance.
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