This article contains spoilers on who was eliminated from season six of Canada’s Drag Race, episode seven.
This week’s episode of Canada’s Drag Race ushered the return of THE sewing challenge of all sewing challenges. Each queen created a custom look for Brooke to wear on the runway. With no hacks and hot glue guns to hide behind the pressure was on. Fabrics were chosen, trims were picked, and concepts were drafted up.
Brooke was joined by CDR alum Suki Doll on werk room walk-arounds to check on the queens and see what they were designing for her, with Suki joining them a little later to help construct the looks. Out on the runway Brooke strutted the runway in each design, selling the looks to the rest of the judges including this week’s extra special guest, fashion designer Erdem.
Van Goth took the challenge win with a fabulous structured gothic-inspired gown while Saltina Shaker and PM landed in the bottom. The two queens lip synched to “I’m A Star” by Priyanka, and in the end, it was Saltina that was asked to sashay away.
Each week 29Secrets will be interviewing the eliminated queen. In an interview with Saltina, the Ottawa queen talks about centering herself when she’s nervous, the importance of using her platform for good, and trusting her gut during fashion challenges.
Being in the Drag Race, it can be stressful. It’s a pressure cooker environment situation. I want to know what moment brought you the most joy.
Honestly, the moments that I was stressed and anxious, there’s still joy in that, but I remember this detail. Right before I went into film, the verse on the first episode, I was so nervous. Like I was so beyond nervous. I went up (to someone from production) and I was like, “can I please have a hug? Can I please have a hug before this starts? Like, please, like, just gimme a hug.” And honestly, that’s what, that’s what made it fight for me, so that brought me joy. But also, just connections with the cast too. I’m a very, I’m a very connection-oriented person. So, when I’m able to have those moments with Sammi for example, was a big one that I had some really good conversations with that brought me a lot of joy.
You spoke to Karamilk about being nervous or afraid of this challenge, but shifting your mindset to work with you instead of against you. In that moment in the competition, was that something that you found you had to do often?
Yeah, I had to do it every day. Realizing, okay, this is, this is the scenario. This is what’s happening to me right now. It’s out of my comfort zone. It’s unfortunately something that I haven’t really experienced since like high school. It felt like public speaking all over again, honestly. I had to just kind of like calm, you know, that kid and keep moving forward. It’s just basically like, I’m gonna, I’m gonna protect the part of me that’s scared right now, but I’m gonna protect it in a way that allows me to still flourish. You know?
This last challenge is such a unique design challenge. You can’t really hide behind tricks and hacks because one of the judges is wearing the piece, and getting the closest look possible. You were worried about your look giving two crafty comic convention vibes. Looking back, what would you have done differently to your look?
Oh, I would’ve kept my first dress! There was one part where I was with Suki and the dress was on the mannequin. I had like those little stuffed horns, and I was looking at it and I was like, “that’s awesome. Like, that’s great. You know, why did I do that?” I think the comments got to me more than I actually believed they even did. So, in the moment of stress, I changed everything kind of last minute and you know, that’s how the saltine crumbles (laughs). But, you know, I would’ve kept my first design and I would’ve stayed with my original idea, which is something that I’m still struggling with to this day.
What is something about the Drag Race process that surprised you?
I was taking so many mental notes from the behind-the-scenes production, like where the cameras are placed, what lighting they use. Because, this is also in a way my job as well.
So just like the organization and the time management skills behind it and the scheduling and the logistics and how everybody is just making the machine work.
I was like, “Ooh, I’m gonna take some notes here.” So, I was also taking it in from my own kind of future experiences as well, but just the fact that it’s so well oiled, it’s like, “Wow. It’s crazy when you pay attention to that detail”. I urge future queens to pay attention to that, ’cause you’re gonna learn a lot.
You have an impressive following on TikTok, where you post all kinds of videos from like sickening transitions to honest conversations about your personal journey, your body image. Why is having a platform like this so important to you, and what do you hope to do with it as it continues to grow?
I’ve always journaled, whether it be with my body through dance recently. Through fashion or through journaling with my mind, or planning the next day in my head, but only planning like the, the key specific things that need to happen. And then everything else can kind of fill in as, as time goes on. So naturally, that’s kind of like, my way of expressing my footprint in the world and whatever my mind likes to focus on. Neurodivergent girlies out there, they focus on a lot, you know? The information that we’re able to take in and the information that we’re able to process is quite profound.
So being able to show every single facet of who you are, as well as what you’re interested in, what’s interested in you now, and what you want to be interested in. I feel like the, the, the sky’s the limit there. You just have to really kind of focus on what needs to be, what’s what you want to do right now, and what needs to be done in order to get there, you know, manifesting, if you will. But it’s, it’s more, um, it’s more technical than I think a lot of people think.
This season we’ve had so many incredible guest judges. I want to know who your wildest dream guest judge would be and why?
Oh my gosh! I love Doja Cat. Love Doja Cat. That’s, that’s kind of more of a pop answer. I love The Weeknd’s music. The Weeknd is probably one of my favourite Canadian artists. So that would’ve been also really cool to get like his perspective on drag too.
When we think of the Canadian drag, and the spots where drag is iconic, Ottawa might not be the first-place people’s minds go to. What is it about Ottawa queens that set them apart from other Canadian drag scenes?
So, the thing with Ottawa is we have a lot of beautiful legends here. You think of the queens who’ve already been on the show like Icesis, Kiki, Kimmy, and Karamilk. There’s a lot of history there and I don’t think people realize how much these queens fought for like us to be able to perform the way that we do here. You know? The history is rich in Ottawa, whether it be drag, whether it be art, whether it be the infrastructure. I think in order to understand Ottawa, you have to take in the small details. I think if people kinda shift that mindset, they’re gonna be able to just find so much appreciation for it.
You’re a big meditation connecting with your inner self type of person. Where do you see Saltina in a year?
Oh my gosh. Okay, so I have multiple different realities I’ve thought up in my head already, and they will all join eventually. For now, my main goal is to rest because being able to calm your nervous system to a point where ideas can naturally flow, that’s where you want to be. That’s flow itself. That’s your source of energy. The neurological network creates something for you because you feel safe in the moment.
A lot of us don’t really know the difference between being stuck in traffic and running from a saber-tooth tiger. Our brain realizes it, but our body does not. So, in order to want to be where you are, you also need to realize that being safe in your body, being safe in your mind, being safe in your relationships, being safe in your routine. A lot of that is very, very important. Of course, Drag Race kind of turns that all on its head, but if you can do it on Drag Race, you can do it anywhere.
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- Follow all of our weekly Canada’s Drag Race interviews for season six right here.
