Canada’s Drag Race Judge Brad Goreski on What Sets Canadian Drag Performers Apart

A new crop of queens will fight for the crown as the country’s next drag superstar when Canada’s Drag Race returns this week for a third season. 

And among the acting challenges, lip sync battles and epic runways, celebrity stylist Brad Goreski will be there to help the queens reach their best potential. 

As a long-time lover of drag, the celebrity stylist says becoming a main judge on the reality competition series is a “dream job.” He’ll be joined on the judging panel by etalk correspondent Traci Melchor and RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Brooke Lynn Hytes. 

Hailing from Port Perry, Ontario, Goreski is a fixture in the fashion world. In addition to being an exclusive brand stylist for Kate Spade New York, he’s achieved celebrity status styling clients like Jessica Alba, Christina Ricci, Demi Moore, and Rashida Jones. He’s also a well-known TV personality, working on shows like Fashion Police and It’s a Brad, Brad World. 

In a recent visit to Toronto, Goreski spoke to us about his return to the Great White North, what sets Canadian drag performers apart from others, and what he looks for in a runway look. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

How does it feel to be back on Canada’s Drag Race as a main judge? 
It feels great. You know, I am so excited about this season, the queens are amazing. It felt really good to be back with Traci and Brooke Lynn Hytes, on the judges panel. We just have so much fun together. It’s a great combination, and such a dream job. 

What drew you to being a judge on the show in the first place?
Well, I’ve been such a huge fan of drag as early as I can remember. You know, growing up in Toronto, and getting to experience the drag world here in the late ’90s. And then, of course, with RuPaul, and then with RuPaul’s Drag Race coming up and all of the franchises that have spun off of that. 

I’m just a big lover of drag and the creativity and beauty and glamour and talent. To be able to be a part of Canada’s Drag Race and get to be a judge on it and really celebrate the queens that are on the show is really fun to be a part of. 

Do you remember a specific moment that really sparked your fascination with the culture? 
It was actually with RuPaul, as soon as “Supermodel” came out. I just hadn’t really been exposed to drag that much growing up in a small town in Canada. RuPaul was probably one of the first drag queens I ever saw. And I was just mesmerized by her. 

I also loved that song, obviously, and all of the songs that came after like “Back to My Roots.” 

Then I read her book, Lettin’ It All Hang Out, which also was kind of like my guidebook for when I started trying out drag. I basically learned how to do everything from that book, because obviously, there was no YouTube and there were no real shows about drag. So it really started with RuPaul. And here I am now like all these years later.

Image via Bell Media

What is it about Canadian queens that set themselves apart from drag performers around the world? 
The drag on Canada’s Drag Race, especially with this season, we have queens from all across Canada. So literally, from coast to coast from Vancouver to Newfoundland.

All of their drag is so specific to their identities, but also informed by where they’re from. Hearing their stories and getting to see how different their drag is and how representative they are of each person is really exciting to see. 

I think the fans this year are going to go crazy for the queens because there’s so much variety, and it really shows the broad spectrum that drag can include. You know, all are welcome. 

Drag Race has pretty much gone mainstream. Even Canada’s Drag Race has a fan base around the world. What do you make of the popularity of the series? Do you think there is more to drag culture that people should explore beyond the show? 
What it’s really about is also hopefully we gain more allies. I think what’s so great about the show is that it really spans from very young people to much older people, like it’s for all ages.

What fans can do is go out and support the queens on the shows in person, like go see their shows, buy their merch. You know, support them in any way that they can because this is career-making for people. 

I think it’s really important that after seeing the shows, go out and see the Canada’s Drag Race queens as they are touring the country and celebrate them because they really deserve it. 

You hosted a show called Iconic for a bit where you looked at some of the styles that Drag Race stars have put out on the runway. Having watched Drag Race for many years, and also being a judge, what do you think of the evolution we’re seeing from queens and the looks they are putting on the runway? 
I mean, my mind has been blown. There are moments where I can’t even believe what I’m seeing. The creativity is so high and the imagination and the work that goes into each and every look is really amazing. 

I’m still a celebrity stylist, still working with my celebrity clients in LA. And, it’s really the same process. It’s so interesting talking to the queens after the runways, and asking them about their process and how it came together. Even speaking with Brooke Lynn Hytes about how all of her looks come together, it’s months of work and I’m blown away not only by the talent of the queens, the dressmakers and wig makers and the accessories. The talent is next level. 

What’s behind the process? 
It starts with exactly the way a designer would start their collection. It starts with inspiration, then the sketch phase, fitting phase and then ultimately the final presentation. The stages are exactly the same as if you’re preparing somebody for the Oscars or for the Golden Globes. 

“I think it’s empowered a whole generation of people to be who they want to be, and we really tried to celebrate that on the show.”

For the design challenges, obviously you get to see the garment in the making. But I think a lot of the runways you see the final product but you don’t see all the work that goes into it. It’s months of preparation and the queens that are competing come with suitcases and trunks just filled with look after look after look. 

Is this something the fashion world is paying attention to? 
Yeah, I mean the queens all across the board. Priyanka, our season one winner has been on the cover of ELLE Canada. Symone in the U.S. is a darling in the fashion world. I think designers across the board from Jeremy Scott to Marc Jacobs, they’re all keeping their eye on Drag Race. Shea Couleé wore a Valentino couture look on the runway. The fashion world is definitely paying attention to all of the runways on Drag Race and also Canada’s Drag Race.  

Your specialty is in fashion. But going into Drag Race as a judge, did you see your role evolving? 
Myself, Brooke Lynn and Traci, we all have different areas of expertise. Obviously Brooke Lynn is the star of Drag Race who has not only competed on the show, but has done so well after and her star is only rising. Traci Melchor obviously comes from Canadian TV and is an icon here, and I come from the fashion world so all our expertise mixes together. 

I don’t know if I wanted to come on here to be just the fashion expert but I am such a lover of drag. I really just wanted to celebrate the queens. Obviously, my eye is going to be going towards their looks and their presentation, and the level of polish. That’s my skill. 

As a fashion expert, is it hard to give a harsh critique? 
Sometimes it can be, but I think the way we always try to come at it from a place of what’s wrong, and how you can possibly fix it. I personally don’t want to tear anybody down. So I think, if I don’t like something, I like to have a reason for saying why. 

I also think it’s in the way that you say it and approach it. I also think sometimes, you can see the queens get a little bit shocked by what you’re saying. But then we always try to back it up with “You can do this to help this thing,” or “watch when you’re doing something.” You have to remember too, that the queens are not only competing, but sometimes it’s a lot of their first times on TV. 

One of the most moving parts of watching Drag Race is seeing the queens open up to each other and be vulnerable. Do you find yourself being surprised by that when you watch the season back? 
Good question. And yes, because we’re getting to know the queens as the audience is. The thing that the audience is getting to see that we don’t, is what’s happening inside the workroom. And so when I sit back and I watch the show—because my husband loves the show so we watched it together—I’m sometimes surprised by the things that we see or things I didn’t know about the queens. 

The thing that I love so much about the runways is we have the opportunity to get to know the queens even better, whether they’re in the top or they’re in the bottom. And that part of the process, and part of being on the show is really nice because you’re in this very special world with these gorgeous people for a short amount of time where you get to know them very quickly. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of. 

Image via Bell Media

What do you want people who might be grappling with their identity to learn from the queens in terms of representation? 
I think myself, Traci and Brooke Lynn are also always learning so much from the queens because there’s so much courage, there’s so much power. I think sometimes the queens aren’t even aware of how powerful they are when they first come on the show, and how unapologetically themselves they are. I think that’s the big lesson that I’ve taken away. 

I think it’s why it resonates with audiences so much is that these queens are being their true selves, you know, they are representing themselves in a very authentic way. I think that that’s part of the reason why people watch the show. 

I think it’s empowered a whole generation of people to be who they want to be, and we really tried to celebrate that on the show.  I think it’s also what makes the franchise and Canada’s Drag Race so powerful and why people love it so much is that you get to see such a diverse cross-section of queens from across the country who are being exactly who they want to be. I think that message is so important, especially right now.

Is there a particular story from the show, while behind the scenes that you have a good memory of? 
I love being a part of this show so much. And I think myself, Traci and Brooke Lynn are really, really close on camera and off camera. The audience gets to see a very small portion of what goes on, like we laugh from the minute that we walk in the door to the minute that we leave, and we really love each other. 

But I think what people see on the show is exactly what happens offstage. We hang out in each other’s dressing rooms, we love to have a good laugh, and we all enjoy coming into work every single day. 

It’s such a gift to be able to be a part of the show, and also to have audiences respond so positively. I’m so grateful to be a part of it. And I’m so excited for people to be able to see Season 3 and get to know these queens better.

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