A CHILD OF IMMIGRANT PARENTS (mom: Guyana, dad: India), Priyanka took inspiration in their unwavering determination – and in turn, they supported her. For a while, she explains, as the host of shows like The Zone and The Next Star, she was the only openly gay person of colour on YTV. “Being on TV normalized my voice and how flamboyant I am. And that’s what a lot of kids growing up in Canada got to see on television: me, being unapologetically myself.”

HUDSON’S BAY So many kids dream of becoming a pop star, but you actually did it – congrats on your forthcoming album!

Priyanka Thank you – it’s out this summer! Honestly, I had a little dose of delusion growing up, but I think that’s OK if it helps you dream bigger. It’s beautiful to have something to hope for. Being a kid of immigrant parents, there was push-back. Even my guidance counselor, who told me that I’d never get a job in TV. But I also had a lot of friends and family who encouraged me and didn’t tell me no.

HB You were famous before Priyanka arrived on the scene. Did things change for you?

PR I was the face of a kid’s television brand across Canada and yet it still didn’t feel like it was it for me. After filming Drag Race and seeing the promo where it says, ‘Who will be the Queen of the North?’, I was like: oh wait, ok! And then it blew up all over the world and it felt like I had finally made it.

HB What have you learned about your home country as you’ve been touringaround Canada?

PR I really feel like you can do whatever you want and Canadians will find it interesting and cool. I perform plenty of Shania and Celine, but when I go to small towns and perform a Bollywood song in a Bollywood outfit – and the audience is so into it – that speaks volumes on what being a Canadian is like.

There was one show in Ottawa and when I started performing this Bollywood mix and I saw this one brown girl in the audience. And I watched as she heard the first drum beat and it’s like her entire life changed. She was like: This is my space. This is my song. I belong here. She was singing every word and I just started crying because I didn’t have this in my bars but I’m able to give this experience to her.