“I didn’t think people would be so repulsed at my personality,” says Canada’s Drag Race star Kyne. “I thought I was just being sarcastic and using my sense of humour, but I guess it didn’t come across that way to everyone.”
The Kitchener-based performer made quite the impression during her time on the acclaimed new Drag Race spin-off, with passionate fans hailing the star as the “villain” of the series due to her unapologetic cuntiness and soon-to-be iconic back-and-forth with judge Brooke Lynn Hytes. But what would a reality TV show be without a villain though, right? “I own it because this is what I signed up for,” adds Kyne. “This is the risk I undertook when I auditioned for the show.”
Sadly, viewers were stripped of more drama, conflama and memeable one-liners last week when Kyne became the second queen to sashay away from Canada’s Drag Race. The star failed to impress the judging panel with her ‘Not My First Time’ runway extravaganza and performance in the Heritage-inspired acting challenge, leaving in 11th place after losing a lip-sync showdown to drag veteran Tynomi Banks.
Here, Kyne spills the T on her elimination, the moment she mentally checked out of the competition and of course, who she was going to slay on Snatch Game.
Kyne, I’m stunned that you’ve left the competition this early. You gave us great television.
Oh thanks! I appreciate that. I was stunned too!
This may be controversial to say, but I think, for the second week in a row, that lip-sync was quite hard to call…
That’s very flattering! When I was doing it, I definitely thought I didn’t stand a chance against Tynomi Banks. To tell you the truth, I was really at peace with going home that week. I just put on a little performance to go out with some dignity.
What was going through your mind during the lip-sync?
I wanted to show the judges and the world how much this meant to me, because I really kept on such a hard exterior throughout the show. I really tried to keep my composure on and to be told for the second week in a row that I was in the bottom, after really feeling that I had redeemed myself and excelled in the challenge, it was really disappointing. I just felt like such a fool and that it was my time to go. The competition had really taken a toll on me and so that was my final goodbye.
I loved your glow-up? I didn’t expect that reaction from the judges…
Yeah, neither did I! I knew not to set my hopes too high because the week before, they really surprised me with their critiques. I went in a bit optimistic but I wasn’t too optimistic. I knew as they were going down the line that too many people were getting good critiques, so I was like, ‘Okay, somebody has to be in the bottom,’ and I realised that it was me. Listen, that was the moment that I had accepted defeat. That was the moment that I knew, ‘Okay, I’m really trying my best. I’m really putting my best foot forward. I’m giving them 100% and they just don’t like my style, they don’t like my personality and that’s okay. Not everyone has to like what you do.’ I didn’t want to keep pushing on for another episode because I didn’t want to embarrass myself any further, to be completely honest with you.
Do you really think you embarrassed yourself?
Yeah, I mean I definitely disappointed myself with how poorly I did in both challenges. You sign up for the show and you dream of having this moment of glory. I never really thought that I was going to win the show. I thought that I would go far, but I thought I would at least win a challenge or two. So, I did disappoint myself since I had so much confidence going in. It was definitely an embarrassing moment for me, like I was a fool.
As a massive Drag Race fan, I don’t think you should be embarrassed in any way. You gave us some fantastic television and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
The Drag Race fanbase can be quite… passionate. Did you expect that kind of response after the first episode?
No. To tell you the truth, I felt really embarrassed that I was in the bottom and that I had thought that I was in the top, so when the show aired, I thought the thing I would have to answer for would be Kyne losing the sewing challenge. My fans know that I’m great at sewing, so that was the bad moment that I was trying to prepare myself for. I didn’t think people would be so repulsed at my personality because while we were filming it, I thought I was just cracking jokes. I thought I was just being sarcastic and using my sense of humour, but I guess it didn’t come across that way to everyone.
How did you feel when you watched the first episode back?
It was tough. There were definitely moments where I felt I was just being funny and silly and obviously satirical with what I was saying. That’s just my sense of humour, as I’ve said. The fight in Untucked, that was hard for me to watch and I cringed at myself, because that was the moment where I really did lose my cool. I feel all the stars had aligned perfectly for that to happen. I thought I was doing well in the challenge and the judges really were very harsh in their critiques so I hit a breaking point.
How does it feel to be thrust into the spotlight at such a young age and have all of these negative comments thrown your way on social media?
I own it because this is what I signed up for. This is the risk I undertook when I auditioned for the show. Even before the show, I was somebody who was putting myself out there for the world to see on YouTube and social media, so this is what I prepared myself for and the big lesson that I’ve learned from all of this is that not everyone is gonna like you. That’s okay, but you just have to roll with the punches.
I’m not sure if you wanted to ruveal this, but who did you have planned for Snatch Game?
I was gonna do Dame Shirley Bassey, actually. I was so excited for that. The diamonds are foreveeeeer!
What do you think the change of having the guest judge of the week as the host adds to the series?
It definitely gives things a fresh perspective, a fresh voice. Viewers are so used to seeing RuPaul in that spot, so it gives a different look to the show. I think it’s refreshing.
What do you think Canada’s Drag Race will do for the drag scene in Canada?
I think it will give Canadian queens a new thing to be excited about, a new thing to aspire to. If anything, a new weekly event to do viewing parties. If it results in more work for all of the queens, it’s going to be a positive.
What do you think international viewers will learn about Canadian culture through Canada’s Drag Race?
Well you guys are already getting lots of little snippets! You guys are learning about the Heritage minutes and Roots, which is just golden.
What has been the best part of the experience for you?
Definitely the friends that I’ve made on the show. Surprisingly enough, Boa and I are really good friends. I lean on her a lot and she can always take a joke and have some banter with me. I’ve gotten really close with her and to be honest, all of the girls. That’s the best thing to take away.
Canada’s Drag Race airs every Thursday in Canada and the United States on Crave and WOW Presents Plus, and every Friday in the UK on BBC iPlayer.
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