Moncton drag queen takes Acadian pride to Canada’s Drag Race finale

Maritimer Sami Landri is a finalist in Canada’s Drag Race.

Moncton drag queen Sami Landri is headed to the Canada’s Drag Race finale.

“It’s been a lot of work. It was very stressful. It’s been very testing, but at the end of the day, it’s been so much fun,” Landri said in an interview with CTV Atlantic’s Katie Kelly.

The road to the finale wasn’t smooth from the start. Landri landed in the bottom two early in the competition and was forced to lip-sync for survival.

“So it’s been so great to learn that lesson… like never give up for real, because you don’t know what’s coming up next,” said Landry. “And also if you have a bad day… you have no choice but to dust yourself off and then bring your best immediately.”

Now, with a finale spot secured, Landri says it wasn’t luck…it was earned.

“I built my way up to that finale, like brick by brick,” said Landri. “I didn’t like just end up there by chance.”

Landri is also being celebrated as a major flag-bearer for not only New Brunswick, but the Acadian drag scene.

“Point blank, I know that so much of who I am as a person… and in translation… so much of what I do in my drag, not even on purpose, is so Acadian… so Maritimer,” said Landri. “It’s never been fully a conscious choice… I just knew that whatever I do, that will naturally come out.”

As for what viewers can expect in the finale…

“I think it’s an episode where we get to shine the most, where we individually get to put all of our uniqueness… all of our drag on the spotlight and let it all hang out.”

The finale of season six of Canada’s Drag Race airs Thursday, January 15 at 10AT.