Mya Foxx reflects on Canada’s Drag Race Season 6

On Jan. 22, drag queen Mya Foxx sat down with the Dalhousie Gazette to talk about Halifax’s drag scene, Canada’s Drag Race Season 6, and what’s next for her. 

Originally from Sydney, N.S., Foxx came to Halifax to attend Saint Mary’s University. In Halifax, Foxx began performing as a backup dancer for local drag queens. That is, until she was invited to do a guest performance, and Mya Foxx, drag star, was born.

“I fell into it,” Foxx said. “I only had the intention of doing the one show. But once I got on that stage and realized it’s a whole different level than back-up dancing, I sort of fell in love with it.” 

For Foxx, drag serves as a form of self-expression and self-acceptance.

“Mya has really helped me outside of drag to embrace who I am and realize that I don’t need to put on anything to be accepted by anyone else.”

Foxx approaches drag with nearly six years of practice and patience. She knew the transition from back-up to center stage would require a new set of skills.

“You need to be prepared to not be polished when you start,” she said. “When I started, there was a solid six months to a year where I did not look good, but I kept doing it anyway.”

A self-proclaimed nerd, Foxx draws inspiration from video games and people-watching. 

“I just look at all of the things that interest me,” she said. “I’m sitting down playing Marvel Rivals on my PS5, and when Emma Frost pops up on the screen, I [think], ‘I’m going to do that look.’”

“Sometimes, when I’m walking down the street, I see a lady’s outfit. And I’m just like, ‘Okay, that’s fierce.’”

In November, Foxx took the stage on Season 6 of Canada’s Drag Race as the show’s first Inuk queen and first Halifax-based drag artist.

“The one thing that I always say about the scene in Halifax is we’re small, but mighty,” she said.

“I think sometimes we get overlooked, and sometimes people say it’s not super polished. I think that has a lot to do with the lack of a fashion scene here. But there are super, super campy queens. There’s a ton of personality in Halifax.”

While having great success in the Halifax drag community, some of the attention from Canada’s Drag Race has come with online criticism and backlash. 

“If you’re in a position where you have nothing better to do but roast somebody online, you probably have too much time on your hands.”

Though Foxx sashayed away in the season’s sixth episode, she still cheered for her co-stars.

“We all should be proud, the season was sickening,” Foxx said. “We’re all kind of looking after each other and helping support each other and encouraging each other.”

Post-season finale, Foxx is looking for a momentary break from the spotlight.

“I really want to use this time to recentre, but also to get those creative juices flowing again and figure out what it is I want to do next.”