Lady Nova | Featured Artist

“Going back, I would be much kinder to myself and encourage myself to explore the different avenues drag has to offer, instead of shutting down.”

Lady Nova is the shining superstar of Toronto, who burst onto the drag scene, immediately captivating audiences with her beauty, charm and elegance. Every performance feels like a stop on her world tour as she serves LIVE pop and RnB vocals, combined with her professionally trained dance skills. Her aesthetic is a cosmic explosion of inspiration including pop stars like Beyoncé and Doja Cat, as well as many other icons who exemplify Black Excellence, such as Josephine Baker.

Before pursuing drag, Lady Nova extensively studied the elements of musical theatre, acting, and directing which is constantly infused into her drag. She has also received a diploma in makeup studies where she trained in both beauty and special effects. This expansive background indicates that Lady Nova is a true visual and performance artist and ensures that she will ALWAYS put on a production. She also takes pride in the many intersections of her identity, including being Black, non-binary and queer which heavily informs her artistry and activism. She believes her creative purpose is to offer healing and inspiration to others through her own authentic existence.

What else can you say? Lady Nova is a superstar, baby!

What have you learned about yourself in the last year in regards to your artistic practice?

“I have really learned how important it is to slow down, and create at your own pace. Interestingly enough, I have started to find performing in drag quite limiting over the past year. It’s difficult to be creative while working at the same bars every night that expect “Marathon Drag”. This is essentially performing back to back numbers on stage for upwards of 30 minutes at a time. 2-3 sets of this throughout the night by yourself is exhausting and not fulfilling artistically. I enjoy drag most when I intentionally limit how often I work and the type music I’m performing to, otherwise I feel super stagnant. I’ve also become more interested in gigs outside of the Church-Wellesley Village that offer new audiences and more creative freedom over Top 40 hits.”

Favourite place to create and why?

“This isn’t necessarily my favourite place to create, but I’ve been having a lot of fun exploring drag from an improvisational place lately. Being able to connect with your audience, make them laugh, and curate a strong setlist on stage in the moment is a skill that I’m super fascinated by. It’s totally out of my comfort zone, but it’s so important when being a host and is something I really want to work to improve.”

What advice would you give to yourself a year ago?

“A year ago, I was really struggling with the fact that I was recovering from an injury and couldn’t perform the way I wanted to. All the dancing and stunts were limited, so I felt that I didn’t have as much to offer. I’d be so frustrated during performances and super hard on myself afterwards despite the fact that the audience was enjoying themselves.

Going back, I would be much kinder to myself and encourage myself to explore the different avenues drag has to offer, instead of shutting down.“

Who is your newest favourite drag queen and/or king?

“I’ve recently been indulging in All Stars 9 which is the current airing season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and I’ve been obsessed with Gottmik! She has had such remarkable fashion on the runway this season, and is such incredible representation for the trans community. I’ve had the opportunity to meet her a few times while she was visiting Toronto, and every interaction was so kind and genuine.”

What are you up to in June and where can we find you?

“June is Pride Month which means I’ll be all over the place! Most of these events are free to attend. You can always check out my Instagram, @ladynovaqueen, to stay updated on any additional shows that may pop up!”