ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Dylan Jerrett realized he was an entertainer after he moved from Bonavista to Toronto in 2015. That’s the year he says he really got to know himself, and it’s when his alter ego, Crystal Queer, became a fixture in the Toronto drag community.
With multiple shows per week, Jerrett turned his passion for entertaining into a full-time job.
He produced a popular interactive weekly show in Toronto called Gaymes with Drag Queens, and now back in Newfoundland Crystal Queer is also host of Drag Brunch at The Rec Room, a monthly all-ages, family friendly event.
Crystal Queer even caught the eye of furniture retailer IKEA. She was featured in the company’s Pride 2018 commercial.
The retailer enlisted several Toronto-area drag queens to create runway looks using its products, such as shower curtains, storage containers and umbrellas. Crystal Queer’s look involved repurposing a $5.99 set of four pen cups to create a geometrical collar for an all-black sequined outfit.
Crystal Queer can also be found at charity drag shows, and has been a guest reader with Drag Story Time at the A.C. Hunter Children’s Library.
Jerrett is also a hairstylist, and has done volunteer work in that capacity, such as providing free haircuts for homeless people.
1. What is your full name?
Dylan Jerrett, and my stage name is Crystal Queer.
2. Where and when were you born?
Clarenville, N.L., in 1992.
3. Where do you live today?
St. John’s, N.L. I just recently moved back to the province from Toronto.
4. What’s your favourite place in the world?
Anywhere there’s a stage where I’m able to entertain and perform. I’m very passionate about it.
5. Who do you follow on social media?
A lot of beauty influencers – keeping up on the latest trends with makeup and fashion because it caters to the art of drag. I’m also a hairstylist by day, so I follow a lot of celebrity hairstylists, a lot of tutorials and inspiration pages.
6. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m an introvert. People who know me onstage — my drag persona, Crystal — would never say it due to my shows, but I’m quite shy, and timid. A lot of people come to my shows where I’m mostly known for hosting, and I love interacting, educating, talking on the microphone — but as Dylan, without being in drag, and without performing, I’m very introverted. It’s like a mask, like two different people. I always refer to Crystal as a different person, and people say, ‘Why are you talking in third person?’ But it really is like somebody else.
7. What’s been your favourite year and why?
2015. It was my biggest year of self-growth, and really coming into my own. It was a great year of building my confidence, figuring out where I wanted to be in my life, and really figuring out who I was as Dylan and Crystal. It was the year that I moved to Toronto.
8. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
Deciding that I wanted more for my life, and really just exposing myself, and moving on, and moving away. When I left Newfoundland, I left on my own, moved to Toronto, found an apartment. At the time, I was maybe 22, and knew nobody — maybe a handful of people. And really just created a new life for myself without looking back, and stepping forward.
9. Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
Drag. Drag is an art form. It’s a way to express yourself artistically, and be somebody else — have an alter ego. Drag helped me find confidence in myself. It showed me that I really do enjoy entertaining, and that I am a performer.
10. What’s your greatest indulgence?
Sitting in my bed at night, watching YouTube, and eating food that I shouldn’t be eating — junk food and sweets.
I’ve gone through a big weight loss journey. Most of my life I was about 350 pounds, and I’d say about seven years ago I lost about 200 pounds. So, I was on quite a fitness journey for a little bit.
11. What is your favourite movie or book?
"Paris Is Burning" is probably one of my favourite movies. It has a lot of education on gay culture, and what started drag and the Club Kids in New York. In the LGBTQ community and with drag, we create families, and a lot of the people we associate ourselves with are our families. "Paris Is Burning" is definitely an inspiration to my whole drag career.
12. How do you like to relax?
I love spending time with my friends. I work about 70 hours a week altogether, not including drag, so I definitely love just spending time at home when I’m not working. I love bubble baths, face masks, anything like that.
13. What are you reading or watching right now?
I don’t have time to watch a lot of TV with my busy schedule, but I do like a lot of horror. Anything campy with an edge. I’m a big fan of Ryan Murphy.
14. What is your greatest fear?
I don’t want to make it dark and say death, but really, it’s just my health, and making sure that I’m always the best version of myself both for myself and for other people, considering I do work in such a service industry.
15. How would you describe your personal fashion statement?
I have a huge, broad range of style and fashion. You could see me one day completely in black, dressing so masculine, feeling that masculinity of Dylan, and then tomorrow you may see me completely in neon, tight clothing, with foundation and makeup.
16. What is your most treasured possession?
A lot of my drag outfits because they are specifically made to cater to my body, and they’re sewn based on my ideas, so a lot of my outfits can get quite pricey — an outfit can range anywhere from $100 to $500.
17. What physical or personality trait are you most grateful to a parent for?
I was raised to always give somebody the shirt off of your back, and do whatever you can for other people. That was always my dad — he was a fisherman in Bonavista, and such a giving man. He’s no longer here with us anymore, but he was definitely known throughout the community for being so giving and so caring for other people.
18. What three people would join you for your dream dinner party?
Andy Warhol, Alexander McQueen and Madonna.
19. What is your best quality, and what is your worst quality?
I think they both tie into each other — it’s how outspoken I am. I have no filter, I always say what’s on my mind, which bites me sometimes because it can get me into a little bit of trouble, but it’s definitely my best quality because I’m always true to myself and how I feel.
20. What’s your biggest regret?
If I had my time back, just after finishing high school before I left and started my careers, I should have definitely travelled and done some volunteer work.
This interview was edited for length.
