Ilona Verley

Ilona Verley is a Canadian-American drag queen, makeup artist, and television personality, recognized for their groundbreaking appearance on “Canada’s Drag Race.” After gaining widespread recognition for competing on the inaugural season of ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ in 2020, Ilona Verley established herself as a groundbreaking television personality and drag artist. During their impactful run on the series, Verley notably became the first Indigenous, Two-Spirit, and openly non-binary queen to participate in the competition, finishing in the seventh episode. This pivotal appearance followed their foundational training in make-up artistry at the Blanche MacDonald Centre in Vancouver, and an early professional credit in pop singer Mathew V’s 2018 music video for ‘Broken.’ Leveraging the platform provided by ‘Canada’s Drag Race,’ Verley continued to garner significant attention and utilize their voice for advocacy. Their critically acclaimed finale look on the show, which incorporated a First Nations jingle dress with pastel colors and red handprints, powerfully symbolized the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement, sparking widespread conversation.

With a proven track record of captivating performances, impactful advocacy, and a distinctive visual style, Verley remains a highly sought-after talent, poised for continued influence across television, digital media, and live performance platforms.