"Someone do a shot with me, no way I can drink all this by myself!" It was after this statement that I found myself downing a glass of whisky, after raising a toast to the success of Sharon Needles. Backstage prior to hosting the search for Calgary’s next drag superstar at Cowboys, Needles was celebrating the success of her debut album PG-13. The previous day the album hit #26 and the single This Club Is A Haunted House was #5 on the iTunes pop charts.

"As soon as Season 5 debuted, my single hit #5 on the iTunes pop chart, beating out Pink, Adele and Destiny’s Child. Is that not some crazy shit? It is not on a record label we didn’t put one dollar into marketing. This was all social media, word of mouth and fan devotion. If that doesn’t show that I have the best fans in the world I don’t know what does. Lady Gaga, move over!" she said. "PG-13 is an album that is beautiful, spooky and stupid. It spans everything from pop electronic metal and punk. I have gotten to work with so many of my idols on this album. I even got RuPaul to do the intro to my album. It is very exciting. It is a pop record that is licked with hidden secrets for my fans to figure out lyrically based on the rolodex of pop culture that lives upstairs."

It has been an amazing ride for Needles, who was on the first stop of a cross-Canada tour in conjunction with the 5th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, airing Monday nights on OUTtv. The fourth season had its share of drama and controversy, including not crowing a winner on the finale and taping three endings to the reunion special.

"The funny thing about what some people call a myth of none of us knowing who won, is that no one believes us. They think it is this story we created to keep our lips tight. But if anyone knew anything about a drag queen they would know that we drink a lot and we can’t keep a secret. When those two things mix we would have leaked the answer. What RuPaul did was film all three of us winning and we would find out live on television with the rest of the world. We were told about three minutes in advance. It was hard enough doing the show and not finding out who won, coming back months later and not finding out, but it was also kind of romantic and heartfelt to be able to sit with your family and friends around your television set and find out that way. I wish they would release the footage of the other girls winning. Chad Michaels did it so eloquently. Phi Phi O’Hara when the crown got on her head she tripped, the crown fell off her head, she stepped on it and she broke it!"

She was convinced at first that there was no way she would win. With the fans influencing the final decision her feelings changed as the show aired.

"Leaving the studio and the whole world not knowing, I knew I was not going to win. As the show started progressing and I started getting all this love from all sorts of different fans of drag around the world I started thinking I had a chance. Usually my favourite girl doesn’t win Drag Race and majority-wise it is a disappointing winner most seasons. So I thought maybe Ru would let Chad Michaels win so she could keep using me for her morbid little game and her terrifying network."

Needles, Michaels and O’Hara found out at the same time as the rest of the world when the show was broadcast who the winner was.

"Me and Chad Michaels and Phi Phi were together at a nightclub in New York City. We threw a huge party and were all on pins and needles. They asked who wanted Phi Phi to win and you heard a couple of people cheer. For Chad Michaels there were more cheers, and when they said my name it ripped the roof off the building. That is when they started chanting my name and I looked over at Phi Phi and she was chanting my name as well. It was really weird to watch that come full circle and her support me and be on my team after all the bullshit we put each other through. It was great to be with our top three sisterhood and be surrounded by our friends and my Mom. I was really drunk I don’t really remember it that well."

If Needles were to give advice to the Season 5 contestants, including her boyfriend Alaska, it would be to always act like you are having a good time.

"It is a very stressful thing to go through and it can show up in your face. Those queens that can laugh at themselves being read are the ones that no matter where they end up in the competition will be remembered and loved by the fans. Another thing is quit crying! It always comes off as a desperate attempt to have a back story so you don’t get sent home. You’ve got to save your tears for the right moment, if you haven’t noticed they all cried like five times on the first episode."

Taking guidance from RuPaul is also important. Every time I have interviewed Ru she makes a statement that is inspiring, and this applies to her girls as well.

"The thing I take from her every single day is when she told me what other people think of me is none of my god damn business. Being the type of drag queen I am and saying the shit that I do and being politically aware and ridiculously offensive, I get some hate mail. Ru taught me that I am not designed to make everyone happy, I am here to make those who love me feel embraced just between us. Thank you Ru for telling me that because it has made me the hardcore dead bitch I am today.

America’s Next Drag Superstar, recording artist, comedianne; Sharon Needles continues to make an impact, yet remains humble when looking back at her recent success.

"It is insane. A year ago I was paying my rent by taking a dish full of quarters to the coin star. Drag was a hobby that I used to entertain my friends and fans in Pittsburgh. Now I’ve taken my favourite hobby and not only turned it into a huge success but also a business. It has changed me from being a downtown punk rock drunk clown doing it for fun and turned it into a business. It has matured me and thickened my skin but also put a telescope on my own insecurities. I always feel like I am not giving enough or am not good enough for this much attention so fast. It is a learning process every day and I cry a lot."