Meet Sahira

Sahira is the drag djinn of Nogojiwanong/Peterborough; a chaotic force, bound to change the world by changing the self.

Born in Zanzibar and raised in Toronto, Sahira fuses movement, radical honesty, afro-fashion, and political heat into a drag practice that is equal parts ritual, rebellion, and joy as protest. A runner-up in the 2019 Future Fierce Pageant hosted by Tynomi Banks, Sahira was more recently hand-picked by Lemon out of over 40 applicants to compete in Toronto’s inaugural Legacy Pride Pageant in June 2025. Alongside appearing and performing on TD mainstages in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, Sahira has also appeared on Drag Brunch Saved My Life featuring Priyanka (Season 1, Episode 5).

Sahira builds work through a cyclical, intuitive process in a self-regulated rhythm of expression. Layering skill over time, their practice honors neurodivergent flow: improvisational, dopamine-led, and rooted in autonomy.

Sahira showcased the first rendition of their communally collaborative multi-disciplinary afro-drag project entitled A Dandy Lion’s Guide on How to Bloom from Rotted Roots during the 2025 Peterborough ArtsWeek.

Artistic Statement

Assalamu alaikum.

I am a drag djinn, a performance artist who draws on the figure of the djinn from Islamic mythology as a framework for my work. Djinn are shape-shifters made of smokeless fire and similarly I shape-shift in the way I work, perform, and create, informed by living with ADHD. My work is grounded in refusing rigid boundaries, both in form and in identity.

My relationship to the djinn is also familial and inherited, shaped by stories from my childhood in Zanzibar where djinn were understood not as fantasy, but as active presences tied to land, protection, and consequence. This understanding informs how I think about ancestry, place, and responsibility within my work.

My recent multi-disciplinary project, A Dandy Lion’s Guide on How to Bloom from Rotted Roots, reflects this approach. The work explores transformation through themes of belonging, resilience, and community, using the dandelion as a symbol of survival and decolonization. Developed during the summer 2025 Black August Arts Residency, the project combines live performance, original poetry, music, and film. I presented the first full iteration of the work at the 2025 Peterborough ArtsWeek.

Upcoming Events

June 4th // 6:00 PM
Rocky Horror Picture Show
// Aron Theatre Co-op

June 6th // 6:00 PM
Pride in the Park: Warkworth Magic
// Mills Creek Park

June 7th // 6:00 PM
Betty Baker’s Drag Bingo
// Marble Arts Centre

June 14th // 12:00 PM
Kingston Pride Recovery Brunch
// The Wharf & The Feather

June 20th // 6:00 PM
Betty Baker’s Drag Bingo
// The Village Playhouse

  • A person dressed in futuristic, space-themed costume with armor and mesh, adjusting long black hair in a vibrant purple-lit club or stage setting.
  • A woman in a headwrap and black top stands at a microphone on stage, smiling. The image features colorful text that says, 'The Love Ball Shukran,' and a thank you message at the bottom, with the credit to Andy Carroll.
  • Person wearing a colorful patterned outfit with floral embellishments, a matching headwrap, and feathered red cuffs, standing against a light background.
  • A woman in colorful, traditional African attire performing on stage with a DJ setup behind her and a digital backdrop featuring a large spider graphic and text.
  • A person with dark skin and makeup, wearing large pentagram earrings and a pink outfit, holds a large striped fabric or hat overhead while standing behind sheer white curtains.
  • A woman on stage holding a striped scarf above her head with both hands. She is wearing a black head covering, a pink and black outfit, and striped sleeves. The background features a shadowy projection of the word 'SAHIRA' in stylized font, with the logo 'JC Photography' in the lower right corner.
  • Person with bold makeup and jewelry, wearing vibrant, artistic clothing with floral and butterfly prints, posing among colorful flowers and greenery in an indoor setting.
  • Person with bold makeup and a netted head accessory, wearing a sleeveless vest and patterned clothing, standing beside a floral arrangement
  • A painting of a woman's face with bold makeup, large hoop earrings, and a yellow collar, overlaid with an abstract gold web pattern, set against a green background.
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 FAQs

  • I’ve been playing with gender and dressing eclectically for most of my life - but the first time I was paid to do it was when a friend asked me to perform a 'Lip Sync for Your Life'-style number at Market Hall for one of TQC's annual drag shows. I had no idea what I was stepping into. But the moment I hit that stage, something ancient and electric unlocked inside me.

    It wasn’t just about the performance - it was about embodying a version of myself that felt more alive, more free. That night didn’t just spark a passion. It set me on a lifelong path of shape-shifting, storytelling, and community building through drag.

  • In the world of drag, a drag child is someone you mentor - someone you guide as they come into their own artistry. It’s a chosen family dynamic rooted in care, legacy, and collective evolution. You help shape their drag, and in return, they shape you right back.

    Officially, I only have two drag children:

    • Betty Baker, the Nogojiwanong/Peterborough Public Library story time legend herself,

    • & Magnolia Knox, who I birthed in my living room.

    Each of them brings their own distinct magic to the stage. Watching them grow as performers, creators, and people is a joy beyond words. We’re not just performing together - we’re weaving a legacy.

  • ‘Sahira’ means “the enchantress” in Arabic - which felt like the perfect invocation: a name with poetic power. I chose it because it conjured mystery, femininity, and magic. What I didn’t know at the time is that Sahira also means “the wakeful one” - the one who cannot sleep. The one who stays alert. The one who stays woke.