By Sydney Morton

After losing everything, Grayson Nordgren found himself and his alter ego, Jenna Telz.

Three years ago, Nordgren was kicked out of the Jehovahsa国际传媒檚 Witness church for being gay, and lost his family and friends.

sa国际传媒淲hen I first got kicked out, I lost everything, I lost my faith, friends, family, my goals, dreams, and where I was going in life. Itsa国际传媒檚 hard to sit back and think about that all. Through drag I found my place again and I feel like this is what saved me from a really dark time in my life,sa国际传媒� said Nordgren.

Growing up, Nordgren describes himself as sheltered. If anything that referenced the LGBTQ+ community came on the TV his parents would change the channel. It was his curiosity after being exiled that led him to drag.

sa国际传媒淲hen I first saw a drag queen, who is now a good friend of mine, I remember just thinking, sa国际传媒榳ow,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� said Nordgren.

sa国际传媒淚 still remember that feeling, I was super curious about it and itsa国际传媒檚 not that I didnsa国际传媒檛 understand it. I was not exposed to it. The more I saw it, the more in love I fell with it.sa国际传媒�

Nordgren said itsa国际传媒檚 empowering and cool to completely transform.

sa国际传媒�(Itsa国际传媒檚) the closest thing I could get to magic,sa国际传媒� he said.

Jenna Tellz, a tall gothic vision, drew attention through her renditions of rocksa国际传媒檔sa国际传媒檙oll and grunge songs, such as Zombie by the Cranberries.

sa国际传媒淛enna is my superhero, I was kicked out of my family and itsa国际传媒檚 how I gained a self worth again. In my eyes, Jenna is my perfect superhero. She is goth and dark,sa国际传媒� he said.

Now a thriving drag queen in Kelowna, Nordgren is about to gain national recognition in the next season of CBCsa国际传媒檚 hit web docu-series, Canadasa国际传媒檚 a Drag.

For the past 10 months, Nordgren has been able to sustain himself by performing as Jenna Tellz. Booking his own shows and venues.

sa国际传媒淚 basically started cutting out the middle men in between myself and performing. I put on my own shows because I not given opportunities wanted,sa国际传媒� he said.

RELATED: Kelowna Drag King rocks out into the spotlight

Nordgren also travels to schools throughout the Okanagan sharing his story to help youth find their voice and give them advice.

sa国际传媒� I want them to come to realize itsa国际传媒檚 OK to be themselves and that they donsa国际传媒檛 have to go through depression I was going through,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 made my ideal role model out of Jenna, she is who I want to be, with the exception that I donsa国际传媒檛 want to be a woman.sa国际传媒�

Production is scheduled for Dec. 15 at Munnins Post during his Naughtymare Before Christmas double-feature performance.

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sydney.morton@kelownacapnews.com
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