Awards, Nominations & Submissions
2014 Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year Shame On Me - Submission
2014 Best Music Video The Queen - Submission
2014 Single of the Year Warrior - Submission
2014 Best Rock CD The Queen - Nominee
2014 Best New ArtistThe Queen - Nominee
2014 Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year Shame On Me - Submission
2014 Best Music Video The Queen - Submission
2014 Single of the Year Warrior - Submission
2014 Best Rock CD The Queen - Nominee
2014 Best New ArtistThe Queen - Nominee
First Nations Oilsands tycoon defies odds as Karaoke Queen Fort McMurray's Massey Whiteknife told he would never make it as openly gay business man By Lisa Charleyboy, CBC News Posted: Feb 10, 2014 11:51 AM ET read the article here
Iceis Rain Interview on Breakfast Television!
Fort Mac Karaoke Original Air Date: Thursday, September 19, 2013 When you think of Fort McMurray, karaoke probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, but a new documentary showcases just that.
We sit down with the director of Oil Sands Karaoke, Charles Wilkinson, as well as the star, Iceis Rain.
We sit down with the director of Oil Sands Karaoke, Charles Wilkinson, as well as the star, Iceis Rain.
By: Linda Barnard Movies, Published on Wed May 01 2013
Republish The great equalizer in the controversial northern Alberta oil-patch town of Fort McMurray is a microphone and a song list crammed with pop hits.
At least that’s what Oil Sands Karaoke director Charles Wilkinson (Peace Out) found when he ended up in Bailey’s Pub. He discovered it didn’t matter whether you’re a lonely oil sands worker lured there with the promise of big paydays, or a drag performer facing his demons by singing Bill Withers. On karaoke night, it’s all down to how well you sell the song.
The doc follows four people who work in the controversial and lucrative oil sands industry by day and hope for stardom on the karaoke stage after work. They’re joined by local business owner and entrepreneur Massey Whiteknife, a gay man who believes he was the first person to come out in “Fort Mac” when he was 18. He performs in spectacular drag as his flamboyant alter ego, Iceis Rain. read more ...
Republish The great equalizer in the controversial northern Alberta oil-patch town of Fort McMurray is a microphone and a song list crammed with pop hits.
At least that’s what Oil Sands Karaoke director Charles Wilkinson (Peace Out) found when he ended up in Bailey’s Pub. He discovered it didn’t matter whether you’re a lonely oil sands worker lured there with the promise of big paydays, or a drag performer facing his demons by singing Bill Withers. On karaoke night, it’s all down to how well you sell the song.
The doc follows four people who work in the controversial and lucrative oil sands industry by day and hope for stardom on the karaoke stage after work. They’re joined by local business owner and entrepreneur Massey Whiteknife, a gay man who believes he was the first person to come out in “Fort Mac” when he was 18. He performs in spectacular drag as his flamboyant alter ego, Iceis Rain. read more ...
“Have you ever hit a bottom and had to choose to either defend what you believe in, or take it and move on? Well I was at my lowest bottom, and I had a few thousand dollars left and a choice. I could let them all win and give up, or I could fight back and show them that everyone should have the opportunity to do whatever it is they have a passion for. I chose to stand up, not listen to anyone and do it my way. I figured hey, what else do you have to lose, you’re already broke.” Read More ...
Iceis Rain is Fort McMurray's Premiere (and Only) Drag Queen By Sarah Kurchak
Here are some stats about Fort McMurray, Alberta, the sub-arctic industrial town at the heart of Canada’s infamous oil sands: It has the third largest oil reserves in the world. It boasts some of the highest paying jobs in the country, thanks to the energy industry, but also one of the highest costs of living. It has an average temperature of -11 Fahrenheit at night in January. It has a population of 61,374 with a ratio of 110-140 men for every 100 women. It was named Canada’s fifth most dangerous city in a 2010 poll thanks, in part, to the presence of Somali gangs and the Hells Angels, but its crime rate is currently declining. It also has one drag queen. Read More ...
Here are some stats about Fort McMurray, Alberta, the sub-arctic industrial town at the heart of Canada’s infamous oil sands: It has the third largest oil reserves in the world. It boasts some of the highest paying jobs in the country, thanks to the energy industry, but also one of the highest costs of living. It has an average temperature of -11 Fahrenheit at night in January. It has a population of 61,374 with a ratio of 110-140 men for every 100 women. It was named Canada’s fifth most dangerous city in a 2010 poll thanks, in part, to the presence of Somali gangs and the Hells Angels, but its crime rate is currently declining. It also has one drag queen. Read More ...