Last week’s Canada’s Drag Race reunion had an explosive ending with a lip sync battle to determine the top three contestants. Sadly, that means one didn’t make it to the top, and that turned out to be Gia Metric.

Metric spoke with Shadow and Act about what it was like to see the contestants again before heading into the surprise battle.

“It was very unexpected, it was shocking, but it was also so cool to see the girls again,” she said. “You know, when someone gets eliminated, you don’t really get that moment of saying goodbye and telling them that you love them, you know, in like a personal context. Sometimes get to hug them as they walk up the main stage, but we don’t really get that moment where you get to chat. To see everyone come back and still shining so bright and looking so beautiful, it really just kind of illustrates the point that when you do get eliminated, it’s not the end of the road and it’s not life or death. They all came back looking so stunning and, you know, just being rockstars, so that was awesome.

“…And then when they told me I was lip-syncing, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re, we’re playing this game. Okay.’ I guess that’s what reality TV is all about. It’s all about the twists and the turns and the tricks and the unexpected. And I, unfortunately, got the, um, the shitty end of the stick, but I’m not letting that take away the pride that I have with everything that I’ve done…I surprised myself. I surprised myself in this competition and I did so many things that I didn’t think I was capable of doing. And although I didn’t make it to the top three, um, fourth place is still hella cool.

Part of the season’s storyline involved the “Brat Pack,” which included Metric, Kendall Gender and Synthia Kiss. Metric said that doing the season with her friends was a welcome surprise and served as an important support system against the pressures of the competition.

“It was so cool. It was like, it was, it was really interesting because you know, when you get the call [to be on the show and] when you’re creating, it’s so independent,” she said. “For me, I truly was using this opportunity as a way to gain independence with my drag and to showcase my brain and my creativity and to see Kendall and Synthia walk into the workroom, it truly was this security blanket.”

“They’re family, and we all know what it’s like to have like a family member by your side, when you are going through high stress or when you feel like you’re in a pressure cooker or you’re taking chances,” she continued. “And I think it was a good balance of us to doing our own thing, but then also having time to hold hands and show love and appreciation for each other. And, you know, inevitably, when it does come to a competition, you’re going to have to face off and we all we faced off and it kind of just happened the way that it was meant to happen. We’re all so incredible at drag. And like I said, this isn’t the end and it’s actually just the beginning. We really get to bring our Brat Pack group back to life and now we’re stronger than ever. We have a bigger platform. We can make more change than we’ve ever made, and we can entertain more people than we’ve ever entertained.”

As Adriana said, the queens had the most heartfelt moments with their teen challenge partners in the fantasy prom episode. Metric said that just the mention of the episode “put a little tear in my eye and gave me the chills.”

“I felt so grateful to be a part of that. And I’m so thankful for production for allowing that to happen because it was just so inspiring to see five young queer people who were so brave and so strong to not only get a makeover, but to share their stories on television with strangers that they’ve never met,” she said. “And it was also rewarding to be in the shoes of the role model and of ‘the cool mom’ and it was so evident on screen that everyone made such an impactful, but also a genuine and a strong connection with their pairing that it goes beyond just being on a television show together.”

“I truly feel my partner was Ethan or Electric Metric [and] I feel like it’s my responsibility to willingly take them under my wing and to cheer them on and celebrate them and to be there when they need help or assistance in life or in their craft,” she continued. “Ethan goes to Sheridan College for Musical Theater. So, [he’s going to be ] a performer who’s also going to be in the light, which I’m experiencing now. So I feel very lucky to be that ‘cool mom’ in his life.”

Metric said that the episode “tugged at the heartstrings,” even when she was watching it back later.

“It wasn’t like too overproduced. It was, it was so genuine. [The connection] was so natural, being there and watching it back,” she said. “And I think it really just put a spotlight on the depth of drag and the impact that people like myself who do go on this show have on other people, queer or not.”

For Snatch Game, Metric shocked herself and the audience with her characterization of Jim Carrey. She said that she was actually “so scared” to do Snatch Game.

“I’ve always been so protective of my drag in the sense that, you know, I, I started drag to be Gia, and Gia was my character, and I always struggled with the concept of stepping outside of Gia and taking on this new character. So, I was quite terrified,” she said. “And then when I got in there, I just let lose and I chose a character that kind of went with my personality. I was able to be loud, I was able to talk, I was able to talk fast. I’m very expressive so I chose a character that’s very physical, and I think I showed that throughout the challenge.”

“I also surprised myself, I truly did. Watching it back, I was like, ‘Oh my God, you’re good, girl. Jim was correct! You did amazing!’ So it was probably one of the most unexpected successes that I had, even though I was safe,” she continued. “I think it was probably one of the most standout performances for myself throughout the season… like I said, I’ve never done anything like that before, so to see it and to have a record [of it,] I’m like, no one can take this away from me.”

As far as other standout moments, Metric said she’s proud of what she accomplished throughout the season.

“You know what? I had a lot of great things. It’s really funny because you know, you go in there and you only think about drag and you bring your runways and that’s kind of like the package that you come with. And I learned that the package that you’ve come with is only there to support you getting far. And the rest is truly up to you taking chances, stepping outside of your comfort zone, surprising yourself. And, you know, I had a lot of those moments for myself,” she said. “I loved [being] Himbo in the Rusical. I love my conceptualized mold dress for [the] Good Girl Gone Bad [runway]. Jim Carrey, like we talked about, [and] the week that I won as part of the Giddy Girls [in the country song challenge], being able to take that leadership role and to write and to sing again and perform. That’s something that I truly loved, so that was incredible for me.”

“And the [Sinner’s Ball]–I can’t believe I did a ball on Canada’s Drag Race and [be] within the top, so that’s a success. Even the roast, even though it wasn’t my week and I was lip-syncing for my life, I grew a lot and I really learned a life lesson there, and that was when you are given a challenge, it’s not life or death. I described it as kind of like a pen leaking in my brain, full of anxiety, and I found it really difficult to stop the leak during that week,” she continued. “And it was the first time that my fears and anxieties actually came to life throughout the competition. But it was really beautiful to not only experience but how I overcame that. It’s not always about the win. It’s not always about who ends up on top, but it’s about what you learn along the journey and what you can take with you moving forward. And I even see that as a success and, of course, making it to top four, I keep patting myself on the back and pinching myself because [being] top four of a Drag Race series, that’s just insane.”

Metric also found the Oscar speech montage of her conversations with the judges funny and admirable.

“The Oscar speeches were so funny. I was just like, ‘Yes, I do talk a lot.’ [But] you know what? I take it with pride,” she said. “I take that trophy and I stand with it and I scream at the top of my lungs because you know, it comes from a place of passion and it comes from a place of gratitude. And I feel like watching it back, it kind of makes me understand and realize where that comes from. And it comes from a place of always feeling misunderstood and feeling like I have to explain myself so that people know how I’m really feeling.”

“Every time I was on that stage, especially lip-syncing week one, I was so thankful and grateful to be there and having my drag celebrated,” she continued. “So it really was genuine and I’m laughing–it was such great TV, you know? And to be a part of great TV is like, well they obviously saw something in me, so I will take it. I can’t wait to win an Oscar one day and give my speech.”

Metric said that she is ready to reveal “the future of Gia.”

We’re going to come out with music, I would love to model, I’d love the be the face of campaigns. I want everyone to walk down the street and be like, ‘Oh my God, who’s that beautiful girl on the poster? Oh my God, that’s Gia Metric!’ And I’ll want to have that moment [seeing myself on a poster] as well,” she said with a laugh. “Obviously performing–I want to tour the world as much as possible. I truly just want to continue to spread love and to be a role model, but to be a role model of not [attaining] perfection. I think that’s what I tried to do before with this image of perfection. I really want people to be able to connect with me.”

“I want people to see themselves in me and vice versa and [I] really just want to spread the love of drag and to be that person [to say] that if you put your mind to it and if you challenge yourself and have no regrets no matter what the outcome is, you’ll be proud of yourself,” she said.

The season finale of Canada’s Drag Race airs Thursday on WOW Presents Plus.