Jewels Sparkles called making it to the final two of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 “such a cool and surreal feeling.”

“I have been a fan of the show for years and started doing drag and learned so much about myself through the show,” the newly-minted runner-up told Blavity’s Shadow and Act in an exit interview following the finale. “So finally getting to be on the show and not only be there, but [to] make [it] to the finals…and then like, for a few weeks, there was a chance that I could win it all….was the most surreal and bizarre feeling that I ever felt—rewarding and fulfilling and just a confirmation to me that like truly everyone does have a purpose in this world.”

What inspired her journey into drag?

“When you are shown your purpose and you feel that feeling inside, just follow it and go with it and trust it, because I did. I trusted it. And look where it got me, you know what I mean?” she continued. “I felt that in my spirit. I remember the first time I saw Drag Race, everything that I ever questioned about myself, everything that I had ever been insecure about myself. I was like, ‘Oh this is OK, this is not a bad thing. Look at all these people and they’ve taken what you’re afraid of and what you’re insecure about, and created careers off of it and created art from it.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God, I have to do that too. That’s what I’m here for.’ And then being able to take that instinct and make it to Drag Race at 23 years old and make it to the final two—you know, everything happens for a reason and that’s totally my purpose [in doing] drag.”

How did she feel competing in the final lip-sync against Onya Nurve?

Getting through to the final lip sync against Onya Nurve, who ended up winning the season, meant Sparkles had to “pull out all the stops” to try to topple the season’s most decorated queen.

“I mean, it was crazy, overwhelming, stressful, anxiety-ridden…I had to put everything I had into it because I’m not going against some random [queen], I’m going against Onya Nurve,” she said. “This is not a Lip Sync for Your Life where you’re going up against a girl who did bad—she was the best all season. She had the most wins all season. She was the most consistent all season. So it wasn’t like a little lip sync for me.”

“I had to put everything into it because I wanted to win, and I am so proud of what I was able to do. And you know what? How can someone beat Onya Nurve? She is absolutely the total package, and she’s so deserving of this crown. I tried, but that woman is just a superstar. And this was her moment, this was her time, and it was meant for her. I’m so proud of my sister, and I can’t wait to see what she does with her reign.”

What were Jewels Sparkles’ favorite and least favorite challenges?

Sparkles said her favorite challenge this season was the Las Vegas challenge, which she felt was the closest to a girl group performance.

“I think I had the most fun in the Vegas challenge because, you know, anytime there’s a camera in front of me and I get to pose for a picture, I’m having a good time,” she said. “Anytime I get to dance on stage, I’m having a good time. I wish there were more dance challenges on the show. I wanted a girl group so bad, so that was like the closest we got to a girl group. But the challenge was a lot of fun for me.”

Her least favorite moment? The roast challenge, when fellow contestant Arrietty stole her jokes.

“You know, I could have gone home that day because my jokes were stolen. I could have had my dreams crushed. I could have been not here in this interview talking to you today. But, you know, after making it through that, I was like, ‘Oh, if I can get through that, I can get through anything.’”

“That was such a terrible day. Like, that was like the worst thing on set for me,” she continued. “I was in my feelings in my head, not feeling the best. And when the jokes were stolen after that—even the werkroom was terrible—but when the jokes were stolen, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is it. I’m going home.’ And the fact that I didn’t go home and I got to stay, I was like, ‘Oh, OK. I think I’m good. I think if I can get through that, I have the strength to get through anything. I don’t think anything can be as bad as that.’ I was not expecting anything to be as terrible as that. And I was right. That was the worst one. Everything else was a piece of cake after that.”

How did her health journey shape her?

Part of Sparkles’ strength comes from a spinal surgery she underwent at 14, an experience she said shaped her resilience.

“When I went through that, I was 14 and the worst part of it, obviously, you know—having to go through it and learn to walk again and all that, all that stuff was bad—but I hated being looked at like a victim. I hated that. So I never wanted to be seen like that. I didn’t want to be perceived as [different],” she said. “So, you know, it’s a part of my story, it’s a part of who I am, I talked about it once, but I never made excuses for not being able to do anything because at the end of the day, it made me stronger. It made me a better person. It made me fight more. It gave me a different perspective on life at a young age, where I don’t take things for granted. I see things different. And it was hard to go through, but it made me a better person.”

“It made me be able to be here at 23. I don’t think if I would not have gone through that, I would be here at 23 years old in the top two on Drag Race,” she continued. “You know, I don’t take these [moments] for granted anymore. I know the value of life, and I know the value of time, and it’s not always guaranteed. It can be taken from you at any moment. But you know, I am here now. I did it. It pushed me to be a better person. It pushed me to be stronger. It pushed me to not take no for an answer.”

Being in the drag family with Trinity the Tuck

Sparkles also credits her drag family—drag mother Shontelle Sparkles and drag grandmother, Drag Race icon Trinity the Tuck—for shaping her as a performer. This also makes Sam Star, who was also in Season 17, Sparkles’ drag aunt, as she is another daughter of Trinity the Tuck alongside Shontelle Sparkles.

“I was losing pageants. I was doing them to grow my drag. Listen, I don’t consider myself a pageant queen. I don’t like pageants. I don’t love participating in pageants. I don’t love the aesthetic always. But I know that there is a lot to learn from pageantry and there’s a lot of drag, and there’s a lot that you can take from competing in a pageant. I remember the first time I did a pageant, I changed my whole aesthetic. [I] fully did pageant drag. And even though that wasn’t who I am, that’s not what I connect to in drag, I learned so much about taking that and actually adding it to my style and adding it to what I know about drag.”

“Getting [Trinity and Shontelle’s] attention and them seeing, you know, the star that could be and ended up becoming was so rewarding. And it really did [make] me feel like I was doing something right and I’ve learned so much from both of them, and they’ve helped me so much on my journey. I’m so proud and happy to make them proud.”

What’s next for Jewels Sparkles?

After Drag Race, Sparkles said fans can expect more than just fashion from her.

 “When I came into Drag Race, I wanted to come out of it being a fashion girl, and I wanted to do all the runway stuff. That was my dream to be part of that world. Being on Drag Race, I realized that I’m so much more than just a runway girl, that I’m able to do comedy and I have so many more things that I can do. I’ll definitely be working on things outside of the fashion industry, but I do have some things in the works in the fashion industry, so I’m very excited about that.”

Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is available to stream on MTV.com and will soon be available on Paramount+.