AT COLWYN Bay Pride this year, the Drag Your Heels catwalk competition lit up the Pier - newly renamed the Emerald Stage in honour of the late The Vivienne - and I found myself, once again, stunned by the sheer range of talent North Wales continues to nurture.
I expected to be dazzled by familiar faces like Opal Rose and The Iris Effect, both now fixtures of the local and UK cabaret circuit. What I didn’t expect was to be completely gagged by a performer who, it turned out, was only sixteen.
Krystal Clear - the stage persona of Buckley‑based teen Morgan Grady - stepped onto the catwalk in towering platform heels and a look that felt like a love letter to the golden age of Music Hall and pantomime dames.
Yet the performance was unmistakably modern, a lip‑sync to Under the Sea that shimmered with camp, comedy, and a confidence far beyond their years.
I knew immediately I needed to hear more about the young queen behind the lashes.
Meeting Krystal
Krystal introduces herself with a mix of teenage matter‑of‑factness and performer pride. “I’m 16 years old… originally from Wrexham… currently sitting my exams at Elfed High School."
Offstage, as "altar ego" Morgan Grady he uses he/him pronouns; onstage, Krystal is pure theatrical sparkle.
What strikes me first is how grounded he is about the reactions he’s received.
“Being a young drag queen I have had many different reactions,” he says, “but most importantly my family and friends have all been so accepting… and some of the other local drag queens have all been proud of me starting at a young age.”
One of those supporters is Wrexham performer Richard Sefton, who met Krystal at Wrexham Pride last year. The two now host bingo events and travel to Pride celebrations together — a mentorship that clearly means a lot.
“He took me under his wing,” Krystal says, “and now we go around hosting a bingo game and go to pride events together.”
A style tooted in tradition - and joy
Krystal’s drag is instantly recognisable: bold, comedic, nostalgic, and warm.
“My drag is based off pantomime dames… and their comedy,” he explains. It’s a style that feels both classic and refreshing, especially in a scene where glamour, horror, and high‑fashion aesthetics often dominate.
But comedy is the heartbeat of Krystal’s work.
“I’m mainly lip‑syncing my way through life,” he laughs, “but I also love doing a bit of comedy and making sure the audience knows they’re in for a good time and can get away from what’s going on in the world.”
That instinct - to lift people up, to offer joy as escape - is something many seasoned performers take years to cultivate. Krystal seems to have found it naturally.
Pride stages and future dreams
Colwyn Bay wasn’t Krystal’s first Pride performance. That honour goes to Prestatyn Pride last year, followed by Wrexham Pride a few months later. Krystal also attend Pride Wrecsam 2026, held over the weekend.
But Colwyn Bay was special - not least because of the chance to perform on a stage honouring The Vivienne, and to meet Han & Fran from Britain’s Got Talent.
“I got to take the people of Pride on a trip ‘under the sea’,” Krystal says, still buzzing from the experience.
And the future? Having just completed his GCSE's at Buckley's Elfed High School, he dreams big, and why shouldn’t he?
“I hope my drag will take me far… going on one‑woman tours and performing abroad in sunny Spain.”
There’s no hesitation in Krystal - just ambition, excitement, and the sense that he’s only just getting started.
A queen’s seal of approval
The Royal Serenity - widely regarded as the Queen of North Wales drag - judged the Drag Your Heels competition this year and has been watching Krystal’s rise with admiration.
“Each time you can see just how much joy performing brings her,” Serenity says, “and how much passion she puts into bringing everyone else that same joy.”
She praises Krystal’s “classic camp‑style comedy drag” and predicts a bright future: “I just know, in a few years’ time, she’ll be at the top of her game.”
Coming from a performer known for nurturing talent like Opal Rose, Heather Boa, and The Iris Effect, that’s no small endorsement.
Krystal Clear may be young, but there’s nothing tentative about the way she takes up space on a stage.
She’s part of a new wave of North Wales drag - rooted in tradition, fuelled by joy, and carried forward by a community that recognises her spark.
And if the Emerald Stage taught us anything this year, it’s that Krystal’s future is already glittering.
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