Businessman Massey Whiteknife transforms into diva Iceis Rain
Developing new TV series called Queen of the Oilsands
By day, Massey Whiteknife is a successful businessman, originally from Mikisew Cree First Nation in Alberta.
He established his group of companies, Iceis Safety, to help train and employ indigenous people in the oil field. But at night, Iceis Rain comes alive to pursue her rock and roll dream.
Whiteknife's alter ego first hit the music scene in 2014 with her first CD The Queen. A rapid rise to fame followed, including a performance on the national broadcast of the Indigenous Music Awards.
Now Whiteknife is proposing to live his life as Iceis Rain for the next year, day and night, while running the business and pursuing a music career. All while being documented under the glare of TV lights in a new series in development called Queen of the Oilsands.
I don't like the term transsexual because I'm not. And Massey doesn't like the term of being thought of as a transsexual either.- Iceis Rain, rock star diva
"I'm excited because I think I helped Massey," Rain explained.
"I told him, 'have no fear, stick up to them, fight back. Don't be that scared person that you were.'"
Whiteknife and Rain disassociate from each other when the personas shift. Whiteknife is a gay male but Rain is a two-spirited person.
The term two-spirited was created by indigenous people to describe gay, lesbian and transgendered people. Not all would identify as two-spirited but Rain does.
"I don't like the term transsexual because I'm not. And Massey doesn't like the term of being thought of as a transsexual either," Rain said.
"I wonder if they have steel toed boots in heels?" she laughed.
In all seriousness, Rain admitted she is nervous to run boardroom meetings but does feel up for the challenge. "I learnt about his business as well because I was there," Rain said.
That said, she is not afraid to live her life in front of television cameras for a year. In fact, she is ready to embrace all of the ups and downs that will come with it.
"Some people can only see the one side of you if you are in the spotlight. And they read about you — the good stuff," she said.
"But they don't get to see the side of you that is the human side. I come home alone. I don't have a lover," she confessed. "Someone who wants to come home with me is usually heterosexual and just wants to spend the night with me because he's curious," she added sadly.
"I want the world to see that," Rain said. "I want the world to see that I am not a drag queen. I want the world to see that I am a two-spirited aboriginal person and I am proud."