State Champ Radio Culture
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Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur premieres on FX on Friday (April 21). The five-part docuseries details the “illuminating saga” of Tupac and Afeni Shakur.
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Directed by Allen Hughes and co-produced by Interscope Records, Dear Mama is described as a “deep dive” inside the bond between the late rap icon, whose life was cut short at age 25, and his activist mother, who passed away in 2016.
“There have been a million pieces done on him, but none of them really did the trick as far as understanding completely that narrative and that human being and the complexities and the dualities,” Hughes told Billboard. “You talk about the surface stuff, but there was never a deep dive. I wanted to understand.”
Keep reading for ways to stream the docuseries without cable.
How to Watch Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur
The first two episodes of Dear Mama will drop Friday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The remaining three episodes will debut on Fridays. New episodes of the FX docuseries will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.
Want to catch the docuseries live? You can stream FX and other cable channels on platforms like Sling TV, DirectTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and Vidgo.
Most streamers offer a free trial, or a discount at sign up, which means that you might be able to catch the first two episodes of Dear Mama for free. And if you’re streaming internationally, use ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
FX shows are also available to stream on Prime Video. Although Dear Mama isn’t listed on the lineup, episodes of Snowfall, American Horror Story and other FX series are currently available for purchase.
Watch the trailer for Dear Mama below.
Kid Cudi is adding more animated projects to his résumé, as Deadline announced he is set to star in Knuckles, the Paramount+ spin-off series of Sonic the Hedgehog.
The “Day ‘n’ Nite” rapper excitedly shared the news to his Instagram feed. “When life has more dreams for you to fulfill,” the artist captioned the post, adding, “its lit #knuckles @paramountplus.”
Over on Twitter, Cudi treated followers to a photo of his cat Sweets, who adorably cuddled up to a tiny Knuckles plushie, eyes half-open. “Sweets is happy and excited about the Knuckles show,” the 39-year-old wrote.
Per Deadline, Knuckles will take place between the events of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movies and will follow the titular animated character on “a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” The series is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ on Dec. 20, 2024.
While Cudi’s role in the show is still under wraps, Idris Elba — who previously voiced Knuckles in the Sonic movies — will reprise the role of the titular character. Tika Sumpter and Adam Pally will return as Maddie and Walt Whipple, respectively. Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt and Ellie Taylor flesh out the cast. Knuckles marks Cudi’s second animated credit, coming off Entergalactic, his 2022 animated special developed with Netflix.
See Cudi’s posts below.
After a star-making turn on season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Sasha Colby took home the crown and $200,000 on the April 14 finale episode. Now, she’s getting her flowers from none other than Ariana Grande.
In a post to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday (April 18), Grande shared Colby’s interview with Vogue, which led America’s Next Drag Superstar to repost the “Positions” singer’s support on her own stories. Grande reposted Colby, this time adding a sweet message for the winner: “I love you so.”
Grande has a storied history with Drag Race. Earlier this year, the singer served as the first guest judge on season 15, where she watched as the queens put on a talent show before the bottom two lip-synched to her hit song “7 Rings.” It’s far from the first time that Grande’s music has been used on the show; in fact, her songs have been featured nine times throughout the show’s run, putting her just below Britney Spears and RuPaul herself for the most times lip-synched in the series.
Meanwhile, Colby is settling into her reign nicely. In her interview with Billboard shortly after her crowning, the drag superstar said that she wanted her win to be a signal to those currently working to erode LGBTQ rights around the world. “To me, this is why I waited [to be on Drag Race], because I was supposed to be here right now, to be the face of exactly what these people are trying to eradicate,” she said.
Check out Ariana’s message to Sasha Colby here before it expires.
Just because Katy Perry‘s on the American Idol judging panel doesn’t mean everyone’s going to agree with her. In fact, on Monday’s (April 17) episode, the competition show’s live audience in Hawaii went as far as to boo the pop star after she gave some harsh criticism to fan-favorite Nutsa Buzaladze.
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Buzaladze, who’s already earned a reputation for delivering show-stopping, high-energy performances, sparkled during her live rendition of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ “Paris (Ooh La La).” But for Perry, there was a little too much sparkle.
“Nutsa, every time you take the stage, it’s like you glitter bomb the stage,” the “Firework” singer told the Top 26 hopeful. “Listen, I think one thing I personally would like to see from you is not one piece of glitter the next time. I know that’s gonna be hard.”
Fans in the audience, however, couldn’t have disagreed more. The crowd started booing loudly in response, causing fellow judge Luke Bryan to cheer, “Yes! Katy got booed. Katy got booed.”
Perry, however, was unfazed. “OK, first time in six seasons, woo hoo,” she dismissed the jeers. She then clarified to Buzaladze what she meant. “What I’m saying is that I’d like you to flip the script. I think we want to be pulled in by our hearts, too. I’d love to see that, and I think America might too.”
In Perry’s defense, Buzaladze herself has admitted she needs to learn how to dial it back a little. When the 25-year-old contestant first auditioned for Idol in Las Vegas, the “Roar” singer told her the energy was “turned up too hot.”
“My problem is, I feel always that I have a lot of energy,” the hopeful admitted a few weeks ago while preparing for the Hollywood Week solos round.
Watch Katy Perry get booed for the first time in six seasons above.
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These boots were made for walking. From Coachella to Revolve Festival, platform boots have officially taken over the California desert.
With so many festivals and concert tours this year, you can expect to see even more people wearing platform boots, and rightfully so, because they’re cute, extremely comfortable and offer better support than a stiletto heel.
Spring Shoe Sale: The 9 Best Deals on Men’s Sneakers at Nordstrom, Adidas, Nike & More
04/18/2023
Platforms never officially left the fashion ethos. In fact, they’ve withstood the test of time. Looking back over the last five decades, platform boots have been at the forefront of fashion footwear. From their 1970s heyday to ’90s grunge and goth, to Y2K trends from the early ’00s, it’s clear that platforms boots aren’t going anywhere.
But where can you find the best platform boots? Shoppers are head over heels for the Windsor Smith Stretch Sock Boot ($129). According to dozens of customer reviews and TikTok videos, the platform ankle boot is “bloody perfect.”
Princess Polly
Windsor Smith Found Black Stretch Sock Boot
$129
“These shoes fit perfectly,” reads one customer review. “The heels are nice and big, the perfect size for a bit of a statement. And they’re easy to walk in. Your feet don’t even get sore! And not to mention they’re stunning. The material helps it fit like a glove. It’s fitted yet stretchy at the same time and very flattering.”
This mid-calf boot has a 4.1-inch platform heel with a rounded toe, treaded sole and detail stitching along the front and ankle. The boot is available in sizes 6-10.
“I cannot tell you how happy I am with these boots,” wrote another customer. “They’re comfortable and I feel like I can walk in them for hours and they fit bigger calfs. Get these if you’re thinking about it!”
“I am so obsessed with these yall you can pair them with anything and they are the perfect boots to complete a grunge style look,” added another happy customer.
Windsor Smith platforms are known for being stylish and comfortable, but also affordable. Click here to see other platforms boots from the brand.
If you’d rather have a sale option, these platform boots are $80 at Aldo (regular $130). You also might like these Steve Madden Acacia Leather Platform Boots ($159.95) or the splurge-worthy Naked Wolfe Spice Platform Tall Boot ($350).
You can also find a large variety of platforms at Amazon and Zappos. For even shoe recommendations, read our round up of other places to buy platform boots and heels.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon already has plenty of fun music-focused segments, like Classroom Instruments and Wheel of Musical Impressions. Now, the popular late night talk show has added a brand new series called “Musical Stairs.”
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As the name suggests, the segment features artists performing their latest hits in the Tonight Show stairwell, backed by The Roots. In a teaser clip shared exclusively with Billboard on Tuesday (April 18), the Jonas Brothers are the first stars to take on “Musical Stairs,” performing a stripped-back rendition of their new single “Waffle House.”
In the 30-second teaser, Joe Jonas is seen singing the first verse and chorus, as Nick Jonas provides harmonies and Kevin Jonas accompanies The Roots on acoustic guitar.
“Waffle House” is the second single off the Jonas Brothers’ forthcoming ’70s-inspired studio set, The Album, which is scheduled for release on May 12 via Republic Records. The inspiring track follows the soaring lead single “Wings.”
Watch a clip of Jonas Brothers performing “Waffle House” below, and catch the full segment on Tuesday night (April 18) on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The show airs every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC. For those without cable, the Tonight Show is also available to stream online through streaming services including Hulu (sign up here) and Peacock TV (sign up here).
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Prime Video announced a new step in audio enhancement with Dialogue Boost, a newly released feature that utilizes AI to deliver “targeted enhancement to portions of spoken dialogue,” the company revealed on Tuesday (April 18).
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“At Prime Video, we are committed to building an inclusive, equitable, and enjoyable streaming experience for all our customers,” said Raf Soltanovich, VP of technology at Prime Video and Amazon Studios. “Our library of captioned and audio described content continues to grow, and by leveraging our technological capabilities to create industry-first innovations like Dialogue Boost, we are taking another step to create a more accessible streaming experience.”
Dialogue Boost was created with hearing-impaired viewers in mind, but the feature can be used by anyone.
How can you find Dialogue Boost? Prime Video users can navigate to the drop-down menu, which is usually located on the top right portion of the screen if you’re streaming on a computer, tablet or another device, to access Dialogue Boost. Once you find the menu, select “English Dialogue Boost: Medium” or “English Dialogue Boost: High.”
If you have an Amazon Fire TV remote, the menu button is located to the right of the home button.
Prime Video is free for Amazon Prime members. Not subscribed? Launch your free 30-day trial here, so that you can start streaming from a mega-library of TV series, movies, concerts, music festivals, award shows, sports and other content.
After your free trial ends, the monthly membership is $14.99 a month; or $139 for the annul subscription. If you’d rather have Prime Video by itself, it costs $9/month after a free trial for a week.
Prime Video
$(Free with Prime membership) or $9/month after 7-day free trial
Dialogue Boost is currently available on select Amazon Originals including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and Harlem; along with films such as The Big Sick, Beautiful Boy and Being the Ricardos.
Whether you’re a TV addict, movie buff, music lover or sports fan, Prime Video has it all. Stream from a massive collection of Prime Originals like Daisy Jones & The Six, Swarm, The Power, Fairfax, Invincible, Upload, The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power, The Wheel of Time, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Modern Love, I Want You Back and The Boys.
Prime Video also allows users to stream content from HBO Max, Showtime, Paramount+, Starz, AMC+, Discovery+ and other platforms.
The 2023 Tribeca Festival announced its lineup for this year’s event on Tuesday (April 18) and among the 109 feature films from 127 directors from 36 countries are a number of documentaries about some of the most beloved, scandalous and intriguing musicians of the modern era.
The Festival, which takes place from June 7-18, will spotlight 93 world premieres and a diverse roster featuring 43 first-time directors with 41% of all feature films directed by women and, in a first, more than half of competition films directed by women (68%), as well as 36% of feature films directed by BIPOC filmmakers.
Among the notable music-related movies are:
Uncharted — (world premiere) Director Beth Aala goes behind the scenes of Alicia Keys’ “She Is the Music” songwriting camp, with a performance from She Is the Music artists afterwards curated by Keys.
Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story — (world premiere) After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, GB leader Eugene Hütz breaks down the influence of Ukrainian and Roma culture on his punk band’s music, followed by a performance by the band.
Milli Vanilli — (world premiere) Director Luke Korem’s deep dive into the origin and precipitous downfall of the “Girl You Know It’s True” duo featuring a rare interview with surviving member Fabrice Morvan. (This writer was interviewed for the film.)
Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive — (world premiere) A documentary chronicling the “I Will Survive” singer’s comeback with a new gospel album, touching on her struggles with ageism and financial ruin, followed by a live performance.
All Up in the Biz — (world premiere) Director Sacha Jenkins collages celebrity interviews, rare film, reenactments and animation to describe how late rap icon Biz Markie left his mark on the music world.
It’s Only Life After All — (New York premiere) A look at the beloved folk duo, with a songwriting masterclass to follow.
Songs About F–king — (world premiere) Musician Marc Rebillet goes on one of the first live music tours after the COVID-19 lockdown, with musical Q&A with Rebillet afterwards.
Waitress, the Musical – Live on Broadway! — (world premiere) A movie treatment of the Broadway musical about a small-town pie baker with big dreams featuring lyricist Sara Bareilles, who will perform live after the screening.
Cypher — (world premiere) Director Chris Mourkabel “captures the weird and sinister side of fame” in a pseudo-documentary about rapper Tierra Whack.
Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall — (world premiere) Doc about the city’s role in the evolution of dancehall, featuring Shaggy and Sean Paul, followed by performance from dancehall legends.
Maestra — (world premiere) Director Maggie Contreras follows women from different backgrounds as they compete in the first all-women competition for conducting.
In addition to those music features, the festival will host the “Escape From Tribeca” series featuring films such as Enter the Clones of Bruce, a doc looking at the Bruce Lee exploitation craze, director Sav Rodgers’ Chasing Chasing Amy about the filmmaker’s journey of self-discovery while making a doc on the development of Kevin Smith’s controversial LGBTQ+ film Chasing Amy and Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music, a concert film that dives into New York theater legends Mac’s “ostentatiously queer 24-hour musical performance.”
There will also be a world premiere of the life of late Marvel Comics genius Stan Lee, a profile of legendary MLB promoter and owner Bill Veeck (The Saint of Second Chances) touching on his famous 1979 “Disco Demolition” stunt at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, a profile of New York concert promoter Ron Delsener (Ron Delsener Presents) and the world premiere of Anthem, in which DJ Dahi and composer Kris Bowers set off on a road trip across the country to find out what it sounds like to have a national anthem that actually reflects America.
For a full list of this year’s films click here.
Andrew Lloyd Webber stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night (April 17) to reflect on Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and more.
Host Jimmy Fallon led his conversation with the Broadway legend to the Jellicle 1981 musical by asking, “Can I ask you about Cats?” as members of the audience chuckled. “How does one come up with an idea like Cats? And are you a cat person?”
“Well, I am a cat person,” Lord Lloyd Webber responded. “Well, I was a total cat person until I saw the Cats movie.”
After that joke got an impromptu standing ovation from the studio audience, the composer continued. “What happened to the Cats movie was, during the course of it being, as it were, shot — which I hope the whole movie would’ve been — I bought this little puppy. And he was called Mojito, he’s a little Havanese dog, he comes from Cuba.”
Lloyd Webber went on to explain that he tried using the pup as a therapy dog on an airplane, but the unnamed airline said he needed a doctor’s note. “And so I just said, ‘I saw the Cats movie and bought a puppy,’” he deadpanned. “And they said, ‘No doctor’s letter required.’”
Directed by Tom Hooper, the 2019 musical adaptation featured a who’s who of stars like James Corden, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Jason Derulo, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellan and Taylor Swift as humanoid alley cats. It was panned by critics and audiences alike, though “Beautiful Ghosts,” the original song written for the film by Lloyd Webber and Swift, did garner a Grammy nomination for best song written for visual media.
During the interview, the Broadway impresario also spoke about the closing of Phantom the night before, saying, “It was sad last night because I just felt it could run on, but there you go.”
However, the iconic chandelier may not have fallen for the last time. ALW received a mysterious note that was delivered to the Tonight Show studio from the Phantom himself, which read, “I am extremely displeased that my legend is no longer being told in New York, a city for which I have developed great affection. I am therefore currently obtaining a new address in which my legend will be examined in extreme detail. I advise you and New Yorkers to be vigilant.”
Watch Lloyd Webber’s complete interview with Fallon below.
While many formats have come and gone throughout the storied history of RuPaul’s Drag Race, one fundamental tradition on the show has remained since the very beginning — the lip sync.
Whether it’s a lip sync for your life, a lip sync for your legacy, a lip sync for the crown or another variation, the lip sync has become the most inextricable cornerstone of the reality show’s brand. Watching two (or occasionally more) queens battling it out while dancing and mouthing the words to some of our favorite songs is part of the reason why Drag Race has essentially become the unofficial sporting league of the LGBTQ community.
Debates have long been held in the Drag Race fan community as to what constitutes a great lip sync; is it the high-octane dance moves, death drops, duck walks and various other stunts that boost performances to success? Is it the number of reveals — either in costumes or wigs — that a queen can successfully pull off? Is it as simple as how well a queen can convey the spirit of a song?
As valid as all these points are, there is one factor to a successful lip sync that doesn’t often get its due — song choice. Picking the right track for staging a no-holds-barred battle is crucial to the ultimate success of a lip sync. So, the question remains: which recording artist’s songs have soundtracked the most lip syncs on Drag Race?
Below, Billboard breaks down the artists whose songs have been featured the most times in lip syncs on RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and why their music has become an essential part of the Drag Race experience.
Rihanna
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/GI for NARAS
The Numbers: 5 lip-syncs (S5:E2, S11:E14, S12:E4, All Stars S2:E5, All Stars S5:E4)
The Impact: While there are five other superstars who have received the lip sync treatment 5 times (En Vogue, Cher, Nicki Minaj, Lizzo and Jennifer Lopez) Rihanna gets just a slight bump ahead if only because queens have a tendency to pop off when her music comes on. The Bad Girl herself didn’t become a regular lip sync occurrence on the franchise until later in its run, after the producers likely realized that Rihanna is a stellar choice for some stunning performances. Between her hyped-up pop stylings and her edgier endeavors, Rihanna’s music is the exact kind of wild that makes for some of Drag Race’s most memorable lip syncs.
The Best One: Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatianna to “Shut Up and Drive,” All Stars Season 2, Episode 5 — Widely considered to be one of the best lip-syncs in the Drag Race extended universe, Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna earned their double win for this unhinged, no-holds-barred lip sync. There are kicks, splits, drops, stunts and two stunning performances that would surely make even Rihanna stand up and scream “you better work!”
Janet Jackson
Image Credit: Francois Nel/GI
The Numbers: 6 lip-syncs (S10:E14 [twice], S13:E1, All Stars S1:E3, All Stars S4:E9, All Stars S6:E2)
The Impact: The sultry stylings of Ms. Jackson bring a much-needed air of desire to the lip syncs of Drag Race — tasking the queens with translating Janet’s smooth, sensual songs into keyed-up performances can be a difficult task for some. But when the queens manage to walk the line, their lip syncs to these songs quickly become some of the best in the show’s history, proving once again why Janet Jackson is as iconic as she is.
The Best One: Ra’Jah O’Hara vs. Brooke Lynn Hytes to “Miss You Much,” All Stars Season 6, Episode 2 — When Ra’Jah and Brooke Lynn faced off to the sounds of “Miss You Much” in All Stars 6, it was immediately one for the history books. Both queens brought the pure sex needed for the song while embodying Janet’s energy — it’s no wonder why they both won. And as an added bonus, no butterflies were harmed in the making of this lip-sync.
Madonna
Image Credit: Zak Kaczmarek/GI
The Numbers: 6 lip-syncs (S4:E5, S6:E1, S8:E5, S9:E6, S12:E7, All Stars S5:E5)
The Impact: B—-, she’s Madonna. There’s simply nothing more to it — when you think of phenomenal songs to get your life to, the Material Girl is one of the first artists to pop into your mind. She’s made a career creating music for the LGBTQ community to celebrate to, so when Madonna’s songs show up in a Drag Race lip sync, you just know that you’re about to watch two queens destroy the runway.
The Best One: Peppermint vs. Cynthia Lee Fontaine to “Music,” Season 9, Episode 6 — While there are multiple incredible entries of Madonna’s music on Drag Race, perhaps none was as impactful as this fateful lip-sync where Peppermint assassinated Cynthia Lee Fontaine on national television. Bringing camp, perfectly timed dance moves and an imaginary shotgun to the stage, Peppermint knocked it out of the park, all while doing Madge proud.
Beyoncé
Image Credit: Carlijn Jacobs*
The Numbers: 7 lip-syncs (Solo: S14:E6, S14:E11, S14:E14, S15:E10, All Stars S7:E3, With Destiny’s Child: S11:E14, S12:E14)
The Impact: Up until season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Beyoncé’s music had only appeared twice on the show, and both times were from her Destiny’s Child days. But when it rains, it pours — scoring three lip syncs in a single main season, Bey came back in a big way, showing just how vital her songs are to the art of lip syncing.
The Best One: Jorgeous vs. Lady Camden vs. Angeria Paris VanMicheals to “Radio,” Season 14, Episode 11 — Having more than two queens perform in a lip-sync proved to be problematic in past seasons. But there is something about this LaLaPaRuza lip sync from season 14 that just works. Maybe it’s the fact that an often underappreciated Beyoncé gem was getting its shine; maybe it’s the fact that all three queens are using every ounce of the stage and their talent to shine; or maybe it’s the simple fact that by the end, it was hard to say who won in one of the best lip syncs of the entire season. All we know for sure is that the “Radio” lip sync was one for the books.
Lady Gaga
Image Credit: Patrick Smith/GI
The Numbers: 7 lip-syncs (S3:E3, S4:E:6, S8:E1, S11:E14, S14:E14, All Stars S2:E5, All Stars S6:E12, All Stars S7:E12)
The Impact: Along with being one of the greatest guest judges to grace the stage of Drag Race, Mother Monster has made her presence known through some of her fiercest songs showing up on the reality series. Gaga’s emotive voice, mixed with her music’s chameleonic quality, creates the dramatic, intense atmosphere that queens everywhere need to pull out a sickening performance. After all, she’s Lady Gaga — of course her songs are going to soundtrack some fabulous lip sync battles.
The Best One: Yvie Oddly vs. Brooke Lynn Hytes to “The Edge of Glory,” Season 11, Episode 14 — Talk about doing what the other girls can’t. In this finale lip sync for the crown, lip sync assassins Brooke Lynn Hytes and Yvie Oddly gave a nail-biting battle to Gaga’s Born This Way hit – but it was the moment when Yvie turned around to reveal a second face before bending over backwards into a flip that we all knew it would go down as an iconic final lip sync.
Aretha Franklin
Image Credit: Theo Wargo/GI for Tribeca Film Festival
The Numbers: 7 lip-syncs (S2:E9, S4:E10, S6:E10, S11:E12, S14:E11 All Stars S4:E5, All Stars S7:E12)
The Impact: When you need emotion, tears, and a voice that could bring a building down, who else are you going to turn to except the Queen of Soul? The late, great Aretha Franklin may not be the first person you think of when it comes to high-energy, dance-the-house-down lip syncs. But the raw passion of her music makes for some of the most moving performances on Drag Race, proving once again that lip-syncing isn’t always about stunts — it’s about embodying the artist.
The Best One: Latrice Royale vs. Kenya Michaels to “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Season 4, Episode 10 — Lip-syncing while wearing pregnancy bellies is not an easy thing to do, as Kenya Michaels found out in this iconic season 4 moment. While the dancing queen tried to split and kick and flip her way to a win, Latrice Royale stood in place and paid simple, beautiful homage to Franklin, proving once and for all that she was a force to be reckoned with.
Whitney Houston
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/GI
The Numbers: 8 lip-syncs (S1:E3, S9:E13 [twice], S11:E5, S11:E12, S13:E14, All Stars S4:E3, All Stars S7:E4)
The Impact: Who better than The Voice to bring a lip-sync to life? Whitney Houston’s music perfectly encapsulates what makes the lip-syncs of Drag Race so fun to watch; they’re easy to dance to, her breathtaking vocals bring the drama, and everyone knows the words to a classic Whitney tune. Frankly, it’s a wonder that she’s only been performed to seven times on the show — but we’re certain that this isn’t the last we’ll hear from Whitney on Drag Race
The Best One: Sasha Velour vs. Shea Couleé to “So Emotional,” Season 9, Episode 13 — Who could ever forget perhaps the most well-loved reveal in the show’s history? When Sasha Velour lifted her wig and shook approximately a gallon of rose petals onto her head, fans everywhere lost it — not only did the fashion queen manage to beat out the favorite for the crown Shea Couleé, but it was a perfect send-up of Houston’s iconic track. We still get emotional thinking about what an excellent performance this was.
Ariana Grande
Image Credit: Art Streiber/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via GI
The Numbers: 9 lip-syncs (S7:E6, S9:E9, S10:E14, S12:E3, S13:E12, S15:E1, All Stars S4:E2, All Stars S5:E6, All Stars S6:E10)
The Impact: While Ariana Grande’s songs didn’t appear on Drag Race until her appearance as a guest judge in season 7, they have now practically become a staple of the show itself. Almost every season, two queens end up lip syncing to an Ariana banger, and it’s easy to see why — the pop superstar has a penchant for making hook-focused, instantly catchy tracks that almost beg you to lip-sync along to them.
The Best One: Nina Bo’nina Brown vs. Valentina to “Greedy,” Season 9, Episode 9 — Yes, this lip-sync to “Greedy” is universally considered to be one of the all-time worst lip syncs on Drag Race. And that’s why it is the best — to this day, fans still talk about Valentina’s mask, RuPaul’s angry lecture mid-song, Shea Couleé’s off-screen commentary of “She. Doesn’t. Know. The Words.” and much more. But not enough people talk about what a fabulous job Nina Bo’nina Brown did encapsulating the vibe of Ariana Grande while dressed as a skeleton in a tutu.
Britney Spears
Image Credit: Michelangelo Di Battista/Sony/RCA via GI
The Numbers: 11 lip-syncs (S1:E5, S4:E1, S5:E4, S9:E4, S9:E14, S11:E2, S13:E3, S13:E16 [three times] All Stars S6:E4)
The Impact: When you think of a drag queen performing a lip sync, what song comes to mind? “Womanizer?” Perhaps it’s “Work Bitch?” Maybe even “…Baby One More Time?” Either way, Britney Spears is one of the best performers to deliver a dragged-out lip-sync to, and there is no exception when it comes to Drag Race — the pop princess’ vocals lend themselves to mimicry, her discography offers everything from pure campy pop to lonesome ballads, and her music is some of the most instantly recognizable around the world. I mean, it’s Britney, b—-!
The Best One: Peppermint vs. Trinity “The Tuck” Taylor to “Stronger,” Season 9, Episode 14 — While there are nearly a dozen lip syncs to choose from here, none compares to the battle royale between Peppermint and Trinity at the season 9 finale. From the moment the song began, both queens gave their all to this performance, actively manifesting Spears’ inspirational lyrics. But when Peppermint offered a wig and outfit reveal in one fell swoop, it became clear she was the one true winner.
RuPaul
Image Credit: Courtesy of VH1
The Numbers: 23 lip-syncs (I don’t know why you’re all gagging, she brings it to you every season).
The Impact: I mean, duh. Her name is literally in the title. There is no RuPaul’s Drag Race without RuPaul, so of course she’s going to be the one who gets the most lip-syncs on the show. Because of the very nature of Drag Race, RuPaul’s songs are the ideal lip-sync songs — because they are quite literally built to be lip-synced to. Frankly, if it had been anyone else topping this list, that would have been the real gag of the century.
The Best One: Naomi Smalls vs. Gia Gunn to “Adrenaline,” All Stars Season 4, Episode 6 — There are quite literally a mountain of lip-syncs to choose from, but the one that still stands out to this day came during All Stars 4’s infamous “LaLaPaRuZa” episode, when Naomi Smalls and Gia Gunn delivered show-stopping performances to RuPaul’s “Adrenaline.” There are so many noteworthy moments in this one lip sync — Gia’s Gogo Yubari-esque reveal, Naomi’s gravity-defying backbend, both of them voguing for their lives — that we still don’t understand why they both weren’t permitted to stay in the competition for doing Ru proud.
