rupauls drag race
Page: 4
Back in 2014, Tom Campbell was trying to find some inspiration. As an executive producer on RuPaul’s Drag Race — which, at the time, garnered a modest-but-dedicated following in the queer community — Campbell was looking for something new to challenge the latest cast of queens.
Noticing that the cast of the show’s upcoming sixth season had a number of bonafide singers — including alumni from American Idol and Australian Idol, Adore Delano and Courtney Act, respectively — the thought occurred to make a splash with a stage show. “We figured that we should do a Broadway challenge,” Campbell said, recalling a brainstorming session. “And as soon as we heard the word ‘musical,’ we said, ‘Oh, well now it’s a Rusical.’”
Nearly a decade later, what was meant to be a one-off challenge has become a fan-loved mainstay in the show’s construction, with each successive season bringing bigger and bolder production elements to the Rusical format.
The concept of the challenge is relatively simple; each season, the remaining queens in the competition are tasked with putting together a “Rusical,” where they dance, act and lip synch (or occasionally, sing live) in a plot-fueled stage production. Sometimes, a Rusical spoofs an existing story; other times, it tells the story of a pop culture icon throughout their life; and occasionally, you get original concepts that are simply meant to make the audience at home laugh.
As season 15 contestant Loosey LaDuca tells it, the Rusical is more than just a campy, reality-television take on musical theater — it’s an all-encompassing challenge meant to test every queen’s performance skills. “You can’t just skate by in the Rusical — you can’t just go, ‘Oh, I hope to get through and be safe,’” she says. “No, you need to make an impact. And it’s a difficult challenge; you’re putting on a pretty extensive show, and having to learn it and perform it very quickly.”
[embedded content]
For Brett McLaughlin — the pop singer-songwriter better known by his pseudonym Leland — the Rusical challenge offers a sense of “creative freedom” that can be hard to find elsewhere. “Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of parameters technically speaking when putting together a Rusical,” the in-house Drag Race songsmith says. “But you get to check so many boxes, genre-wise. And the process is just so fun, because all we do is sit around and think about what will make us laugh, what will make Ru laugh, and what will give each of the queens a show-stopping moment.”
So, how does a typical Rusical get made? It always starts with an idea that will make RuPaul laugh. Or, as Campbell puts it, “oftentimes the best ideas on Drag Race start with a stupid pun.” Take, for instance, season 11’s PharmaRusical — as Campbell explains, the show’s writers and producers became fixated on the idea of working the pharmaceutical commercial format into a challenge, and they decided that turning them into their own “twisted” musical would be hilarious. “I’m not saying it was it was the biggest success, but we were just obsessed with it,” he says.
Upon finding an idea that they think will work, the heft of work is then passed on to McLaughlin, who spends an average of three to four weeks “writing the songs, getting them approved, structuring out the narrative, finding the comedy, trimming it down, recording the vocals and finishing the tracks.”
Writing the original songs — or in some cases, retooling tracks from RuPaul’s expansive discography — for each season’s Rusical takes up the most time, McLaughlin says. “I try to take the first five days and just sit at the piano and start working up ideas,” he says. “I will just send a lot of voice memos to the team and ask, ‘Do you like where this is headed?’”
With each season, McLaughlin’s job changes slightly; while some seasons see the queens lip-synching throughout their show to pre-recorded tracks, others see them recording and performing their own vocals, which presents its own parameters when it comes to the actual challenge itself. “If the queens record their own vocals on camera, that’s basically a whole additional day of production work for us,” he says, before wryly adding that “the skill of the queen determines how much work it takes for us after they’re done.”
But the goal of the creative process remains the same for both McLaughlin and Campbell — give each competitor an opportunity to stand out in their respective roles. “I think they all do what they’re meant to do, which is to put the queens into a challenge to see how they react and create these star turns,” Campbell says. “So, we’ve been very fortunate to be able to achieve that.”
Yet some time in the last few years, the Rusical challenge seemed to change for the better; fans noticed that the music, lyrics, set design and performances being brought to the stage were bigger and grander, making the challenge pop even more than it used to.
[embedded content]
One of the latest examples of that fact came in the form of “Wigloose: The Rusical.” What could have once been a cute reinterpretation of the 1984 classic Footloose became an emotive, poignant show that seemed to eerily comment on the bleak state of affairs for drag queens around the U.S. Filmed in 2022 before controversial “drag bans” began sweeping the country, the show centers around a small town that attempts to ban the art of drag and is thwarted by a community of expressive queens.
LaDuca, who performed in “Wigloose” alongside five of the other season 15 contestants, says that the cast immediately could tell there was something special with this Rusical. “It had this incredible cohesion to it; it was a fully realized story from beginning to end where you really get to know who each of the characters are,” she says. “The musical seemed like this very out-there parody version of what’s going on, and then it was suddenly like, ‘No, this is what’s actually happening.’”
Over the course of just two days, LaDuca and her competitors learned their respective parts, blocked out the stage and rehearsed their extensive choreography again and again. “Our choreographer, Miguel [Zarata], has got such a special talent of getting stuff done in a very well-rehearsed way,” she says. “Choreographers have to be really focused, and he was so good at letting us know, ‘Ladies, you have this amount of time left, and you have to learn this much stuff.’”
The political implications of the story, as LaDuca explains, were not top of mind for the queens — while there had been plenty of protests and discussions about Drag Story Hours, the right-wing campaign against the art of drag had not quite begun in earnest when they were filming the show. “I can only speak to my experience, but I had my head in the game. We had to learn so much material so quickly, that it was just like, ‘Let’s bang all this out,’” she says. “Looking back at it, all of us were like, ‘Oh my God, this really is happening.’ We’ve worked so hard on making this a real job, and now it’s being outlawed, which is incredibly unconstitutional.”
When Campbell and the other executive producers of the show saw the cultural moment that “Wigloose” was indirectly commenting on, they decided to act — teaming up with MTV, World of Wonder and the ACLU, Drag Race helped create the Drag Defense Fund, which actively funds the ACLU’s efforts to battle anti-LGBTQ laws throughout the U.S. “I’m so proud of the network and World of Wonder for doing that,” he says.
With such a timely plot, “Wigloose” works as well as it does in large part thanks to its expansive original score from McLaughlin. Riffing on Footloose’s ’80s setting and iconic score, McLaughlin says that as soon as the idea was passed down to him, he was able to sketch out a blueprint for the show in a matter of days.
“The second I heard about it, I watched Footloose that night and I started getting really excited and understanding the checkpoints that we would need to hit,” he says. “We immediately talked through the script, where the songs should be placed, when it should be an up-tempo, mid-tempo song, our big ballad moment, and just dividing it all up.”
While he didn’t have the task of transforming RuPaul songs into showtunes for this challenge, McLaughlin says she still went ahead and trawled old episodes of Drag Race and interviews given by RuPaul to find meaningful quotes that he could interpolate into the lyrics. “To put something like ‘drag is a protest’ in a song and find the right melody … it felt like one of those special moments that doesn’t always happen with songwriting, where the words match the melody which matches the music,” he says.
The hard work from from the cast and creatives behind the show clearly paid off with “Wigloose” — that particular episode of the show earned three of their nine Emmy nominations for 2023, including outstanding directing, picture editing and sound mixing for a reality program.
[embedded content]
Looking back on the nearly 10 year history of the Rusical challenge, Campbell remains in awe of what he and his team have managed to accomplish. “It was meant to be a one and done challenge back in season 6 … and we just brought it back because we loved it so much,” he says. “This challenge, and Drag Race itself, is like a healthy tree that grew through a crack in the sidewalk — it doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t fit the algorithm, but it touches people’s hearts and and that’s what’s important.”
With so much innovation already done to the challenge’s format, where can Drag Race possibly take the Rusical challenge in the future? LaDuca offers that, despite how difficult the challenge already is for queens, it could be interesting to get them more involved in the creative process. “It might be interesting to have the contestants be able to maybe write some of the lyrics like they do in other in other challenges — you say, ‘Here’s the story, now you put it together,’” she says. “I also would really love if the contestants had the ability to maybe even have a have a hand in designing the costumes.”
For his part, McLaughlin can’t help but think beyond the scope of reality television. “I started to write my first musical this year, and this has been the best training wheels for me,” he says. “I think we should eventually start showcasing these Rusicals in a live setting, because at this point, I think they deserve to have a life outside of the show, too.”
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.
Grab your coloring pencils, markers and/or crayons — especially if you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race as the dynamic drag queen duo Trixie Mattel & Katya Zamolodchikova are releasing an adult coloring book. The new interactive book won’t be released until Aug. 22, but you can finally preorder a copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Target to ensure you get your hands on the new title.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Official Trixie and Katya Coloring Book is authored by the two queens and illustrated by Aly Bellissimo. While it hasn’t been released yet, it’s already gained the label of Amazon’s No. 1 new release for humorous coloring books for grown-ups. Within it, you’ll find 40 Mattel and Zamolodchikova-approved illustrations of the duo with customizable pages you can fill with color.
On July 6, Zamolodchikova took to Instagram to share a sneak preview of the coloring book, featuring a series of photos showing just a few of the pages from the coloring book.
“We heard you asking for a sneak peek at the pages in our official coloring book and we love to give the people what they want. Color us in!” the caption read.
Keep reading to preorder your own copy of the title.
Amazon
“The Official Trixie and Katya Coloring Book”
$16.00 $18.00 11% OFF
Enjoy everything from illustrations of the two queens to pages with their classic sayings in this personalizable coloring book — and it’s on sale! Once you complete a picture you can hang it on your wall for all to see or keep it inside the book to look back on when you’re done.
While this may be the first coloring book the two have co-authored together, this isn’t the first time they’ve dipped into writing a book. The queens have co-written two books prior to the coloring book: Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Modern Womanhood and Working Girls, which have both earned them the title of New York Times bestselling authors.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best music books, female musician memoirs and the best musician cookbooks.
07/19/2023
Backflips! Splits! Slices of lunch meat thrown like frisbees! The lip syncs of All Stars 8 truly had everything.
07/19/2023
RuPaul’s Drag Race and We’re Here star Shangela has denied allegations in a civil suit filed by a former production assistant on the latter series claiming that the drag star (born Darius Jeremy “DJ” Pierce) drugged and raped him after a 2020 wrap party.
“I can’t begin to explain how hurt and disgusted I am by these totally untrue allegations. They are personally offensive and perpetuate damaging stereotypes that are harmful not only to me, but also to my entire community,” Pierce said in a statement to Billboard on Friday (May 5).
The statement came in reaction to a civil suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday in which Daniel McGarrigle, a We’re Here production assistant, claimed that Pierce sexually assaulted him in February 2020 after a wrap party for the fifth episode of the HBO reality series featuring several Drag Race contestants, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“An external investigation into this embittered individual’s claims previously concluded that they were completely without merit,” Pierce continued in the statement. The performer added of the new filing, “No one should be fooled: It has no basis in fact or in law, and it will not succeed.”
Pierce added, “As a hardworking and outspoken drag entertainer for more than a decade, I know that I am far from alone in battling ignorance, bigotry and prejudice, all of which played a role in the filing of this complaint. That is why I will fight this entirely meritless lawsuit and not allow it to destroy me and those I love, or harm the causes we all stand for.”
According to THR, McGarrigle alleges in the suit that during party at a Ruston, La., restaurant/bar, Pierce was “heavily flirtatious” with him and bought him several drinks before allegedly suggesting that McGarrigle accompany him to his hotel to help get ready for an early flight. The suit then claims that McGarrigle vomited in the toilet after arriving in Pierce’s room, at which point the performer reportedly offered to get him water and let him lie down until he felt better.
The production assistant claims in the lawsuit he woke up later that evening to a cold liquid that “burned his eyes and nose” being poured on him that was described as a kind of “poppers” (aka amyl nitrite) before Pierce allegedly pulled down his pants and “overpowered” him.
In a separate statement shared with Billboard from producers Buckingham Television and HBO, the representatives for the series said, “Buckingham Television, the production company for We’re Here, received a complaint late summer 2021 regarding an incident that was alleged to have occurred in early 2020. Buckingham and HBO take the safety and well-being of personnel on our shows very seriously, and Buckingham immediately launched an investigation. The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support these allegations.”
The suit claims that the alleged rape was an act of gender violence, and that McGarrigle suffered damages as a result, including “past and future medical expenses, past and future lost earnings and earning capacity, pain, suffering, emotional distress, mental anguish and embarrassment.” The legal action is seeking unspecified damages from Pierce and Buckingham.
The end of each new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race is bittersweet — you’re happy to have a new winner, but sad to see the show come to an end. This year, you can rest easy, because the Drag Race drought won’t last for long.
On Thursday (April 20), Paramount+ unveiled the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8. The season premiere, which will take place Friday, May 12, on Paramount+, will consist of a two episodes as 12 returning queens compete for a cash prize of $200,000 and a spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame” alongside past All Stars winners Chad Michaels, Alaska, Trixie Mattel, Monét X Change, Trinity the Tuck, Shea Couleé, Kylie Sonique Love and Jinkx Monsoon.
The supersized cast features former competitors Alexis Michelle (season nine), Darienne Lake (season six), Heidi N Closet (season 12), Jaymes Mansfield (season nine), Jessica Wild (season two), Jimbo (Canada’s Drag Race season one & U.K. vs. The World season one), Kahanna Montrese (season 11), Kandy Muse (season 13), LaLa Ri (season 13), Monica Beverly Hillz (season five), Mrs. Kasha Davis (season seven) and Naysha Lopez (season eight).
The news comes on the heels of the latest Drag Race crowning. Last week, Sasha Colby took home the top prize for season 15. In an interview with Billboard shortly after her victory, Colby said that she felt awestruck that she managed to win the competition. “When I made a miracle happen by winning [Miss] Continental, I sort of thought that you get one miracle in your lifetime,” she said. “But it’s wild to think that we made magic again.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 premieres on Paramount+ on Friday, May 12. Watch the full “Meet the Queens” video 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.
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.
After a high-octane season that saw the show’s highest ratings in three years, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 went out with a bang on Friday (April 14).
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’: Every Lip Sync From Season 15, Ranked
04/18/2023
In the finale episode, the top four queens (Anetra, Luxx Noir London, Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Sasha Colby) performed in a series of solo lip sync numbers, before getting narrowed down to a top two. With Anetra and Sasha Colby advancing to the final event, the pair performed a dramatic lip sync to Amii Stewart’s “Knock on Wood,” where only one queen emerged victorious — Sasha Colby.
The Hawaiian drag superstar — best known for winning the prestigious drag pageant Miss Continental back in 2011 — humbly accepted her new scepter from RuPaul at the end of the finale, declaring that she was dedicating her win to her community. “This goes to every trans person, past, present and future,” she said. “Because we are not going anywhere.”
Colby came into the finale with the strongest track record of any of her competitors — along with never landing in the bottom in any of the show’s challenges, Sasha also racked up four challenge wins over the course of the season, more than any other queen on the show. Fans favored Sasha for the crown, with 47% of respondents to Billboard‘s pre-finale poll declaring Sasha as their winner (Anetra was the next closest with 44% of the vote).
Speaking to Billboard a few days after her crowning, Sasha Colby talked about what it meant for her to win the crown, how she executed two extremely memorable lip syncs in a single episode, her Beyoncé conspiracy theory and why it’s more important than ever to have a trans woman take home the Drag Race crown.
You must have had a wild weekend, queen.
It’s really been wonderful, I got to spend some time with some really good friends who always supported my work. I just got to soak it in, let it integrate, you know?
Yes, because nothing big happened, right?
No, no, you know, I watched a little show on Friday, but other than that, it was chill [laughs]. Which is exactly how I felt going into the event on Friday night, I was telling the top four when we were doing our numbers, like, “Girls, it’s just brunch.”
Let’s get into it — congratulations to you, our winner, our current reigning! How are you feeling after clinching the crown?
I feel amazing! As a very competitive pageant girl, it’s nice to accomplish something, and it really feels good to sit back and know that this was a job well done. I did everything I could — I mean, I literally put my whole a– out there. It’s just really lovely to get this from the ultimate drag queen herself.
This is not your first experience taking home a crown — in your career, where does this particular honor rank amongst your many achievements?
This is the highest honor so far, until my presidency [laughs]. No, this is the pinnacle for me. Doing Miss Continental 11 years ago, Drag Race was, I think, about three seasons in. It was pretty new. When I made a miracle happen by winning Continental, I sort of thought that you get one miracle in your lifetime. But it’s wild to think that we made magic again — and by “we” I do mean my tribe, my family, because it definitely was not just me.
Musicians Who’ve Spoken Out Against Recent Anti-LGBTQ Bills: Hayley Williams, Lizzo, Ariana Grande…
04/18/2023
Right after winning the crown, you had this beautiful moment where you dedicated your win to your community, to “every trans person, past, present and future, because we’re not going anywhere.” With everything going on in the country right now, why was that an important dedication for you to make?
You know, I was thinking about being funny, being cheeky — no pun intended. But really, what summed it up the entire competition me was the fact that I was getting so nervous. You get very in your head, you start feeling insane, like a drag-zilla, if you will. I had to step back and make the competition where it was not about this dream that I was so happy to have achieved. All that was in the back of my head was, “What’s going on?” You know, it was about traveling, and feeling unsafe where we’re going, and this rhetoric on the news about trans folks.
So it was a way for me to not make it about, “I need to win Drag Race, this is the end-all-be-all.” No, when you’re trying to achieve something, you have to look at what’s after. Once you know there’s something else you have to do that is greater than this desire you have, the desire immediately gets filled because of the purpose you have. 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.
Well-said. On a much less serious note, on a scale of 1-10, how certain are you in your conspiracy theory that Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce moniker was inspired by you?
Girl, that is desperate, desperate ploy for Beyoncé to contact me [laughs]. And you know what? The hive has not come for me yet, because deep down they know that they all would have done the same thing. If it meant mother would talk to them? They would’ve done the exact same.
They’ve just been sitting quietly saying, “Wait, no, let’s see what happens.”
Ugh, the doors Gia Gunn and I have opened [giggles].
There’s so much to talk about from the finale episode, so let’s start with your performance of the original song “GODDESS” — you were in perfect form for this number. Tell me a little about how you went about staging this, because it looked very meticulous.
Well, I was definitely thinking Continental 2.0 — I definitely have a formula when it comes to performances. Even if it’s a solo, I do have a formula that my dance director has worked with us all on for years; “When you tell a story, you have to have a beginning, a middle and an end.”
I like to use my body to write the story of what I see in the music. So if I feel a suspension of breath like there was in “GODDESS,” I want to show that with my body. If I feel tension, I want to show it. I remember Monica Monroe told me the most powerful thing is to understand the silence of the music. Because that takes you on a journey, and it points the viewer in the right direction. And, you know, I like being a little f–gy.
Then we get to the Lip Sync for the Crown, where you executed not one, but two absolutely wild outfit reveals. How much did you have to practice those before getting on the stage?
Can I be real with you? Not one time. The outfits weren’t finished and didn’t get delivered until the day before. I couldn’t unwrap that massive coat, because even if I did, there was no space with enough room to practice that reveal! I’ve done the trick with the second dress before (ripping out a chord from the center of the dress until it falls away), it’s an old-school burlesque trick. But it’s hard to execute, and we did end up painting a little purple on it so it would blend it, which made it a little trickier. So no, that was not rehearsed, and I was really on that stage like, “I am going to rip this off on camera.” I also just didn’t want to be that queen saying “I need to rehearse on the stage! I need to this!” It’s just like, it’s a competition, hold your cards close to your chest.
Do you have any big plans for what you’re going to do with the $200,000 cash prize?
I think I’m gonna try and save, to be honest! I’d love to save it up so I can buy a beautiful home. But, a splurge might be something like … great teeth, honestly. A star smile! Because dental health is very important! It seems like a vanity buy, but ultimately it’s a healthy buy.
What can fans expect from Sasha Colby’s reign as America’s Next Drag Superstar?
You can expect the same goofy, silly, sexy girl to come to every city. You can expect high energy, mothering love, and probably some groundbreaking things that are already in the works as we speak. I mean, I’m not gonna stop now! In the eternal words of RuPaul herself, “This is the beginning.”
After an extremely competitive few weeks that saw 16 queens contend for the crown, season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race finally came to an end on Friday night (April 14) when one queen walked away with the crown.
Filmed live on April 1 at The Theatre at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, the finale gave all of the eliminated queens a chance to return to the stage and show off their fabulous fashion, before the top four — Anetra, Luxx Noir London, Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Sasha Colby — began their official fight for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar.
Taking to the stage in a series of solo performances, the top four rewrote their narratives for an eager audience: Anetra blossomed into a “Lotus” with her EDM-tinged single; Luxx declared that “It’s Giving Fashion” with her couture single; Mistress psychoanalyzed the “Delusion” of the season with a mesmerizing song; and Sasha Colby ascended to become a “Goddess” with her dance-pop anthem.
With only two queens able to move forward to the final showdown, RuPaul selected Anetra and Sasha Colby as the season’s top two thanks to their stellar performances. Advancing to the famous Lip Sync for the Crown, Anetra and Sasha put it all on the line to the tune of Amii Stewart’s 1979 classic “Knock on Wood.”
Anetra showed off her superior dance skills with a (literally) bleeding heart on her chest that she then removed during the performance. Meanwhile, Sasha Colby gave fans not one but two stunning outfit reveals, all while tearing up the stage and performing her signature hair flips along the way. With the lip-sync over, and the audience at home waiting, RuPaul announced that the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15 was…
…Sasha Colby! Your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen clutched her face as she accepted the crown and scepter from RuPaul. As the crowd roared with applause, Colby dedicated her award to her community with an empowering statement. “This goes to every trans person — past, present and future,” she proclaimed. “Because we are not going anywhere.”
See the full moment when Sasha Colby clinched the crown below:
Despite what some lawmakers around the country are trying, the art of drag is not going anywhere. Case in point, RuPaul’s Drag Race continues its supreme reign as the pinnacle of modern reality television.
With its latest season, Drag Race managed to up the stakes not only financially (with a newly-boosted $200,000 cash prize) or in terms of network (the show made the jump from VH1 to MTV this year), but through its execution as well — with its largest-ever cast of 16 talented queens, each episode of the hit show’s 15th season saw every contestant working hard to earn their keep.
While the queens gave their all in each of the maxi challenges — including Drag Race staples like Snatch Game and the Rusical — it was season 15’s lip syncs where the queens really brought their A-game. Whether it was a Lip Sync For Your Life to survive another week on the show, or a Lip Sync Lalaparuza performance in the show’s battle royale format, every queen who appeared on season 15 had to rely on their lip sync abilities in order to impress throughout a season where everyone seemed impressive.
But which of this season’s many lip syncs stood out amongst the rest … and which ones failed to impress? Ahead of the finale airing this Friday (April 14), Billboard is taking a look back at all 20 of the lip syncs performed thus far on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15, and ranking them from worst to best. Check out where your favorite landed below:
Malaysia Babydoll Foxx vs. Spice: Camila Cabello, “Don’t Go Yet”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Rule number one of every lip sync, on or off RuPaul’s Drag Race: you must know the words to the song. Yet in this Lalaparuza lip sync, neither queen could manage to remember the song’s lyrics — with one even choosing the song as a means of sabotaging the other. Both Malaysia and Spice ended up bopping around the stage while trying to hide the fact that they simply had no idea what Camila Cabello was singing on the song’s chorus.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Malaysia Babydoll Foxx vs. Salina EsTitties: Beyoncé, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
The moment that “Single Ladies” began playing in this mid-season Lip Sync For Your Life, members of the BeyHive everywhere got excited — at long last, one of Beyoncé’s most iconic hits would be making its Drag Race debut. But by the time it had ended, even lip sync winner Salina EsTitties was offering up an apology to Queen Bey. Neither queen managed to match the song’s hype or energy in this largely lackluster lip sync, though Salina’s commitment to recreating the video choreography beat-by-beat was at least admirable.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Loosey LaDuca vs. Spice: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)”
For a song as gritty as “Do You Wanna Touch Me,” we expected these queens to get much more into it than they ultimately did. Both Loosey and Spice seemed to lack the raw, punk spirit of the song, instead aiming for safe performances that would remove them from the Lalaparuza tournament. In the end, Loosey did manage to put some funny moments into the song, earning her early exit from the contest. But, in the words of Marcia Marcia Marcia watching from a couch: “Pick it up girls, c’mon.”
Watch the full lip sync here.
Amethyst vs. Princess Poppy: Diana Ross, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
Along with knowing your words, reading the room is the key to a good lip sync. That’s clearly what Amethyst did when giving her performance to Diana Ross’ rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Matching the groove of the song with the vibe of her performance, Amethyst delivered a perfectly serviceable, if not somewhat boring, lip-sync to an iconic song. Princess Poppy, on the other hand, decided to show as much of her “between-me-down-there” (as RuPaul would call it) as possible, making for a very strange and one-sided lip sync.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Salina EsTitties vs. Spice: Lil Nas X, “That’s What I Want”
The real criminal in this lip sync was the choice of song. Both Salina and Spice did fine given the assignment, but we’re stuck wondering why “That’s What I Want” was the song picked out of all Lil Nas X’s discography for a Lip Sync For Your Life. “Call Me By Your Name (Montero),” “Industry Baby,” and even “Old Town Road” would have all been much better choices with clearer paths to success for either of these two queens, while “That’s What I Want” offered very little for our performers to act on.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Loosey LaDuca vs. Salina EsTitties: Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Hear us out on this one. Yes, objectively speaking, this was a very bad lip sync — Loosey and Salina tried “Running Up That Hill” and instead came tumbling down it. But sometimes, a performance can be so bad that it transcends objectivity and becomes compelling again, and that’s what ended up happening here. A lip sync is meant to entertain, and watching a very sad sea monster and a hot-dog-fingered abstract painting try to convey the complicated emotions of Kate Bush’s classic single turned out to be very entertaining, indeed.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Sugar vs. Spice: Pat Benatar, “You Better Run”
Much like the “Running Up That Hill” lip sync, the inevitable showdown between Sugar and Spice entered into “so bad it’s good” territory pretty early on. Watching these twinning queens work together with matching choreography in a competitive lip sync, only to have one of them actually face-plant twice on national television is the kind of high-camp comedy we’ve come to expect from Drag Race. It’s giving pure chaos, which we simply love to see.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Anetra vs. Luxx Noir London vs. Jax: Vanessa Williams, “The Right Stuff”
There is no denying after watching season 15 that Anetra, Luxx and Jax are all incredibly gifted lip sync performers in their own right. But when tasked with performing at the same time to Vanessa Williams’ iconic “The Right Stuff,” it suddenly became very hard to follow who was doing what. Had this been a classic head to head showdown between two of these three, we imagine this lip sync could have been one for the books. But by introducing a third queen, the stage suddenly became too jumbled with kicks and splits and drops to fairly discern which queen was winning.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Anetra vs. Mistress Isabelle Brooks: David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland, “When Love Takes Over”
The final showdown ahead of the season 15 finale was another bit of proof that dancing and stunts are not what makes a good lip sync performance. For the majority of this head-to-head, both Anetra and Mistress Isabelle Brooks remained in their respective spots on the stage, choosing to let their faces do the performing. Sure, we still got some duck-walking from Anetra and some speedbag punches from Mistress, but this lip-sync was sold by the passion in both queens’ faces throughout.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Amethyst vs. Irene Dubois: Ariana Grande, “7 Rings”
If you listen to the beat and tempo of Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings,” you’ll realize that the star’s casual-flex anthem is not that easy to dance to — and yet both Amethyst and Irene Dubois still managed to bop and shake their way into a memorable premiere lip sync. While Irene’s laid-back, sexed-up performance certainly managed to pull our attention, Amethyst’s spot-on embodiment of the track’s energy won her the day, with Ariana herself smiling in approval.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Jax vs. Robin Fierce: The Bangles, “In Your Room”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
The Bangles may not be an obvious pick for a RuPaul’s Drag Race lip sync smackdown, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by the way that Jax and Robin Fierce performed to their single “In My Room.” Offering up two completely different performances, Robin showed off her flowing dance chops, while Jax proved to be a lightning-fast, endlessly agile performer, each stunning the judges in their own ways. Even with her A-tier stunts and choreo, Jax still got a run for her money from Robin, making their face-off all the more entertaining to watch.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Luxx Noir London vs. Salina EsTitties: Celine Dion, “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now”
Lip-synch smarter, not harder. That may as well have been Salina EsTitties’ motto when she faced off with Luxx Noir London to Celine Dion’s iconic “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” for the Lalaparuza. Picking and choosing when in the song she would serve emotion, camp or sexuality, Salina proved to be a master of timing with this performance. For every beat of the song, she kept viewers on their toes, wondering where she would take them next — which helps, since it left few eyeballs on Luxx’s lip sync.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Loosey LaDuca vs. Luxx Noir London: Hayley Kiyoko, “For the Girls”
There is nothing better in a Lip Sync For Your Life than seeing a queen who will do whatever she has to in order to stay, which is exactly what we got with Luxx and Loosey’s Hayley Kiyoko showdown. Where Loosey tried to show some restraint, Luxx let herself go wild in this performance. Utilizing dips, drops and more hair flips than we can could, Luxx proved that sometimes, the key to winning is being nothing but utterly confident.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Anetra vs. Jax: CeCe Peniston, “Finally”
At the end of a lip-sync marathon and performing their third number in a matter of minutes, Anetra and Jax were both understandably tired by the time they arrived at CeCe Peniston’s “Finally.” But even when they were both worn down, this pair of lip sync superstars managed to turn out one of the highest-energy lip syncs of the season. Pulling out every dance move in their repertoire to this certified bop, the queens gave viewers whiplash with how quickly we felt ourselves bouncing back and forth between their gag-worthy moves, resulting in a photo-finish decision from the judges’ panel.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Malaysia Babydoll Foxx vs. Marcia Marcia Marcia: Anitta, “Boys Don’t Cry”
Everyone loves an underdog. When Marcia Marcia Marcia was seemingly singled-out for this Lalaparuza lip-sync as a queen who could be beat, she had a tall task when it came to proving herself. Yet prove herself she did, showing everyone that she wasn’t joking when she said she was a classically-trained dancer. Every move in this performance was purposeful and clean, as Marcia whipped around the stage like a hurricane made of pure drag, leaving Malaysia deep in her wake.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Amethyst vs. Salina EsTitties: Janelle Monáe, “Q.U.E.E.N.”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
Guest judge Janelle Monáe said all that needed to be said when she started screaming mid-lip sync. When the original artist cannot help but yelp at your performance, you know you’ve done something right. Amethyst and Salina both knew their assignment from the song’s first note —the lyrics literally instruct you to be “a freak for getting down.” But it was Salina who embodied every ounce of swagger found in “Q.U.E.E.N,” while also adding her perfectly-executed bits (like losing her skirt for the “skirt on the ground” lyric) to make this lip sync one for the history books.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Mistress Isabelle Brooks vs. Jax: Taylor Dayne, “Tell It To My Heart”
Going up against a noted lip-sync assassin like Jax would be nerve-wracking for any queen … unless, of course, you’re Mistress Isabelle Brooks. The self-proclaimed “heavyweight champ” earned her title with this stunning lip sync to “Tell it to My Heart”. Instead of falling into the trap of attempting to outdance a trained dancer, Mistress instead focused on the drama of the song, utilizing her already-commanding stage presence for a phenomenal embodiment of this late ’80s dance-pop classic.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Aura Mayari vs. Jax: Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa, “Sweetest Pie”
There was no “Pie” leftover after this lip sync ended, because Jax ate and left no crumbs. While Aura struggled to remember all the words to Megan Thee Stallion’s rapid-fire rap, Jax remained cool, calm and collected while hitting every word and every movement of this song with perfect precision. Every flip and roll she did throughout the number landed with grace, fluidly transitioning each time into her next “oh my god how did she do that” trick. We’d say that Aura did a good job, too, but if we’re being honest, we kind of forgot that she was there about halfway through this incredible routine.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Anetra vs. Sasha Colby: Fifth Harmony, “I’m In Love With A Monster”
There is a reason that this lip sync was the showdown fans had been waiting for until it finally happened in episode 8. Anetra and Sasha are two of the best lip sync artists in the show’s history, and having them battle it out to Fifth Harmony halfway through the season felt like a gift for fans who’d been dedicated to keeping up with the season. Both queens had their words, their stunts, their acting and their presence down to a science throughout this high-octane number, never letting up on the gas. How the judges decided which of these two won or lost is simply beyond us.
Watch the full lip sync here.
Anetra vs. Marcia Marcia Marcia: Doja Cat, “Boss Bitch”
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo
By every possible metric you can judge a lip sync from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Anetra and Marcia Marcia Marcia’s “Boss Bitch” performance gets a perfect score. Words? Dance moves? Face-serving? Storyline? Moments that make you say out loud “wait did she actually just leap over her body?” 10’s, 10’s, 10’s across the board.
Anetra and Marcia definitively showed what makes the Lip Sync For Your Life format — and for that matter, the art of lip-synching itself — so compelling; from the moment Doja Cat groaned “Mmm, I ain’t tryna,” both queens kept their audience rapt while they masterfully executed perfectly plotted-out presentations. While there were plenty of excellent lip-syncs throughout season 15, none of them came close to the masterclass displayed here.
Watch the full lip sync here.