As “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6” entertains fans this summer and “Drag Race Espana” nears its finale, we thought today was the perfect day to relive some of our favorite Lip Syncs for Your Life! As one of the Drag Race writers here at Instinct, I definitely consider myself a super fan of the show. Though I love and adore the show, and drag queens in general, I have been told more than once that I do NOT make a pretty drag queen. AT ALL. Maybe I should just stick to reviewing drag queens and not try to be one. LOL.
I present to you, for your reading and viewing pleasure, 15 great lip syncs for your life from RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars (Foreign editions of the show warrant their own list!). I am basing this list on entertainment value. Specifically, would I rewatch these lip syncs over and over on YouTube? And trust me, after a few White Claws or Truly lemonades during quarantine, I rewatched many of these battles.
So, while you won’t see Latrice Royale’s “Natural Woman,” or Jujubee’s “Black Velvet” on this list, many consider these two of the best performances during a lip-sync in the show’s herstory. This writer agrees but for some unknown reason, I don’t gravitate towards a rewatch.
The following list is presented in no specific order. Warning: spoilers ahead!
*Ra’Jah O’Hara vs. Brooke Lynn Hytes. Miss You Much. All-Stars 6.
Starting the list off with one of the most recent lip syncs, this one was hella entertaining. Ra’Jah is off to a stellar start on All-Stars 6, redeeming her awful performance, and attitude, on Season 11. Lip Sync assassin Brooke Lynn delivered another iconic performance (look for her later on in this list.) RuPaul gave both of these queens the win.
*Monét X Change vs. Dusty Ray Bottoms. Pound the Alarm. Season 10.
Two powerhouse performances with RuPaul even proclaiming, “For the ladies in the back that is what we call a lip sync for your life.” Miss Congeniality winner Monet stumbled in her looks, but her personality and comedic chops shined through. Her fake-out death drop was EPIC! (You might see Monet again on this list…)
*Alyssa Edwards vs. Coco Montrese. Cold-Hearted Snake. Season 5.
I don’t love Alyssa Edwards as much as the rest of the Drag Race community seems to, even though she appears on this list THREE times. Hmmm, maybe I do like her. Lol. Bitter rivals Alyssa and Coco each wanted to send the other home, with Coco prevailing. As she said, she was “lip-syncing every word as if I was Paula Abdul herself.”
*Denali vs. Kahmora Hall. 100% Pure Love. Season 13.
Another more recent lip sync for your life and another instant classic. Unfortunately for Kahmora Hall this lip sync is all Denali. Hall basically just walks around the stage making heart symbols with her hands while Denali blows the roof off the joint with her performance. Using the entire stage she has the queens watching cheering her on from the get-go. Eagerly awaiting Denali’s return on a future All-Star season.
*Roxxy Andrews vs. Miz Cracker. One Last Time. All-Stars 5.
Lip Sync assassin Roxxxy Andrews struck again taking the win from Miz Cracker as they perform this Arianna Grande smash hit. Roxxy looked gorge in a barely-there sexy red ribbon outfit, which she proceeded to take off more and more of as the song progressed. Fast forward to the end when she turns around and has the words THICK AND JUICY written on the fabric adorning her backside! As guest judge Bebe Rexha said, “ICONIC!”
*Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatianna. Shut Up and Drive. All-Stars 2.
Performing for the right to get back into the competition Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna do not leave anything on the stage. Considered by many to be the best season of Drag Race, the pressure was on these queens, and they delivered and then some. Another double shantay, RuPaul brought both queens back into the competition. And deservedly so.
*Bob the Drag Queen vs. Derrick Barry. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real.) Season 8.
The judges saw something in Derrick Barry that I did not, keeping her until the Final Five. Her All-Stars stint was much shorter as she was eliminated first. No shocker here. Derrick’s showgirl shtick did not fit with the tone and feel of the song. She was “dead queen walking” against powerhouse, and one of my favorite queens, eventual season winner Bob the Drag Queen. When RuPaul takes out his fan for you, you know you are shantaying.
*Alyssa Edwards vs. Roxxxy Andrews. Whip My Hair. Season 5.
Alyssa’s final appearance on this list was good enough to earn the first-ever double save from RuPaul. But for me, this lip sync belongs to Roxxxy Andrews. Roxxxy will never win Miss Congeniality, but gurl is a performer! She started the wig reveal trend which now are commonplace during a lip-sync. The quickest kiss of death in a lip-sync for your life is for a wig to fall off or be taken off purposely. “Do not take your wig off…unless you have another wig underneath!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSYvXsa8bIQ
*Sasha Velour vs. Shea Coulee. I Get So Emotional. Season 9 Grand Finale.
Speaking of wig reveals, Sasha Velour cemented her place as Drag Race royalty with this performance. Not only did she eliminate front runner Shea Coulee but she advanced to lip-sync for the crown (which she won!). Her wig reveal and rose petal shower is nothing short of legendary.
*Monét X Change vs. Trinity the Tuck. Fighter. All-Stars 4 Grand Finale.
A perfect combination of song choice and performance. From both queens. The performances were so stellar both queens won the title and the crown – a drag race first. Favorite moment: Monet revealing her pussycat wig to reveal – wait for it – another pussycat wig. COME THROUGH MONET!
*Kennedy Davenport vs. Katya. Roar. Season 7.
If any lip-sync deserved a double shantay this season seven smackdown to the Katy Perry anthem is the one. Kennedy Davenport took the win here, with many feeling she overperformed the song robbing Katya of the victory. If there was a double shantay could Katya have made a run for the title?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOT-N6Kl7QI
*Yvie Oddly vs. Brooke Lynn Hytes. Sorry Not Sorry. Season 11.
After disastrous Snatch Game performances, season stand-outs Yvie and Brooke Lynn found themselves in the bottom two early on. Once the song started, each tore up the main stage. Wig reveals, flips, cartwheels, you name it they did it. Both fought for their spot in the competition and both deservedly stayed. Weeks later they would be the final two standing and would lip-sync for the crowd, with Yvie Oddly winning the title.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_eGXgf52c8
*Jujubee vs. Raven. Dancing On My Own. All-Stars Season 1.
A different lip sync from the others on this list, this emotional lip sync had many viewers on the verge of tears. Best friends and teammates Jujubee and Raven found themselves fighting for a spot in the final three of the first All-Stars. After they break down in tears at the end of the performance RuPaul saves them both and starts the era of a final four, not a final three.
*Peppermint vs. Trinity the Tuck. Stronger. Season 9 Grand Finale.
Saving my personal favorite performance for last, another case of a queen with loads of charm and personality but maybe stumbling in the lewk department. Peppermint – the lip-sync assassin of the season – took out Alexis Michele to advance to the Final Four. With this performance, she eliminated Trinity to lip-sync for the crown. Trinity’s fate was sealed when Peppermint executed a double reveal: removing her wig and turning her mini skirt into a dress.
There you have it Instincters! Did any of your favorites make this list? Sound off in the comments below and let us know which lip sync for your life you rewatch over and over on YouTube. Oh wait, am I the only one who does that? lol.
