Bring back our girls! We are about to crown a brand new next superstar of drag. This Friday, April 14th either Anetra, LUXX NOIR LONDON, Mistress Isabelle Brooks, or Sasha Colby will take home the title and supersized $200,000 prize. All season long the final four have acted, danced, flipped, sang, and lip-synced their way into our hearts, earning their spot in the Grand Finale.
Who is going to walk away the winner? Will old-school drag reign supreme for Mistress to become the first big girl to win a US crown? Or will the fiery young upstart – the stunningly beautiful LUXX NOIR LONDON ride her underdog arc to a championship? What about ‘your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen’ the legendary Sasha Colby? Or will fan favorite duck-walking lip sync assassin Anetra lip sync her way to victory?
We asked a panel of experts to weigh in and give us their choices for who they think will win or who they want to win. {And by experts I mean my friends, their friends, happy hour friends I make in a bar, and a podcast host or two.}
Speaking of podcast hosts, Brendan says “It may not be the most popular opinion, but I am firmly Team Mistress going into the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race this season. While I think for some people, it’s easy to dismiss Mistress as being a bully or consider her mean, I often feel that is not accurate. Yes, she can be bold. Yes, she has a strong personality. But this is what makes Mistress so iconic.” The 30-year-old RPDR superfan is one of the regular recap guests for this season of Drag Race: Sweden on Block Talk, hosted by Michael Block.
“Arguably, this season (where we had to deal with the most queens ever while also going back to shorter episodes for the majority of the season) would have fallen flat without her. Even Ru says at the reunion that this is the season of the “Eras,” which is because Mistress was able to sell this as her brand, and the audience will now think of these “eras” both in relation to her and season 15 overall, as a defining element. Mistress serves you great southern drag and is confident in who she is. Her mug is always beat for the gods and she knows how to cut up and kiki. While she’s always ready to gather the girls, she still has a heart of gold shown in the way she has taken on Sugar and Spice as her drag children and also in her generosity related to helping raise funds and purchase items for Ms. Tang’s classroom after the makeover episode. Mistress is a well rounded and professional entertainer who has generated some quality television this season with her signature shade and giggling away, hand over mouth. Mistress is a true star for so many reasons which is why I hope that when the season comes to an end, the heavyweight champ will enter her champion era!”
Repping Team Anetra is 25-year-old Noah from Washington, DC who says,
“Do you smell that? Is something burning? Yes, it’s Anetra and this queen is on fire. Anetra duck walked into the competition, and has ferociously stomped the runway ever since. With her three wins, unique looks, increased confidence in challenges and athletic prowess, this queen with 6 letters and 3 vowels continues to prove why she was born to do drag. Anetra will walk that mothertucking duck across the finish line and will be crowned the season 15 winner.”
Adored NYC drag queen Heidi N. Dix is betting that “the Drag Race season 15 crown is going to Sasha Colby.” Heidi elaborated on her thoughts,
“There is no doubt in my mind that this queen is the supreme of the season. She has the best track record, an amazing Lip Sync to a bad song and phenomenal runway looks. Aside from track record Sasha has proved that she is a legend in the drag community. Myself and so many other queens have looked up to Sasha and the legends that came before us as the blueprint for what we want to achieve, look like, act like and how to perform. We have seen what she can do on the show with no preparation so I cannot wait to see what she will do with the time and budget given to her for this finale.”
Chalk up another vote for Sasha,
“After binge-watching the last three episodes, I am definitely team Sasha Colby. I think she has what it takes to become America’s next drag superstar. I like that each season they reinvent what drag is: whether it is a trans man like Gottmik or a straight man like Maddy Morphosis. This season is Sasha, a trans woman, who has the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to go all the way.” – Frank, 61, Palm Desert
Another team Anetra is Trevor, 29 who says “Right out of the gate, Anetra made her mark on RPDR season 15. Her maiden voyage in the competition challenge talent show left everyone, including Rupaul, gagged.” The Bedminster, NJ resident continues to praise the finalist,
“She brings something unique and spectacular to competition that makes her a force to be reckoned with (and feared if ever faced with a lip sync face-off). With each new week comes a new challenge for the queens. Anetra always delivers the goods and brings them all to the table. Though Sasha Colby is the front runner and a seasoned performer compared to the other girls, Anetra holds her own whenever in competition with Sasha as well as all the other queens. With 3 maxi challenge and 2 mini challenge wins things are looking very bright for Miss Anetra to be potentially crowned Drag Race winner for season 15.”
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Don’t forget about Lux Noir London. NYC resident Jay says, “I love Lux. Love her confidence. Love her looks. Love her fierceness. Love her personality. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Each week she got better and stronger. She represents young queer POC proudly.”
John, 39, gets us back on the Sasha Colby train explaining, “As someone who is a fan of the show but who also understands television and what Ru looks for in her ‘next drag superstar’ I can separate my emotions from who I like and who will win. However, I think this time around it might be both.” The Yorkville resident discussed further,
“I have a strong feeling Sasha Colby will not only be the winner but quite possibly Miss Congeniality. At first, I thought she had a similar trajectory as Brooke Lynn Heights: A Miss Continental, a good dancer, professional and poised. In this final episode, you can almost hear how Ru talks to the girls and gives side hints about how she feels. I think it will come down to a final lip sync between Anetra and Sasha with Sasha being crowned.”
There you have it! Now it’s your turn Instincters..who do you think will be crowned the next drag superstar? Sound off in the comments below.
(**This post is solely the opinion of this contributing writer and may not reflect the opinion of other writers, staff, or owners of Instinct Magazine.)
