Well, we are back, back, back again!
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 has officially announced its cast of queens with a sickening water-themed promo along with the Meet the Queens video.
The new season premieres Jan. 3 on MTV at 8 p.m., with 14 new queens entering the werkroom to compete for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $200,000, sponsored by TodayTix. The 14 queens are: Acacia Forgot, Arrietty, Crystal Envy, Hormona Lisa, Jewels Sparkles, Joella, Kori King, Lana Ja’Rae, Lexi Love, Lucky Starzzz, Lydia B Collins, Onya Nurve, Sam Star and Suzie Toot.
A twist introduced last year will also be back…with another twist! As MTV notes, “In the premiere episode, the new cast of queens will compete in ‘Drag Queens Got Talent’ and this season will bring back the gag-worthy ‘Rate-A-Queen’ scoring system, but with an all-new twist.”
The aftershow, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, is also back this season and will premiere immediately following the first episode at 9:30 p.m.
Learn more about the queens via their official descriptions, the promo teaser video and Meet the Queens video below!
Acacia Forgot – Los Angeles, CA | @acaciaforgot
This honky-tonk diva puts the country in California. Glitzy, glamorous, and with a penchant for blonde hair, Acacia Forgot has never met a rhinestone she didn’t like. Musically talented, as well as being a singer-songwriter, Acacia plays the guitar, piano, banjo and ukulele. Will this aspiring country star also become America’s Next Drag Superstar?
Arrietty – Seattle, WA | @arrietty_theelf
Arrietty hails from the House of Dubois – her drag mother is none other than Drag Raceseason 15’s Irene (The Alien) Dubois. Obsessed with the fantasy genre, this uniquely creative queen designs and sews her own outfits, often with a “futuristic elf” aesthetic. Add in the ability to beat a mean mug when needed, and this talented, twisted queen is ready to go all the way in the competition!
Crystal Envy – Asbury Park, NJ | @thecrystalenvy
With looks so polished, it’s hard to believe this makeup artist and drag queen has only been performing for 3 years. In New Jersey, Crystal swiftly dominated the club scene. Crystal Envy’s name comes as a mixture of their birth name Chris, and the fact that every outfit she wears is bedazzled and sparkly. This pageant princess commands a club crowd, but can Crystal hold that same command over the judges this season?
Hormona Lisa – Chattanooga, TN | @hormona_lisa
This Southern bubblegum babe was infamously plucked from the crowd by RuPaul on the Atlanta stop of his “The House of Hidden Meanings” book tour, and invited to Hollywood. Now officially a part of the season 17 cast, this campy queen – inspired by Disney princesses and vintage screen sirens – hopes to catch the eye of RuPaul again, this time where it counts the most: on the main stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race!
Jewels Sparkles – Tampa, FL | @thejewelssparkles
Out of drag, this youthful queen has a sweetness and an innocence, and is a self-described “ditzy clumsy bimbo.” But don’t be fooled – Jewels intends to enter the competition with intention and strategy. With influences that range from Ariana Grande to Priscilla Presley, to her Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage, you’d be foolish to underestimate this talented doll as merely a “look queen.”
Joella – Los Angeles, CA | @thejoelladynasty
Joella calls herself “The Slaysian Diva,” and with her own unique style of drag, mixing traditional Chinese costume with street fashion and pop culture, you can see why. Having already won local West Hollywood drag bar contests, Joella is now ready to represent plus size queens in the biggest drag competition in the world.
Kori King – Boston, MA | @koriking
This boisterous queen has rapidly risen to the top of the Boston scene, amassing a respectable TikTok following along the way. Only in the drag game for 2 years, Kori has already been awarded Boston’s Best New Performer To Watch award, and is the name on everybody’s lips. She is season 16 finalist Plane Jane’s drag sister, so expect a razor sharp wit, and somebody who tells it like it is!
Lana Ja’Rae – New York, NY | @lanajarae
Lana’s drag mother is Luxx Noir London, from season 15 of Drag Race, so expect a level of fierceness from this fashionista! Luxx saw Lana competing in a New York drag competition and was so impressed, she approached her backstage and asked if she could adopt her on the spot. Bringing legs and body to the main stage, Lana is ready to strut away from this competition with a crown!
Lexi Love – Louisville, KY | @mslexilove
Lexi Love is a full-time “playmate” at Play, Louisville: a bar known for its high energy drag excellence. As a performer, Lexi knows how to turn the party up – but she’s also someone you’d love to kick it with. Having survived a period of homelessness and drug addiction, she has emerged a stronger and more independent queen, and is ready for the re-birth of Lexi to take over the world!
Lucky Starzzz – Miami, FL | @theluckystarzzz
Born in Havana, Cuba, Lucky Starzzz is an expressive, colorful, living cartoon! Lucky’s drag meets at the intersection of club kid and camp, and this resourceful queen uses as much paper and spray paint as she does sequins and rhinestones. Lucky describes her drag as “a venus fly trap in a room full of roses.” Can Lucky’s eye-catching creativity catch the eyes of the judges this season and win her the crown?
Lydia B Kollins – Pittsburgh, PA | @foreheadbrows
To understand this absurdist, unique queen you only need to know that the “B” stands for b*tthole. Named after Winona Ryder’s character in Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz, and inspired by Tim Burton, John Waters and David Lynch, Lydia B Kollins is a queen who values creativity over perfection. Will the judges find Lydia’s looks BOOTYful, or will her time on Drag Race be a disASSter?
Onya Nurve – Cleveland, OH | @onyanurve
Smashburger cook by day, enchanting and in-demand drag artist by night. Onya Nurve got bitten by the performance bug in high school, and took an artistic career path to drag via a BFA in Painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art. A comedic actress as well as being able to belt out a tune, Onya represents a real threat in this competition!
Sam Star – Leeds, AL | @samstarqueen
Stunning, stylish, SOUTHERN! Sam is quite the Renaissance queen, having trained in musical theater, and being a retired gymnast / cheerleader who can do back handsprings! With polished makeup skills and a gorgeous mug, Sam has gone on to win an impressive number of pageant titles for such a young queen: it’s no surprise to learn that Trinity The Tuck is her drag mother and mentor.
Suzie Toot – Fort Lauderdale, FL | @suzie.toot
Suzie’s uniqueness is her greatest strength in drag. A professional tap dancer, with a look rooted deeply in 1920s and 30s fashions, Suzie describes herself as the “cross section between Betty Boop and Lucille Ball.” A skilled actor with a wild sense of humor and excellent comedic timing, Suzie hopes to wow the judges with her quirky take on drag!
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