The Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 Is...
Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 4:30PM Chris here. The ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race came to a close last night with the series's most dramatic conclusion ever. At last week's reunion, Mama Ru teased that a sudden death lipsync battle would crown America's Next Drag Superstar from our beloved top four. This curveball was another shakeup from the show's formula, and feels like how the winner should have been chosen all along. While past seasons' crownings have been dull slogs to awarding an obvious winner, this kept the competition alive until the very second - and gave us two all-time great lipsync performances from the ultimate champion.
Trinity Taylor was the randomly selected first queen and chose Peppermint as her opponent, pitting a potential frontrunner against underdog lipsync assassin. But that meant leaving besties Sasha Velour and Shea Couleé to duke it out...
Trinity chose Peppermint because she wanted to go up against "the best" and Peppermint lived up to that, defeating a somewhat sloppy Trinity with her patient charisma on Britney Spears's "Stronger". Pep was just playing it cool until her big moment, delivering a smooth reveal that brought the house down and sent Trinity packing.
Next, power couple squirrelfriends Sashea delivered on Whitney Houston's "So Emotional". Shea was all precision in a performance that would have been a solid champion on this season's mainstage, but was still no match to Sasha's reveal of sorts. In a flourish of rose petals, Sasha's take was a creative interpretation of the song that was as captivating as anything ever on the show.
Sasha kept the Whitney train rolling in the final battle against Peppermint with "It's Not Right, But It's Okay". Both queens gave a more straightforward performance this time, but Sasha's more vengeful, reptilian presentation really turned the party. See, you can do a great lipsync with a mask!
RuPaul's Drag Race prides itself on delivering the unexpected, but who would have guessed that Sasha would be the one to come in a obliterate not one but two Whitney lipsyncs? Our artistic queen was known for her creativity, but both performances were unlike anything she had delivered in the challenges - maybe some well-earned confidence in presenting her vision helped her really go for it. Here is where never having lipsynced during the competition paid off for her: when your audience doesn't know what to expect, that's when you can really wow them. Where were you when Sasha Velour invented lipsyncing to Whitney Houston?
This finale felt like a no-lose scenario for us as the audience, with four queens each worthy of the crown. Sasha made the most of this final opportunity to show what she can do, becoming winner not just for what she did on this stage but for embodying the Drag Race hallmarks of Charisma Uniqueness Nerve and Talent when thrown the curveball. There is always the inevitable All Stars 3 for these other worthy queens - but after this finale, season nine's crown belongs to the art queen. Condragulations, Sasha Velour!
Tell us your thoughts on the winner and the finale! What queens would you like to see on season 10 or All Stars 3?
Reader Comments (29)
I would have been happy with Sasha or Shea, since both are very gifted performers. Sasha reminds me of Lipsinka. Very clever and theatrical. Congrats 🎉
It was alright. I *did* like the new format. It finally gave us an exciting finale to look forward to. While sure, Pep didn't feel up to par to Shea's output during the season, the playing field being leveled out made it far more interesting to watch (knowing Pep's strengths especially) and I feel Ru would prevent any genuinely weak queens of sliding past her to the top 4. Pep almost certainly would've been kicked out had she not rocked it out on the last week.
Not the biggest fan of the winner. For different ways it's hard to argue against her skill in her craft, even if she's always come as so self-righteous and cold that I've never been drawn to her. As far as this episode, I myself preferred Shea's lip-sync without the props, or Trinity's wilder approach to Pep's reveal.
I definitely wonder how this format would've altered previous seasons. Bob, such a well rounded queen would've had no problem I think. But what about queens like Bianca (who we never really got a chance to see on stage?) or Courtney? After she proved what an adept lip-syncer she is, could Alaska have won Season 5 over Jinkxx? etc, etc,
I do appreciate them messing with the format, but I wonder about what that means about the rest of the season. I mean, if we're crowning a winner based solely on two lip syncs, how is this different than Lip Sync Battle? Why not just give Tom Holland a 100k for his Umbrella lip sync if the rest of the season doesn't matter?
It was unfortunate that the two strongest queens of the season weren't even in contention to be crowned at the end. Shea and Trinity excelled more than any other queens this season.
I'm trying not to be too salty. I have to own that part of my muted response is my general antipathy toward Sasha Velour. Personally, I don't think see what she gave this season that we haven't seen before from more charismatic queens. It was mostly just what we've seen before, but with a lengthy artist statement attached.
And @Steve_Man I definitely wonder about previous seasons with this format. Jujubee could very likely have won season 2. Manila or Alexis would have duked it out in season 3. Latrice would have season 4 on lock. Bianca would not win season 6. It would come down to Adore vs. Dariene, most likely.
@Will H. I liked the added excitement. For 9 years the show's has ultimately come down to the lip-syncs to duke it after other challenges. And the lip-syncs have always been treated as ground zero (or at least RuPaul has made his effort to). You could have a spectacular season but fail at that key moment (hi Valentina!) and deservedly get out.
And same, I don't really care or like Sasha. But I think Ru is guarding. He can't manipulate stuff but I doubt he'd allow a truly subpar queen to make it to the end (Roxxxy) when it's not fit.
Sasha, FTW! I said all along he was the dark horse contestant this season and he indeed took it all the way. His "So Emotional" lip-synch was the best ever, we were squealing!
thanks for covering this all so well this season. I was very pleased with the finale. It's usually the weakest episode but all three lipsyncs were totally exciting to watch and nail-biters. I was Team Trinity towards the end but Sasha was AMAZING at the finish line. Those rose petals. Gaaaah!
I don't get people who cite the number of challenges Shea won as a justification for not agreeing with Sasha being ultimately crowned. You're treating the challenge wins as scripture in the RuPaul Bible, but when Ru chooses Sasha as the winner of the entire season, you bat your lashes and call shade. Either Ru is always right or she's not. You can't have it both ways. I sure wouldn't have given Shea all four of those wins, but it's not my show.
Anyway, Drag Race keeps being my favorite show on television because I've accepted it for what it is. It's a shame that the majority of the fanbase will never be happy with the show, they will always have something to complain about each season even when it contradicts what they were complaining about the previous season. Sometimes they contradict themselves within the same season: "They're all too nice, it's boring! This isn't RuPaul's Best Friend Race!" The reunion happens: "They're all so bitter and mean and catty! Are any of them really friends?" How is the show supposed to keep up and try to address any problems?
I went in to the finale knowing I'd be happy with any of the Top 4 winning, but after the lip-syncs, I think the right choice was made. And to all the Shea and Trinity fans, we'll get them for a whole other season of All Stars. We all win!
Let Sasha Velour reign.
Sasha's lip sync to Whitney's "So Emotional" was the most ICONIC lip sync and moment in the herstory of Drag race!! Gave me sooooo much life!!
She was the only queen who never landed in the bottom two, and there were a couple of challenges that went to Shea that arguably should've gone to Sasha- especially the Top 5 challenge!
Shea did not turn the party. Even without the rose petals, Sasha would have won. She had the right energy, the emoting, and that wig was everything.
I was Team Sasha going into the finale, but didn't expect she'd actually pull off a win. It was a really exciting hour of TV.
I don't quite understand the critiques of "new finale format invalidates the season". If the winner was automatically whoever won the most challenges, then there wouldn't even be a point to having a finale at all. And mathematically, someone could technically "win" fairly early in the season just by reaching a required number.
The judging process on this show has always been a little idiosyncratic and opaque, and it's usually the better for it. Besides, I don't believe for a second that Ru somehow forgot everything that came before this - they may emphasize the lip sync, but it's always going to be in context of the bigger picture.
"How is this different from lip sync battle?"
Because tons of other challenges took these four queens to the finale. If they hadn't excelled throughout the season they wouldn't be there.
If they ran the top four through three more standard episodes to determine the winner, it would *still* come down to who can survive a lip sync week after week. Surviving lip syncs is and has always been the format's bottom line. Ru explained this very clearly at the reunion.
If anything, the new finale format (which I love, and Sasha slayed) accelerates the natural process and raises the stakes. It's genius. And eminently fair (compared to Ru picking the queen based on her personal taste). Those Lucian Piane compositions Ginger, Pearl and Violet (and then Bob, Kim Chi and Naomi) ////pointlessly/// performed at the finales were a nadir for the format.
Ah, Sasha. She lost me with Princess Uglina from the Kindom of Self Doubtia. Doubled down with suffocating pretentiousness for the rest of the season. Great Snatch Game and So Emotinal lip sync tho.
Also - the celeb Skype messages were cute, but if they wanted to go next level they should have gotten endorsements from Gabrielle Carteris and Judith Butler.
It's baffling to me that Shea Coulee didn't think any...bigger...about the assignment. The moment BEGGED for well-executed stunts—which I might add, are different from gimmicks. The queen who makes the most gag-worthy TV wins. I didn't see Shea or Trinity even trying for an iconic moment.
They presumably had weeks to prepare for these exact songs. I haven't been the biggest Shea fan but I respect her and I'm just...surprised. How could you not see wig reveals et cetera coming and prepare your own memorable trick?
Yeah, since Season 6, I think this format would have changed the winners. You really think Darienne Lake, Kennedy Davenport, and Chi Chi Devayne wouldn't have knocked out their competition to potentially take the crown? They, at least, would have managed top 2 ala Peppermint and then been left at the mercy of Ru having a couple weeks to decide who should win after the taping.
The only thing I didn't like about this finale was Ru not interviewing all the eliminated queens. Poor Jaymes Mansfield. She got one sentence in at the reunion and an entrance at the finale. The show just keeps shitting on her.
The finale felt like a natural extension of the earlier episodes. Even with the new format, it will never come down to the best lypsyners who are otherwise not great in the challenges. They'll be eliminated before the finale by the virtue of landing in bottom. RuPaul uses a lot of discretion during the judging process.
The biggest thing working in Sasha's favor was the surprise factor. Her lypsyn in the second-to-last episode was rather silly and didn't prepare the audience for what she delivered in the finale. For the other three, it felt like a very standard lypsyn with the usual bag of tricks. It felt like they hadn't taken the time to prepare a lypsyn specifically for the songs in the finale.
In terms of fashion too, Sasha had the most range and fresh looks. Peppermint's final outfit looked a bit cheap. Trinity's first look was great but the second one was standard Trinity. Shea also seemed to be rehashing her other looks.
I hated this. Peppermint was not a worthy runner-up, sorry bout it. She was clearly 4th place. Even when taking these lip syncs into consideration tbh. It made it pretty anticlimactic because I knew there was no way she could beat any of the other girls.
I didn't like the format either. The usual finale feels fun and lighthearted, and this was so... I mean, fun I guess. But it dragged on. It was like an entire hour of the same thing. I don't know, I wasn't a fan.
Trinity and Shea were fucked over, but the right girl won anyway. So whatever I guess.
I had a gig the night of the finale so I knew I'd be spoiled. When I first heard Sasha won, my reaction was "Really?" Trinity was my favorite because she reminds me of pageant queens I know, and I love that she has this competitive spitfire edge to her, and I also have deference because we're the same age and she is WORKING it. I know girls who worked with Shea and they loved her, and I laugh out loud every time I watch the reunion when they do Toot or Boot and she says "Shoot". I saw Peppermint live last week at Denver Pride and I'm telling you, she just has this *it* about her. It didn't always translate on TV, and I don't know how to describe it without sounding hippy-dippy, but there's this energy or light within her when she performs. She was on the same bill as Chad Michaels, Aja, Alexis Michelle, and very talented Denver-based queens, and she was clearly the star of the show. She's absolutely luminous and you can't take your eyes off her when you see her.
That all being said, once I actually saw the finale, I was okay with Sasha's victory. If you would have told me even a week ago that Sasha Velour was going to slay the hell out of two Whitney Houston songs, I would not have believed you. "It's Not Right But It's OK" is a jammmmmmmmmmm. I CAN PAY MY LIGHT BILL. TAKE CARE OF MY BABIES.
Yayyyy!!! I'm so HAPPY tt Sasha won!!! I'm team Sasha ever since her Marlene skit, but I never expect her to really slay the competition!! She's alws came up 2nd best in the numerous challenges, that it was refreshing & such a joy tt she finally proves her mettle & slays the finale!!
But considering the stunning wig reveals at the 1st two lipsync, the final lipsync seems lackluster by comparison?? I disagreed tt Trinity is phoning it in, I thot her Stronger lipsync is *ahem* stronger than Peps in its consistency, but u know she lost it once Peps pulled a skirt & a wig reveal...I wonder how tinks might have been diff had she picked Shea instead...IMO, Shea's performance is surprisingly the weakest o the four & Trinity wld probably gotten into the final two had she picked Shea..
Sasha's rose petals wig stunt is really the BEST revelation ever!!! Its so good that her final helmet stunt seems kinda lame by comparison,..but all her dresses seems so fashion fwd & outta o this world!!! The geometric white gown totally screamed Alexander McQueen!!!
Condragulations Sasha! The lypsincs were amazing and even looking back sasha has always been the most distinct looking queen, which makes her win even more deserving imo
I'm very happy for Sasha and she deserved it based on her lipsyncing and how well she did throughout the season. Simply legendary. However, I can't help but feel bad for Shea. She lost her father, her sister and thought at least she had the crown in the bag, but she got blindsided. If this were any other season, she would have won. I also wonder if RuPaul bringing up their deaths during the interview had any effect on her morale. Hope she comes back stronger in All Stars 3!
For now, let's bow to our brainy, artsy, bald Queen! *Sasha scream*
I know everyone was gagging over the wig reveal with the rose petals but what MADE that moment so massive was how well structured that performance was. You can say Sasha "overthinks" it but I'm all for overthinking it when a performance is that meticulously crafted. She was preparing you for the big moment from the second she walked on stage with the rose. starting tearing off its petal and then the build as each glove came off... and then you thought it was over... or maybe you expected the wig to come off (I did) but even with all that building, it was still somehow both surprising and inevitable.
amazing.
P.S. I guess this new format for the finale (which is so much better) means we've moved to a top 4 from here on out rather than a top 3?
The wig ruveal *was* amazing. So Emotional actually can be a very tricky lip-synch in balance, and Sasha Velour did what she was sent there to do: kill. She wasn't my favorite, but damn did she deliver. (P.S. Alexander McQueen must be smiling down on her white gown from heaven.)
You kept watching after Bebe beat Nina.
You kept watching after Tyra beat Raven.
You kept watching after Raja beat Manila.
You kept watching after Jinx beat Alaska.
You kept watching after Bianca beat Adore.
You kept watching after Bob beat Kim Chi.
You'll keep watching after Sasha beat Trinity and Shea.
See you next season, bitches!!! <3 :)
Sasha gave us one of the most visually iconic moments the show has ever had with that "So Emotional" lip sync. She lived the emotions of the song in a way that was just captivating. Her style of lip syncing is underrepresented on the show, and I was thrilled to see it in full force here. All facial expression and meticulous creativity. It was art. Nice to see that a lip sync sans death drops and jump splits can still kill. Season 10 better step up its lip sync game.
I'd also add that from a pure "lip sync" standpoint, Sasha's lyrics were snatched the tightest to the track. Which is a surprisingly underrated quality of lip syncing. It's one thing to memorize the words and runs and another to mime the force and precision behind them.
Lindsay—to your point about death drops...there weren't any acrobats in the top 4. Which is why Peppermint and Sasha got the memo to find some other visual hook. Trinity did a little somersault that just didn't cut it.
Nathaniel - 100%. The petals were THE moment, but it was a top-to-bottom meticulous and breathtaking performance. And when you rewatch it, Shea is killing it. THAT is how next-level Sasha was
Santy C - YES! It's as if fans forget that this kind of surprise and drama isn't what they ask for all the time with this damn show. Same goes for people bitching when things get catty. It's a show about drag queens and they want everything neat and tidy and nice?
@Lindsay, well said. I was living for Sasha's "American Beauty" moment, then was SHOOK on that last number. She took us on that journey through her performances. One of the most memorable finales in some time.