We are two episodes away before finding out who will be the next Drag Superstar in RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11. It’s an exciting time for any fan who’s been following or binge-watching the series (aka, me).
In last week’s semi-finals, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo sashayed away after losing the lip sync battle to her #bae, Brooke Lynn Hytes. It was a sad ending for Vanjie, but hey, she went from leaving first in season 10 to reaching the top 5 in season 11. Plus, #Branjie is real and nothing else matters.
So the final four contestants are Brooke Lynn Hytes, Yvie Oddly, A’Keria C. Davenport, and Silky Nutmeg Ganache. Take note that Drag Race already taped the finale. If we’re basing this on previous seasons, the queens already lip-synced against each other in front of a live audience, and one of them officially won the bejeweled crown.
While we still don’t know what could happen next Friday, we’re joining everyone in guessing which of the remaining queens could win or lose Drag Race. With that, here are our two cents on each finalist:
Yvie Oddly
Win: RuPaul has always said the next Drag Superstar should have “charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.” Yvie has all of those, with emphasis on uniqueness because of her quirky-glam aesthetic. She’s one of the most improved queens in the season, has dressmaking talent, can steal a show, and lastly, she’s a lip sync assassin. The last one could be beneficial in the final “Lip Sync For Your Life.” (See: Yvie vs. Brooke Lynn in episode 8)
Lose: In previous seasons, Drag Race judges’ would always be hesitant to crown unconventional queens. It’s the same critique they gave Bianca Del Rio, who is known for her insult humor which concerned judges because she might not be relatable to their younger audience. (It might be for drama-creating purposes, but I digress.) Yvie isn’t a “traditional” queen you can place in a box—she’s used this to her advantage many times, and everyone’s hoping that Ru takes that into careful consideration.
Silky Nutmeg Ganache
Win: Silky’s big personality and showmanship has saved her time and again, even when she’s lip-syncing for her life. Her humor has also captured the judges’ hearts and probably came in handy whenever she was being read to filth for her maxi-challenge performances.
Lose: If you follow fellow Drag Race aficionados on Twitter, you’ll know that Silky isn’t a fan-favorite. The common critique is, based on the judges’ comments, she’s the least-improved and she’s not a likeable contestant overall. They’re not hating though because Silky does have a rocky track record and it’s a surprise to everyone that she got to the end.
Brooke Lynn Hytes
Win: Brooke Lynn had one of the best runs and critiques from the judges before she fell to the bottom in Snatch Game. But when RuPaul told her to incorporate her ballet skills to all of her challenges, she came out of her shell. She’s also a lip sync assassin and can pull off any stunt on the dance floor.
Lose: Brooke Lynn sometimes doesn’t stand out and the judges have pointed that out a few times. During the last episode, Michelle Visage even told her that she needed to do more in the “Queens Everywhere” MV—not just deliver on the high kicks.
A’keria C. Davenport
Win: A’keria comes from the legendary House of Davenport, which is known for its signature aesthetic: “fit, fashion, mug, and body.” And she delivered lewks every week—she has the best makeup out of all the queens, in my opinion. A’keria continued to shine when she showed her hilarious side and twerked her way through the “L.A.P.D!” acting challenge.
Lose: In terms of challenge wins, A’keria only has two and the rest are “safe.” She was also in the bottom twice. She has used her prowess in fashion and beauty to breeze through the competition, and that might not be enough to get her the crown.
Special mention: Miss Congeniality
Every season, the fans vote for Miss Congeniality. She will win a sash, cash prize, and sometimes a cruise. For season 11, we think this prize will go to either Shuga Cain or Nina West. They were fan-favorites before being eliminated, and they also didn’t seem to have a lot of frenemies in the workroom. They’re both talented queens too!
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What are your predictions for RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11?
Art by Tricia Guevara
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