Last Friday, Ru Paul's Drag Race premiered on VH1 to the excitement of their die-hard fans (like me) and newcomers who were unwilling to pay extra for their cable subscriptions to get LogoTv. It was as fantastic as I expected, and with a new round of queens, I've made some predictions on how I believe the show will go, and who I predict will advance to the final 3.
1. Aja
Aja so far has been the predicted frontrunner of this season, but so far I have yet to see anything exciting about her debut. On the show, she seemed somewhat quiet and reserved compared to the other queens, but this may just be a sign that she is cool and calculated, and may not want to jeopardize her success with drama. It's too early to tell, but I believe as the season progresses, Aja will be sure to make her presence known, and could progress to the final 3.
2. Alexis Michelle
So far Alexis Michelle has not made a great impression on me in anyway whatsoever. She seems like your average run-on-the-mill drag queen who “came to slay” and is a “fierce competitor” (because we totally didn't hear that from the other 13 contestants. Thanks). Maybe she'll stand out more and be an underdog, or maybe she'll be washed out in the first 4 episodes and lost to the sands of time, but I hope she steps up her game soon, or else the only thing she'll be slaying in the runway is when she sashays away.
3. Charlie Hides
Charlie Hides is probably my favorite competitor so far. She is the epitome of the classic comedy queen, and her impressions are absolutely hilarious. She even said that Lana Del Rey told her she was an a**hole after doing an impression of her!
That has to be the biggest compliment ever! I do worry that that because she is older, she won't have the stamina to keep up with the younger girls, but her experience and wisdom may put her in the final 3!
4. Eureka
Eureka reminds me a lot of Darienne Lake: large and in charge, but so painfully insecure that she feels the need to drag every queen who walks into the work room as soon as they open their mouth. Maybe she'll find her own BenDeLaCreme to torment while she stays, but I do not predict her being in the top 3. She might round out 5/6, but won't get any closer to the crown than that.
5. Farrah Moan
First off, Farrah is BEAUTIFUL, and extremely fishy. She is hometown for me, and although she is probably the most shy queen in the round-up, it doesn't come across as weak, but actually quite adorable and endearing. She possesses a natural beauty that some of the more masculine queens have to really paint for, but doesn't seem as arrogant as previous fishy contestant Courtney Act. However, despite her cute appearance and personality, she is definitely more unpolished than the other queens. She is younger, has less experience, and is going to need to work extremely hard if she hopes to stay in the competition.
6. Jaymes Mansfield
Jaymes is by far the most insecure queen in the competition. So far, as Lady Gaga herself pointed out, she seems like she lacks her own identity, and although she tries hard to be funny, she sometimes tries a little TOO hard, and it gets a little embarrassing. Her looks are weak and a little too campy. She also looks sort of like Ariana Grande if she were a man, which is both confusing and intriguing. She needs to find a balance between a serious, respectful queen, and one that is also funny and entertaining.
7. Kimora Blac
Kimora’s butt pretty much changed my life, cleared my skin, and made me reevaluate every goal in life I once had. Her body is FANTASTIC, but hopefully she doesn't rely on it too much and think it will compensate for a lack of creativity or originality in future runways or design challenges. She has a bit of an attitude, and I worry that her sometimes abrasive personality and big-headedness will hold her back, along with the fact that she is a pageant queen with little comedic experience. She still has time to prove herself, but I definitely look forward to her future runway looks.
8. Nina Bo’nina Brown
Nina has the southern charm of Chi Chi Devayne, but with her own class and style that is uniquely her own. She has already proven herself to be a great costume designer and creative powerhouse on the runway, which definitely means she has great potential. I hope that even with her design abilities that she can also do well in the comedy and acting challenges, since sometimes art queens struggle with those. She could definitely make it to the final 3, and I hope her success only increases from here!
9. Peppermint
Peppermint seems very cute, but also quite bland and boring. I so far have been unimpressed with her performance, and she seems to lack originality and the attention to detail that essential to being a successful queen. She may prove to be more than what she has displayed in the first episode, but so far, I am unimpressed.
10. Sasha Velour
Sasha is definitely this year's Milk: quirky, misunderstood, extremely artsy and creative, and very in touch with her masculine side. She combines both aspects of gender into her drag which makes it very interesting and difficult to predict. So far the other queens have not taken her very seriously, but she is absolutely one to look out for. Her fate may be the same as Milk’s, but I can see her being a fan favorite for many years to come.
11. Shea Couleé
Shea is another queen that seems very boring to me. Again, very run-of-the-mill, nothing out of the ordinary, and no unique personal style to set her apart from the other contestants. I do not see her lasting very long in this competition, but she still has time to prove me wrong!
12. Trinity Taylor
Trinity has an incredible body that can make any outfit look incredible, but like Kimora, she needs to make sure she realizes her body cannot compensate for her lack of creative design. She seems to have some conflict with Eureka which could lead to a season feud similar to Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese, but nothing will ever compare to “look how orange you f**kin’ look!” She probably isn't one of my favorites, but she's still a good competitor nonetheless.
13. Valentina
Valentina is the youngest and most inexperienced contestant, but in the first episode proved that she is an amazing costumer and a beautiful queen. Because of her inexperience, however, I worry she will end up like Serena ChaCha, and will not be able to carry herself and win against the other girls. Her costumes may be great, but will she be able to be funny and entertaining with her thick Latin accent?
So far I am ecstatic that this amazing show has returned again, and at the end of the night, all I can say is, to quote RuPaul herself, “may the best woman win!”