And the Winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 14 Is …
No more chocolate, because this never-ending season has officially come to an end!
Once again, Mama Ru put 14 queens through her annual gauntlet of lip sync battles, comedy roasts, and library reads in order to find “America’s Next Drag Superstar.” In the end, we didn’t have a top three or a top four—We had a top five, baby! Angeria Paris VanMichaels, Bosco, Daya Betty, Lady Camden, and Willow Pill all had a final chance to impress Ru and snatch the coveted crown and scepter.
So, what exactly happened on Friday night’s grand finale? Allow us to give you a recap.
For the first time in three seasons, the main event took place in front of a live audience, but it wasn’t at LA’s Orpheum Theatre where previous Drag Race finales were filmed. This time, it was at the Flamingo Las Vegas, home of the RuPaul’s Drag Race Live show.
In the spirit of Sin City, the cast of Season 14 walked the catwalk in their best showgirl couture, with highlights including Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté as both the Beauty and the Beast, Maddy Morphosis’ interpretation of Elvis Presley in drag, and Jorgeous in silver fringe and a feathered headpiece. RuPaul then descended from the ceiling with a troop of dancing Pit Crew members, followed by Michelle Visage bombarding the stage to “I’m That Bitch,” where she announced that the city of Las Vegas had officially declared April 22 as “RuPaul Day” and presented her a key to the city.
Now, onto the top five. Because this Drag Race season was unlike any other, instead of an ultimate lip-sync smackdown, Ru asked each queen to prepare their own unique solo number to show off the right mix of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
First up was Angeria with “Check My Track Number,” which highlighted her comedic energy and ability to bring a smile to everyone’s face with her confidence and pageantry elegance. After the performance, Ru introduced Angie’s parents who were there to support her. They said that as parents, it’s important to support and love your children, a belief system that gave Angie the “I can do anything I put my mind to” attitude that was self-evident throughout her journey on the show.
Next was Bosco, whose season was emphasized by her willingness to be competitive and using her sex appeal as a weapon both in challenges and on the runway. In her final performance, she showed off her “Devil” side by starting off as a white-feathered angel that eventually transformed into a wingless demon. Supported by her boyfriend and fellow drag queen Lucy Lips, Bosco says that the biggest revelation for her this season was that, although she didn’t go into the show expecting to make friends, she walked away with a sisterhood.
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Up next was Daya, who was most definitely given the villain edit this season because of her outspoken nature, but it’s a personality trait that she stands by, along with her competitive spirit and punk-rock attitude. She represented that energy in her performance of “Fighter” as a dazzling bug that escaped from a web, only to step into her own skin. She embraced her character by explaining that her drag is inspired by women who don’t fit into a box and are rough around the edges. Joined by her boyfriend and fellow Crystal family member Lux Methyd, Daya said that her takeaway from the show is that what matters in life is how you respond to the curve balls and if you keep fighting through it.
Then we have Camden, who gave a blazing performance of “I Fell Down (I Got Up),” which highlighted her ballet training and referenced her infamous Freddie Mercury moment on the runway. Trust us, this was truly a show-stopping moment for her. Camden’s entire package emphasized how important it was for her to take risks and reveal her true self instead of playing it safe. With her birth and drag mother in the audience, she had the support that she may have lacked as a young boy who dreamed of embracing the queer and feminine side that she now can show off in drag.
Lastly, we have Willow’s performance of “I Hate People,” which referenced her iconic moments on the show such as throwing a toaster in the bath. Making a joke out of how fiercely different she is from everyone else, by the end of the number, she threw away the huge beige floral piece that surrounded her face to reveal two more heads on her shoulder, and then shocked everyone by lifting up her skirt to show a third head between her legs. Willow described how overwhelming the positive reception has been since the show aired and introduced the audience to her mom and sister who supported her from her very first drag outfit shopping experience. Willow closed out by saying that drag is best explained as “mental illness and rhinestones,” leaving Ru and the rest of the audience in stitches.
While Ru deliberated on which two should move on to the final lip sync for the crown, the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Live (Kameron Michaels, Trinity K. Bonet, Kahanna Montrese, Naomi Smalls, Derrick Barry, and Jaida Essence Hall) performed their song “Losing Is the New Winning” alongside the cast of Season 14. Afterward, Ru revealed that the final two were Lady Camden and Willow Pill.
However, before the final lip sync, last year’s winner, Symone, and Miss Congeniality recipient LaLa Ri, came out on stage to reveal this season’s Miss Congeniality. Based on the cast’s own votes for each other, this year’s winner is Kornbread, which was rightfully deserved.
Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for. Before Camden and Willow took the stage, Ru announced that this year, the winner would receive a cash prize of $150,000, while the runner-up would receive a prize of $50,000.
In the final showdown, Camden and Willow performed to Cher‘s version of ABBA’s classic “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).” Camden wore a white jacket and skirt with a royal crown on her head, while Willow began in a hilariously oversized pink pin stripe suit with enormous arms that hung to the floor. While Camden went for the dance interpretation of the song, Willow relied on her quirky comedy. It was a performance that left audiences on the edge of their seats.
After a moment to digest, Ru announced that the winner of Season 14 and the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” is … Willow Pill!
She and Yvie Oddly are the only two Denver queens to ever win Drag Race, and with them both taking the glory, this hopefully sends a message that Mile High queens are not to be underestimated.
On behalf of OFM, congratulations Willow!
Photos courtesy of Instagram
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