The Definitive Lip Sync of Each Assassin on RuPaul's Drag Race

The Definitive Lip Sync of Each Assassin on RuPaul's Drag Race

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the most iconic “Drag Race” lip sync by every season’s Lip Sync Assassin. For this list, we’re only covering American seasons of the franchise. Beware of spoilers.

Season 1: BeBe Zahara Benet
“Cover Girl”

The first ever winner of the “Drag Race” lip synced twice on her original season. Her bid for the season one crown is her best. Back in 2009, the mainstage was a lot smaller. But BeBe filled the room like a true queen. Facing off against Nina Flowers, she pulled out all her best stunts. She even scooted across the stage at one point, emerging from under her opponent’s legs. “Drag Race” has come a long way since then. And we don’t just mean the blurry lenses. But its lip sync performers like BeBe who helped bring the art of drag to the TV masses.

Season 2: Jujubee
“Black Velvet”

Between her incredible, quick sense of humor and her success in several challenges early on, Jujubee was an early favorite to win. Although she would make it to the top three, she’d have to slay three lip syncs to get there. “Black Velvet,” her first, is by far her best. While other queens might overdo it with inappropriate dance moves that don’t match the song’s energy, Jujubee perfectly matches artist Alannah Myles’ freak. Giving herself totally to the number, her slinky and seductive approach made it so you couldn’t take your eyes off of her.

Season 3: Alexis Mateo
“Knock on Wood”

Few Lip Sync Assassins had the power to stop time. With some help from the editors, season 3’s Alexis Mateo did that and more during this electric lip sync to Amii Stewart’s “Knock on Wood.” It would be her first of three lip syncs, but each time she landed in the bottom, she all but dared Ru to eliminate her. Mateo flashed her radiant smile and brought her inner pageant girl to the stage. She said she wanted to bring high energy to the stage, and that’s exactly what she did with this equal parts precious and powerful routine.

Season 4: Latrice Royale
“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”

It’s easily one of the most one-sided lip syncs of all time. Even if Latrice Royale had had real competition, her earnest and heartfelt pantomime to Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman” would be hard to beat. The queen was already against the ropes. She’d just demolished one of the season’s best lip syncers, DiDa Ritz, the week before. Going into her second Lip Sync for Your Life, she decided to plant her feet, or park and bark, as the queens might say, and delivered something truly special. She wasn’t showing us choreography, and any Latrice fan knows she can bring the choreography. Instead, she was living the song, and it was magic.

Season 5: Coco Montrese
“Cold Hearted”

Much of Coco’s storyline on her season involved her feud with Alyssa Edwards. Former friends turned rivals, the two finally had their showdown to Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted.” Their duel was perfectly timed. As a dancer, Alyssa was a formidable opponent, but Coco had already sent Monica Beverly Hillz and Jade Jolie packing. If Coco was the main character of season 5, this would be her final boss battle. Working her costume to maximum effect and making sure to point out she knew every word, her lip sync was not just tight, it was also stunning to look at.

Season 6: Darienne Lake
“Point of No Return”

Season 6 had a lot of unforgettable performances, but we think fourth place finisher Darienne Lake earned the title of Lip Sync Assassin. Her best showing was in this classic face-off with her season-long rival BenDeLaCreme. Ironically, Darienne’s more old school style of drag was refreshing. She relied more on her wit than intensive choreography. Some queens struggle to fill instrumental breaks in songs, but her bit where she mimed collecting tips from an invisible audience had RuPaul and the judges cackling. Although both queens ended up staying, Darienne proved once again she was a force to be reckoned with.

Season 7: Kennedy Davenport
“Roar”

Season 7 had a lot of contenders for Lip Sync Assassin. Queens like Ginger Minj and Jaidynn Diore Fierce had to fight time and again to keep their place in the competition. What gives Kennedy the edge is her truly spectacular lip sync against fan favorite Katya. The dancing diva of Texas showed us how she earned that name. She owned this performance, bending over backwards and tearing into the lyrics of Katy Perry’s “Roar” with ferocious energy. The leap from the stage and perfect landing in a split all but guaranteed her the win here.

Season 8: Chi Chi DeVayne
“And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”

This torch song from “Dreamgirls” is such a no-brainer for a Lip Sync for Your Life that it seems crazy it took eight seasons to appear on the show. But the late Chi Chi DeVayne made it worth the wait. The underdog of season 8 may not have had the means to bring an expensive runway package, but what she did have was a natural talent. She was a fearsome lip sync performer. She brought every part of herself to this number, and by the end, it felt like a spiritual experience. Even her opponent, Thorgy Thor, knew the writing was on the wall by the end.

Season 9: Peppermint
“Stronger”

Winner Sasha Velour and her rose petals may have made the finale one to remember, but season 9 runner-up, Peppermint, was the true assassin. Having a slightly weaker track record than her other competitors, Peppermint entered the Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown with everything to prove. Like the eventual champion, her finale performance also featured an ingenious reveal. At the climax to Britney Spears’ “Stronger,” Peppermint made a seamless transition to a second ensemble. She tore away her gown and threw off her wig to reveal a completely different look underneath. It sent the finale crowd into hysterics, and for good reason.

Season 10: Kameron Michaels
“Good as Hell”

Underestimated by fans and fellow queens alike, this finalist won several lip syncs on season 10. That’s because Kameron Michaels always put on a show. Michaels was also one of the queens who had the rare honor of lip syncing a song in front of the actual artist. Guest judge Lizzo wasn’t disappointed. Kameron’s neck-cracking, head-banging approach to “Good as Hell” may have seemed like an odd choice, but it actually really worked. The dynamic and sensual performance was a great encapsulation of the contestant’s ultra-feminine drag that always has a touch of masculine energy.

Season 11: Ra’Jah O’Hara
“Last Dance”

Though she only made it to the halfway point in the season, Ra’Jah O’Hara had four bottom placements. She managed to claw her way back three of those times. In week 6, she battled against Scarlet Envy to this classic Donna Summer disco cut and left it all on the mainstage. Even if she just relied on her dance skills, Ra’Jah probably would have done well. But she delivered the drama of the song as well. Luckily, this would not be her last routine on the mainstage. She sent Scarlet packing, and won herself another week in the competition.

Season 12: Heidi N Closet
“Heart to Break”

There’s something to say for a queen who wants so badly to stay, even if it means she has to fight the whole way. Heidi N Closet came into season 12 with rough edges and a sweet disposition. When she landed in the bottom with Nicky Doll, Heidi was spinning and sliding across that stage like her life depended on it. Even guest judge Normani could see she was fighting with all her might. She may have been one of the few queens to lose a wig and still win the lip sync. It’s everything we love about her. She’s not the most polished, but perfection is overrated. It’s her rawness that makes her unique.

Season 13: Denali
“100% Pure Love”

The Chicago ice-skating queen had already won a lip sync the week before, but that was for the win. The stakes were much higher this time around. After all, this was the first lip sync that would send someone home. Dressed like a fashionable toucan, Denali already had all eyes on her. Now, Crystal Waters’ “100% Pure Love” is a mid-90s house classic, and season 13’s lip sync assassin took full advantage. The shameless and chaotic use of practically every novelty dance move she knew is what really sealed the deal here. She wasn’t afraid to be goofy while still delivering like a goddess of the dance floor.

Season 14: Jorgeous
“My Head & My Heart”

Even after this many years on the air, there are still plenty of records to break. Season 14’s Jorgeous entered the annals of “Drag Race” herstory by becoming the first queen to lip sync for her life five times in a single season. Try as they might, it seemed as though no one could send her home. She knew it too. Before her very first lip sync, to Ava Max’s “My Head & My Heart,” she smirked like a supervillain. She had every reason to. Her performance was a dizzying showcase of artful poses, fierce stomping, and some serious arm choreo.

Season 15: Anetra
“Boss Bitch”

We have two words for you: free Willy! Runner-up and fan favorite Anetra slayed many lip syncs on season 15, but her shining moment was when she faced off against Marcia Marcia Marcia in week 11. Anetra may have won, but Marcia was a fierce competitor. The fact that it wasn’t over the minute Anetra sabotaged her impressive backbend by literally jumping over her is a testament to how well-matched they were. But Anetra was a true assassin. You can bring your best tricks, but she will trample right over them without even smearing her lipstick.

Season 16: Morphine Love Dion
“Dim All the Lights”

Fans seem divided on who the true lip sync assassin of season 16 was. But it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Mhi’ya stan or a Morphine partisan, as their most memorable lip sync was the same one. “Dim All the Lights” by Donna Summer became their battleground. Mhi’ya played dirty, throwing her discarded train over Morphine while she was bending over backwards. Well, Morphine injected some much-needed shade and humor into the lip sync. That prolonged, slow split as Mhi’ya performed her standard acrobatics just made us want to watch Morphine. It was a clever and well-planned distraction that paid off.

All Stars 1: Team Rujubee
“Dancing on My Own”

Statistically, all stars Jujubee and Raven spent about half the season battling their way out of the bottom. The notorious team twist of “All Stars” had them sending home fan favorite queens like Manila Luzon, Latrice Royale, Yara Sofia, and Alexis Mateo before they had to battle one another. Their emotional lip sync to “Dancing on My Own” had them, us, and the judges panel feeling emotional. It wasn’t a battle so much as a celebration of their friendship. They were so good that even when it came time to lip sync against each other, RuPaul couldn’t send them home.

All Stars 2: Alyssa Edwards
“Shut Up and Drive”

Alaska may have won the most Lip Sync for Your Legacies, but Alyssa’s two victories had higher stakes. And one just may be the best the show has ever seen. This “Shut Up and Drive” performance, alongside the equally amazing Tatianna, won both of them a place back in the competition. Alyssa was electric throughout. She played perfectly to her dance abilities, with high kicks and expert footwork. But it’s the energy she brings to that stage that makes her impossible to look away from. It’s kind of a miracle a tornado didn’t start on that stage with all that twirling and whirling.

All Stars 3: BenDeLaCreme
“Anaconda”

Not only was this all star a shoo-in to win the season before she quit, she also won three of her lip syncs. Her first, against Aja, was easily her most iconic. Call us crazy, but Nicki Minaj didn’t seem like the kind of artist this kooky Seattle All Star would slay in a lip sync. Well, BenDeLaCreme proved us wrong. She tapped into “Anaconda’s” humor, and it’s exactly that mismatch that made her performance so funny. She played up trying to be sexy and confident, and looked like the biggest fool ever (in the best way). Hey, no one plays the fool like BenDeLa.

All Stars 4: Naomi Smalls
“Adrenaline”

Anyone who thought this season 8 finalist wasn’t an all-around performer with a capital P was in for a rude awakening. Naomi wasn’t just the lip sync assassin of All Stars 4. She was the sleeper cell agent. While she got to showcase her skills a few times during her original run, no one would have considered her a top lip sync artist. But on All Stars, she really got a chance to show us what she could do. Facing Gia Gunn, she tore through RuPaul’s “Adrenaline,” putting her impossibly long legs to work. Her fashion poses and genuinely insane flexibility worked perfectly for the song.

All Stars 5: Shea Couleé
“Neutron Dance”

This battle between the eventual All Stars 5 champion and guest star Alyssa Edwards was like a neon, ‘80s-tastic fever dream. You know it’s a good lip sync when the person literally climbing the set doesn’t win. Shea Couleé just dominated this Pointer Sisters track, and didn’t let up for a second. She was whipping it up like a Kitchen Aid mixer, kicking and spinning in her thigh-high boots like she was born wearing them. Fans were ecstatic to see Shea on screen again, and by week 2, she already had us chomping at the bit for more.

All Stars 6: Silky Nutmeg Ganache
“Barbie Girl”

Because if you can’t lip sync by yourself, how are you gonna lip sync against somebody else? Silky Nutmeg Ganache devoured several fellow competitors during the season’s RuDemption Lip Sync Smackdown. But when A’keria C. Davenport refused her chance to reenter the competition, Silky insisted on completing the performance solo. She had a show planned, and it was not going to waste. She removed her robe to reveal she was wearing two drag looks at once. One represented the Barbie character, and the other represented Ken. It was unhinged in the best way. She would be cut just short in the smackdown by Eureka, but it didn’t matter. She got an entire episode to showcase her talent.

All Stars 7: Shea Couleé & Monét X Change
“Supernova”

Both Shea and Monét won two lip syncs each in the all winners season. It’s hard to choose between them, especially since they both share two definitive performances in this regard. “Old MacDonald” was a showstopper, but “Supernova” was the standout number. Indeed, they were equally perfect in the lip sync to Kylie Minogue’s hit. Both exuded pop star energy throughout. They were so in sync that, at points, they were essentially hitting the same movements without warning. Although Shea was declared the winner, it was definitely one of those times when we were rooting for a double win.

All Stars 8: LaLa Ri
“About Damn Time”

There was a pretty even spread of lip sync victors on “All Stars” 8. But as champ of the Fame Games, and two-time lip sync winner, LaLa Ri was the season’s assassin. Her best showing saw her dueling with Jorgeous to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time.” The track had been a viral TikTok hit, but LaLa made it feel brand new. While her competitor is a great dancer, LaLa brought comedy, fun, moves, and a mean prance. The best part had to be when she mimed walking in her Balenciussies. The other queens lost their minds, and who can blame them?

Which lip sync assassin do you think had the most iconic performance? Tell us in the comments.