Top 10 Drag Race Lip Syncs That Didn't Have to Go THAT Hard

Season 13’s very first elimination lip sync pits two Chicago queens against each other. Before the matchup, Denali assures us that she’s about to show her competitors they better watch themselves if they have to share the stage with her. She doesn’t disappoint. In her flamboyant and vibrant feathered outfit, she catches every beat of this classic ‘90s house track. You want invisible instrument playing? She’s got you. You want novelty dances? She nails them. And once she’s done all that, she ends the song with a beautifully timed split. Her Windy City sister, Kahmora Hall, didn’t stand a chance.

In their expensive looking draped chains, Morphine Love Dion embodies this hot girl anthem. Shaking their booty and chain-themed runway look for all it’s worth, the queen ensures all eyes are on her from beginning to end. Morphine’s choreography is lightning fast, but it doesn’t stop her from managing a word-perfect lip sync. It’s an undeniable victory. She even gives her opponent, Dawn, a parting shot with an invisible shotgun. Although there were some true lip sync artists on season 16, Morphine proved that they were Morphine Thee Lip Sync Assassin with this Megan Thee Stallion song.

The Bayou Queen leaves it all on the floor in this season 8 lip sync. And yes, we mean that literally. “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” is the famously soul-baring ballad from “Dreamgirls.” Any queen who wants to perform it must deliver on the emotion. Chi Chi DeVayne brings all that and more. At the climax of the song, Chi Chi steps on her long necklace, showering the mainstage with beads as she barrels into the number’s finale. Was it a happy accident or was it the dramatic instincts of a great queen? Whichever it was, it instantly became one of the show’s most iconic lip sync moments. We all got goosebumps.

She only appears in one episode of “All Stars’” sixth installment, but Laganja Estranja leaves quite an impression, and not just from the force of that entrance. From the moment she drops onto the stage, the episode’s lip sync assassin is here to slay the competition as if she’s coming for that grand prize, too. She battles Trinity K. Bonet, her season 6 castmate, to the Dua Lipa song “Physical.” Not even the queens offstage are safe from the slayage. They nearly get taken out by Laganja’s flying corset! Trinity puts up a great fight. It just goes to show how amazing Laganja’s performance is.

Yes, the rose reveals are insane and unforgettable. But this lip sync from season 9’s finale is an absolute monster of a performance on every possible scale. Eventual third-place finisher Shea Couleé is giving seasoned pop star precision and choreo that would be at home on a stadium tour. Sasha Velour, meanwhile, turns a classic, upbeat Whitney Houston number into an intense and melodramatic performance piece, giving us theatrical acting with a capital “A.” This is the “Drag Race” equivalent of a deathmatch. If it hadn’t been for Sasha’s truly shocking rose petals, it would’ve been a true fight to the finish.

There was no chance this showdown wasn’t going to be dramatic. Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese spent season 5 locked in a feud that existed before they ever stepped into the Werk Room. Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted” is their battlefield. Alyssa has the dance background to kill any uptempo track, but her competitor has already sent two other queens packing before her. Regardless of Alyssa’s credentials, Coco bests her every step. A lot of the thanks goes to her beautiful runway look. The flouncy sleeves move in perfect unison with the song. She’s poetry in motion.

The only thing better than one queen absolutely dominating a lip sync is two queens absolutely dominating a lip sync. Picture it: it’s season 15, week 11. Fan favorite Anetra is facing the possibility of duck walking right out of the competition. Marcia Marcia Marcia is constantly underestimated. Both of them have everything to lose and no ducks left to give. It isn’t just the thumping bass on this Doja Cat track making the whole studio shake. Few lip syncs batter the stage like this one. The synchronized stunts alone are worth the price of admission. It’s Anetra completely sabotaging Marcia’s impressive backbend with a flawless front flip that wins it, though.

Not every “Drag Race” queen gets a second chance. Previously eliminated All Stars Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna must’ve known that, because they came back hungry and left nary a crumb. Taking on Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive” for a chance to re-enter the season, they were a dynamic duo of unstoppable power. The g-force winds from all that twirling might have even lifted a few of the less secure wigs in the room. It was, what you might call, a joint slay. They threw it into first gear, hit the gas, and left tire marks on the mainstage. We’re out of driving references, so we’ll shut up now.

Considering they turned out to be the final two, it’s fair to say that these season 11 contestants were well-matched. But their triumph in the competition isn’t all they share. After failing in the Snatch Game main challenge, the future finalists face elimination. Yvie Oddly’s uncanny flexibility and Brooke Lynn Hytes’ well-honed dance skills turn this Demi Lovato hit into a total stunt show. Each time we think they can’t possibly top the last move, they add in a headstand or some other series of contortions that could keep a physical therapist in business for years. This is one of those times where we’re grateful for disastrous Snatch Game performances.

An electrifying gem from the early seasons, this buoyant Natalie Cole lip sync is an all-time great moment for the franchise. Season 4’s DiDa Ritz is a force of nature on that stage. As intense as it is joyful, DiDa’s take on “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” is high energy and high drama. Having the original artist watching you do their song seems terrifying, but Cole’s presence may have given DiDa that extra incentive to turn it out. With everything from her full-bodied commitment to the number to a move that can only be described as revving an invisible chainsaw, the queen is explosive to watch.

Which lip sync had you on the edge of your seat? Sound off in the comments.