Top 10 RuPaul's Drag Race Performances That Gave Us Chills

DiDa Ritz’s one-sided duel against The Princess was an explosion of joy and spirit that almost felt like a spiritual experience. Hyped up by original singer Natalie Cole herself, DiDa ripped through “This Will Be” as if she were alone on that stage. Once she started cutting across the runway, doing a dance move that can only be described as revving an invisible chainsaw, it felt like she’d entered the stratosphere. It lives on as a moment of pure, unadulterated fierceness from an underrated contestant. Competitor Latrice Royale said it best: This is high drag at its finest.

She didn’t come to play, she came to slay. Shea Couleé’s “All Winners” variety show presentation was the work of a seasoned professional. Performing her original track, “Your Name,” Shea Couleé’s smooth vocals, tight choreo, and magnetic stage presence went beyond what we normally see on a season of “Drag Race.” Nothing about this performance said “reality competition contestant.” If anything, this was giving international pop star sensation on a worldwide arena tour. It’s a level of excellence and sheer stage presence most artists would kill to have. And she made it all look so easy.

Things took a serious turn in the stand-up comedy episode. Roxxxy Andrews and Alyssa Edwards had bombed hard, and were up for elimination. Little did anyone know they were about to turn it out in a classic mainstage moment. Plenty of queens had lost their wigs mid-lip sync, and it was becoming a bit tired. Roxxxy flipped the script – and her wig – by revealing a second entirely different head of hair underneath. The judges were gagged. Since then, every single frame of that moment has been memed to death, but experiencing it live was absolutely thrilling.

Going into the season-9 finale, Shea Couleé was easily the odds-on favorite to win. She had the most maxi-challenge wins under her belt, and she was a performer with a capital P. But the new Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown twist and a wig full of roses ended it all. Sasha Velour’s exhilarating interpretation of Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional” was an unexpected tour de force. Littering the stage with carefully hidden roses at various points of the song, Sasha used the element of surprise to her advantage. When she finally made the rose petals shower from her wig, the audience was in a frenzy that all but ensured she was about to take the win.

For all the talk about season 15 being Sasha Colby’s crown to lose, runner-up Anetra gave her a run for her money. She also gave us some of the season’s most iconic performances. But once it came time for the two to lip sync for the crown, it was Sasha’s breathtaking performance that wrapped it up once and for all. Once she stepped out of that dress and into her nude look, Ru and the crowd never stopped cheering with sheer delight. It wasn’t just about looking gorgeous. It was a political statement that spoke volumes. In a time of increasing scrutiny and hatred against the trans community, Sasha’s aim was to display and celebrate her body as a transgender woman.

The very first “All Stars” season was confusing. Given the baffling decision to make the queens compete in teams of two, it was certainly not as thought through as it could have been. But watching friends and teammates Raven and Jujubee have to lip sync against each other almost made it all worth it. Many of us already knew the heartbreak of Robyn’s club ballad “Dancing on My Own.” Team Rujubee gave us another reason to cry. They all but refused to compete against each other, choosing instead to lip sync the song as a duet while tears rolled down their faces. Even the resident tough judge, Michelle Visage, was crying.

A lot of singers have come through the “Drag Race” Werk Room. Few of them have the technique or training of one Monét X Change. Given her previous attempt at singing on the show, though, Monét had a lot to prove. This time, she gave us a show for the ages. Her resonant bass voice shook the entire “All Winners” stage as she performed an aria from “La sonnambula,” an opera by Vincenzo Bellini. Queens on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” have taken us to church before, but Monét X Change was the first one to take us to the opera.

Tensions were high. The stakes were higher. Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna were both fighting for the chance to return to “All Stars 2”, and this dizzying, hair-flipping, high-kicking Rihanna lip sync was exactly what we needed. Breathtaking and fun in equal measure, “Shut Up and Drive” is an insane watch every time. Alyssa and Tatianna are radiant. Every beat, every choice, every movement is perfection from start to finish. There is so much fierce twirling it looks like two whirling dervishes have invaded the mainstage. Needless to say, they both returned to the competition off the back of this performance, and fans were fed for years to come.

Between a runway theme that featured the contestants in fake baby bumps and a lip sync song being the ultimate ode to womanhood, it’d be easy to play up the comedy. A lesser drag queen would go straight for vulgarity. Latrice Royale didn’t do that. She planted her feet and delivered the Aretha Franklin hit as if she was performing it live. Feeling every word and emotion, she gave us and her competitors a masterclass in embodying a song. Even if her opponent weren’t completely missing the point, Latrice would have been near impossible to beat.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Jinkx Monsoon’s Judy Garland, “Snatch Game”
This Two-Time Winner Channeled the Icon So Well It Was Almost Scary

Mariah Paris Balenciaga’s Talent Show, “Werq the World Variety Show”
A Timely & Haunting Performance Piece

“Even Angels,” “The Hair Ball”
Alexis Mateo’s Beautiful Lip Sync Even Had Her Competitors Gushing

Aja’s Talent Show, “All Star Variety Show”
The Season-9 Queen Stomped Back Into the Competition With a Vengeance

“Sorry Not Sorry,” “Snatch Game at Sea”
Yvie Oddly & Brooke Lynn Hytes Brought Stunts & Attitude to Season 11’s Best Lip Sync

Chi Chi DeVayne’s entire season-8 narrative could be summed up in this one lip sync. She didn’t always slay the challenges, but the live performances were another story. The defiant ballad from “Dreamgirls” was tailor-made for her. At the song’s most heightened moment, Chi Chi’s foot got caught on her necklace, breaking the string and showering the stage with beads. You can see RuPaul herself getting goosebumps. It’s the kind of thing that makes a great lip sync an all-time masterpiece. The performance is even more meaningful now, as we remember this queen’s legacy after her passing in 2020.

Which “Drag Race” performance lives in your head rent-free? Tell us about it in the comments.