Top 10 Shea Couleé Moments on RuPaul's Drag Race

Shea Couleé turned out stellar lip syncs on her first season, and All Stars let her cut loose more. When she faced All Star dancer Alyssa Edwards, she was kicking around and voguing with powerful gusto. Though Alyssa was notably low-energy, it just made Shea’s ecstatic dancing all the more exciting. Couleé seductively replicated Madonna’s strip-tease music video against the comical dance moves of Miss Vanjie. This attention to songs helped her add her own spin on the sexuality and quirk of “Make Me Feel” in the finale lip sync against Jujubee and Miz Cracker. She could be captivatingly suave, and swap to a goofy robot without ever skipping a beat. These electric performances reminded us Shea could dominate the dance floor with style.

For her return to All Stars Shea Couleé reminded us how unique her style and humor was with one phrase. Her comical spin on a classic “Poltergeist” line had us giggling the second she walked in. The phrase mixed in her sass, humor and a strong taste for iconic moments that she brought to the rest of the season. Couleé’s purple leaf-filled dress exuded Miami realness, and had a fierce glove and two-story purse. Her season nine walk-on had a hilarious and memorable rhyme, though her look and vulnerable admissions were more admirable on All Stars. Shea packed a full emotional spectrum into less than a minute of reintroduction, and got us rooting for her immediately.

The Kardashian musical challenge was already full of laughable moments, and Shea still managed to stand out as Blac Chyna. Her hysterically self-centered attitude had the judges hollering the second she appeared on stage. All of Shea’s body-accenting moves and hand-popping dazzled viewers while they were still cackling. It was funny to see her be so ridiculously sultry, and her ability to sell her character through the choreography had us truly impressed. All while in heels no less. The fact that she left in seconds only kept the laughs coming. After so many people begged to play Blac Chyna, Shea showed she knew what she was doing.

Shea had shown style and talent on season nine, so the 90210 comedy challenge proved she was a fully rounded contestant. Her preppy old woman Grandrea Zuckerwoman was wonderfully zany, and somehow captured teenage awkwardness as well. Between these two personality archetypes, Shea powerfully dissolved into the role. This commitment to her pout, posture and wobbly dancing was believable and funny simultaneously. Plus Grandrea got a satisfying nod in an All Stars fashion challenge during Shea’s return (xref). This complete metamorphosis in Couleé’s drag was iconic and changed how people saw her talents.

Despite some negative energy in the Werkroom Shea stepped up to act again with Sasha Velour. After the pair’s hilarious sexual tension in a newsroom challenge (xref), their chemistry was on point here. Shea and Sasha’s “Teets and Asky” mixed “Foxy Brown” and Soviet spy thrillers for laughable action heroes who beat up people over fashion. They had so many side-splitting jokes that they fit in riffs on cliffhangers and why women should vote. And Shea’s Club Kid couture blended all the kitsch needed with a great set of colors for a startling look. All this tied together for a week where Shea kicked butt both in fiction and on stage.

Love the Skin You’re In was the runway theme on week two of All Stars, which led to some interesting interpretations. There was plenty of body-oddy-oddy in the skin-tight outfits, as well as concepts that mixed heritage and funky charm. Shea Couleé highlighted every inch of her hips, and her nude illusion was a cheeky take on the skin concept. Her use of tribal makeup and neck rings with an Afro was a unique exploration of race. The way that Shea strutted around the stage to highlight the body-love of the frock was delicious to take in. By tying in multiple interpretations of the theme where others tried one, Shea earned her win that week.

In the finale of Season 9, Sasha Velour and Shea Couleé faced off to Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional.” Shea brought lots of spins, leg twists and took her transfixing moves across the whole stage. Sasha turned the choruses into iconic moments with her petals and wig reveal, especially with all the great faces she gave the camera. This choice allowed her to be more memorable and win through a celebration of her bald drag. It was devastating to hear Shea had to face this loss amongst so much death in her family, but she was inspiringly laughing at it on an All Stars runway. (xref) Though Shea’s defeat defined her for a time, her growth from it was more powerful.

To try and narrow the top four down on Season 9, “Category Is…” was a song for each queen to cement who they were. Shea literally came out swinging with her baseball realness to look tough and seductive. This was elevated by her fast and impressively detailed choreography which was matched to some of the fastest lyrics of the challenge. Shea’s hilariously boisterous lyrics were equally vicious, as she pumped up her persona with unbelievable speed. Even her sly Tina Turner joke had dance moves to take it further. Against a talented top group, Shea delivered one of the most constantly entertaining lip sync combos of the bunch.

Despite the already strong personalities in All Stars 5’s Snatch Game, Shea took a risk by playing male rapper Flavor Flav. She hysterically played off this choice by framing Flav’s eccentric personality as one that wouldn’t be concerned about gender at all. Shea made fun of Flav’s clock, and brilliantly spun his lyrics into constant bits. Just when she started laughably hitting on the other contestants, she’d cleverly subvert that macho energy to talk about her love of dogs. Plus she crafted silly rhymes to actually rap and keep us laughing at the same time. With the series’ best Eartha Kitt right next to her, Shea’s creative take on Flavor Flav outshined everyone.

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

Village People Eleganza Extravaganza Runway, “Gayest Ball Ever”
Because a Handyman Is Always a Good Thing

Girl Group Challenge, “I’m in Love!”
Because Wakanda Puns Are Always Welcome

"Werq the World" Pole Dance, “All Star Variety Extravaganza”
Because We Never Get Drag This Physical

Her Snatch Game as Naomi Campbell, “Snatch Game”
Because She Could Throw Shade Like Nobody’s Business

Her Stand-Up Routine , “Stand-Up Smackdown”
Because She Laughed at Her Own Loss

Given that Shea Couleé had some of the top stats on both of her Drag Race seasons, we were hungry to see her win All Stars. After dominating the whole season, she still brought her A-game in the final episode. With highly technical moves to learn from Todrick Hall, Shea’s flip-heavy verse on “Clap Back” was immaculate. Her larger-than-life pink dress and massive beehive on the final runway was beautifully indulgent, and honored her mom in a touching way. This was a comeback story audiences and Shea were longing for, so it was utterly satisfying to see her take the crown. Deserved and personally significant, this finale was so emotional in the best way.