‘Rupaul’s Drag Race’ Winners Through the Years
Charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent — nine of the nation's fiercest drag queens have proven they've got it...will a tenth be able to match up?
Since premiering in 2009, Rupaul's Drag Race has — in no uncertain terms — normalized and popularized the drag community. Where the scene might have previously been considered taboo or the subject of scorn to most of America, the Logo-turned-VH1 production has spawned weekly screenings at run-of-the-mill bars and elicited water cooler conversation at cubicles across the country. And Drag Race is hardly just for those who frequent the underground gay bar scene.
Before 14 queens square off for the show's tenth title later this spring, we're looking back at all the winners who have pioneered the path to drag superstardom, from Bebe Zahara Benet to Sharon Needles to Sasha Velour, a queen who's not afraid to go bald and who won the show's most recent ninth season.
Still, as far as Rupaul's concerned, previous Drag Race contestants should watch out, because the new ladies are ready to pull out all the stops.
“While preparing for season 10, I realized that one of our contestants was 11 years-old when we first launched Drag Race,” RuPaul told Entertainment Weekly. “The fact that we’re still here and still going strong is because of our talented queens. They are the heart and soul of the series. And as they continue to evolve and push the boundaries of drag, so does Drag Race.”
Check out the gallery below (no disrespect to absent All-Stars winners Chad Michaels or Alaska — this is a regular-season collection only), and tune in to the Drag Race Season 10 premiere on March 22 on VH1.