[This story contains major spoilers from the finale of RuPaul‘s Drag Race season 18.]
RuPaul has crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar!
Season 18 of RuPaul’s Drag Race has come to an end, and Myki Meeks has snatched the crown.
Heading into Friday night’s finale, Darlene Mitchell, Myki Meeks and Nini Coco were named the top three of the competition. Each drag artist dished out a performance to their own original song in the cumulative episode, though it was Myki and Nini who RuPaul named the top two queens of season 18.
Darlene was named second runner-up, and before she exited the stage to make way for the lip sync, she jokingly turned back to RuPaul and asked, “You sure?”
But before RuPaul’s Drag Race named its mint winner, Jane Don’t was presented with the coveted title of Miss Congeniality, voted on by the cast. While she did not win season 18, Jane Don’t was a frontrunner throughout the season, with her elimination in episode 13 coming as a surprise. (She unpacked her Drag Race tenure with THR here.)
Miley Cyrus was on hand to receive the Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award, and the top two queens performed in a Lip Sync for the Crown to her song “Every Girl You’ve Ever Loved.”
Both queens dished out impressive performances, but it was Myki who ultimately won the lip sync, also securing her newfound title of America’s Next Drag Superstar. Onya Nurve, winner of Drag Race season 17, presented Myki with their crown and scepter.
Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Myki was a dominating force throughout the tailend of season 18, consecutively winning the final three challenges of the installment. She won a total of four challenges, joining a lucrative list of queens from the Drag Race universe who have won a quartet of episodes on the series.
“This is for my friends, my family, all of Orlando, live fiercely, love boldly, and write it in the books baby, the Meeks shall inherit the crown!” Myki said after snatching the top spot.
The season 18 winner won a cash prize of $200,000, and for the first time, an official makeup collaboration with Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmetics. During the finale episode, Darlene, Myki and Nini each visited the makeup company’s headquarters, where they spoke with president Norvina about what their potential collaboration would look like.
See how the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 18 finished below.
Myki Meeks (WINNER)
Nini Coco (2nd place)
Darlene Mitchell (3rd place)
Juicy Love Dion (4th place)
Jane Don’t (5th place)
Discord Addams (6th place)
Kenya Pleaser (7th place)
Athena Dion (8th place)
Mia Starr (9th place)
Vita VonTesse Starr (10th place)
Ciara Myst (11th place)
Briar Blush (12th place)
Mandy Mango (13th place)
DD Fuego (14th place)
Read the full article here
