RuPaul's Drag Race is back, with 13 new queens revving up in time to start their engines next month.
Putting speculation to rest, VH1 has finally announced the cast for season 12 of the popular reality TV franchise. But fans had better pace themselves. Premiering in February, the season will precede a new season of Drag Race All Stars, Celebrity Drag Race, Drag Race UK, Drag Race Canada and Drag Race Australia, all of which are expected this year.
At first glance, the 13 new-comers are an eclectic bunch. Here they are:
Aiden Zhane (Acworth, Ga.), whose “spooky persona” is inspired by “horror films, Marilyn Manson and weirdness.”
Brita (New York, N.Y.), a “hard-working Polynesian queen [who] captivates audiences with her famous lip-syncs… no less than seven nights a week.”
Crystal Methyd (Springfield, Mo.), an attention addict known for her “quirky fashions, incomparable makeup skills and screwball sense of humor.”
Dahlia Sin (Los Angeles, Calif.), a member of the Haus of Aja who “wows the west coast with her urban brand of sexiness.”
Gigi Goode (Los Angeles, Calif.), a leggy 21-year-old fashion queen with a “sizable social media following. Gorgeous fashion illustrations come to life and her Instagram fans stan.”
Heidi N Closet (Ramseur, N.C.), a small-town girl whose “infectious persona is sure to make her a global name very soon.”
Jackie Cox (New York, N.Y.), a Canada-born Iranian queen who “now considers the New York cabaret stage her home. She loves to write her own shows and bring them to life.”
Jaida Essence Hall (Milwaukee, Wis.), a queen who “always strives to be the essence of glamour. She originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and now gets to both live that fantasy and model her own gorgeous creations.”
Jan (New York, N.Y.), “a musical theater queen and skilled singer who can belt in the original key of a female pop star’s song.”
Nicky Doll (New York, N.Y.), “the first French contestant to compete in Drag Race. [She] relocated from Paris to New York City, where she enchants audiences with her European catwalk, high fashions and seductive charm.”
Rock M. Sakura (San Francisco, Calif.), “an amalgamation of anime, manga, and anything pink. With her high-energy death-dropping performance style and dirty sense of humor, this is a queen who defies categorisation.”
Sherry Pie (New York, N.Y.), “a campy, polished queen who knows her references. And with Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett as her icons, she’s certainly learned from the best.”
Widow Von’Du (Kansas City, Mo.), a Missouri girl who lives life out loud. This queen can perform the house down and dance circles around her competition.
