Top 10 Exact Moments Drag Race Queens Became Lip Sync Assassins
#10: “What About”
Megami, Season 16
Either Morphine Love Dion or Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige were fully expected to win the end-of-season lip sync competition. For the other season 16 queens, it was almost a competition for third place. No one expected Megami to bring the heat. It wasn’t until her first lip sync of the night against Q that everyone realized they’d made a terrible mistake. You can watch in real time as her competitors realize that facing Megami in a lip sync was not going to be the easy win they assumed. Even the contestants who were openly rooting for Q to pull out the win had to concede that Megami was giving more.
#9: “I’m Every Woman”
Trinity K. Bonet, Season 6
Chaka Khan’s 1978 hit is a diva track to end them all. Trinity K. Bonet’s confidence was a running theme throughout season 6, but when she lip synced “I’m Every Woman,” we saw her embody the lyrics. When it comes right down to it, Trinity was a lethal performer. She worked her gown, her moves, and her entire persona. The energy was undeniable. But the moment that sealed it was one of her quieter, more graceful ones. Trinity flared out her gown, sat down on the stage, and delivered editorial poses while she mimed the lyrics. This is not a desperate Lip Sync for Your Life. This is just a goddess claiming her stage.
#8: “Barbie Girl”
Silky Nutmeg Ganache, All Stars 6
On season 11, she was famously in a lip sync that made RuPaul say (“meh” clip). All Stars 6’s Rudemption Lip-Sync Smackdown gave us the first real look at Silky Nutmeg Ganache, the assassin. Each new lip sync saw her sending home another of her fellow eliminated queens. Her “Barbie Girl” lip sync was her crowning achievement. Despite her opponent opting not to lip sync against her, Silky still asked to put on a show with nothing at stake. After all, she had a whole reveal planned. The result was a chaotic solo piece of epic proportions.
#7: “Pound the Alarm”
Monét X Change, Season 10
During a high point in the song, Monét pulled out a well-worn lip sync cliché when she crossed herself to the beat and acted as if she was about to land a split. Then, she just didn’t. Do you know how funny you have to be to make us laugh by not doing something on stage? But she became an assassin when she showed later in the song that she could hit that split. Monét was smart enough to subvert our expectations for stunts and then legitimately surprise us with an actual jump split. She didn’t fake us out because she can’t do the splits. She just didn’t feel like doing them right then.
#6: “The Pleasure Principle”
Symone, Season 13
With her many successes on the season, we got plenty of chances to see Symone’s lip sync prowess. And having the entire cast perform in the very first episode proved to be a great showcase for the cast of season 13. Symone took on Tamisha Iman in a Janet Jackson lip sync. Her effortless and seamless transitions from being the goddess of the runway to a complete and utter fool pulling unhinged faces makes her one of the more versatile lip sync assassins. “The Pleasure Principle” established one fact. If you’re going up against Symone, you better be an all-around entertainer.
#5: “Music”
Peppermint, Season 9
Though she landed in the bottom twice, the season 9 finalist was a force to be reckoned with on that mainstage. Peppermint faced off against Cynthia Lee Fontaine to Madonna’s 2000 classic, “Music.” In her pre-lip sync confessional, she expressed worry for her opponent. Her lip sync here is textbook. It’s hilarious, it’s powerful, and it’s built on individual moments that stand out. However, if one moment announced her as an assassin, it has to be the moment she mimed loading an imaginary shotgun and taking a shot at Cynthia from the other side of the stage.
#4: “When I Grow Up”
Coco Montrese, Season 5
Michelle Visage said that anyone who ends up in the bottom with Coco should be very, very afraid. We got our first taste of her precise approach to lip syncing when she took on “When I Grow Up” by the Pussycat Dolls. Some queens can give you stunts, and some can give you lyrics and acting chops. Coco gives you both. She takes the phrase “Lip Sync for Your Life” seriously, delivering high-energy choreo and word perfect pantomime like her life depends on it. It was only the first of four stellar lip syncs from Coco.
#3: “I Think We’re Alone Now”
Ginger Minj, Season 7
In recent “All Stars” seasons, fans have noted just how much RuPaul seems to love Ginger Minj’s style of character-based lip syncing. She doesn’t pull stunts, but she does pull focus. A great early example of Ginger’s prowess was one of the trickier lip syncs. She took some scissors and literally cut her and Sasha Belle out of their conjoined twin get-up during the “I Think We’re Alone Now” lip sync. Rather than let the challenge twist sink her, she took full advantage of the comedic possibilities. It’s what sets her apart from many of her competitors.
#2: “Call Me”
Chi Chi DeVayne, Season 8
Underdog was an understatement. Chi Chi DeVayne’s journey on season 8 saw her persevering in spite of her humble beginnings in Louisiana. But the one thing she knew she could do was perform. Landing in the bottom with Naysha Lopez, she destroyed her on Blondie’s new wave classic, “Call Me.” At one point, the pair ended up on the floor in what seemed like a duet. Then, Chi Chi turned the tables while Naysha’s back was to her, pointing at herself when Debbie Harry once again sang the title. One thing about Chi Chi: she didn’t play when it comes to lip syncing.
#1: Wig Reveal
Roxxxy Andrews, Season 5
No, we’ll never shut up about this moment. Roxxxy is one of the show’s best lip syncers. However, she rarely got the chance to show it off on season 5, as she was one of the season’s most consistent performers. The reveal of the second wig was perfectly on theme with the song, Willow Smith’s “Whip My Hair.” And it instantly became a meme, living on forever. We would get to see more of her lip sync slayage on two “All Stars” seasons. There’s a reason it’s unforgettable, and it’s also the reason why a queen better never take off a wig during a lip sync without another wig underneath.
Who are your favorite lip sync assassins? Tell us in the comments.
