Top 10 Jaida Essence Hall Moments on RuPaul's Drag Race
#10: All 3 of Her Ball Ball Looks
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The Ball challenge has come to be one of Drag Race’s most highly anticipated, and Season 12 did not disappoint. (Well, mostly…) This season’s Ball Ball required the queens to create three sickening looks inspired by sports: Lady Baller, Basketball Wife Realness, and Balls to the Wall Eleganza. Though Gigi Goode bagged the win that week, Jaida delivered a trio of creative and flawless looks that made her stiff competition for the fashionista. While her Basketball Wife Realness was PURE Jaida pageantry, she demonstrated her versatility with both her Lady Baller and Balls to the Wall Eleganza outfits. The first one turned her into LeBron Essence Hall, while the second showed her fun, campy side. Her dribbling, though? Not so hot!
#9: Her Madonna Rusical Performance
Drag Race Recap: Madonna Rusical Featuring Judges AOC and Winnie Harlow | MsMojo's Drag Race RuCap
After no less than TWO Madonna-themed runways, it was high time that Drag Race devoted an entire Maxi challenge to the legendary pop star. That’s exactly what Season 12’s “Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical” gave us, with each queen assigned a signature Madonna period and solo parody number to perform on the main stage. Jaida had us worried during her recording session when it became clear that singing wasn’t her strong suit. However, she more than compensated in the final performance with a sizzling tribute to the icon’s “Erotica.” After stripping down to her negligee, Jaida had all eyes - and hands! - on her as she and two of the Pit Crew got up-close-and-personal with some chair-ography.
#8: Her Stars & Stripes Forever Runway
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2020 is an election year in America and Season 12 of Drag Race went all IN on the red, white and blue theme in its promotional material. It also devoted an entire Maxi challenge to politics in the form of the “Choices 2020” debate, which was followed up by a patriotic runway theme. Jaida took “Stars and Stripes Forever” as literally as she could - taking each element and color of the American flag and transforming them into an incredible superhero look. She even went so far as to put red, white, and blue streaks in her wig. While some queens put an unexpected spin on the theme, Jaida proved that perfecting something by-the-book can speak volumes on its own.
#7: Her Finale Music Video
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The socially-distanced Season 12 finale challenged the Top 3 like no other season of Drag Race ever has. Rather than battle each other head-to-head on stage in front of a live audience, one of the performances that Gigi Goode, Crystal Methyd, and Jaida Essence Hall had to give was via a homemade music video. While Gigi mimicked A-Ha’s “Take On Me” and Crystal transformed into papier-mache birds, Jaida didn’t need any gimmicks to make a statement. Instead, she showcased her incredible dancing abilities while lip-syncing to Ciara’s “Get Up.” Her choreography was so on-point that - bar the living room setting - it could have been an official music video.
#6: Her Makeover Challenge Looks
Drag Race Recap: Daisy Ridley Judges Superfan Makeovers | MsMojo's Drag Race RuCap
The makeover challenge is a notorious hurdle that even the most confident queens struggle with. Not if you’re Jaida Essence Hall, though. This season, the queens were tasked with making over superfans of the show and, as the winner of the precious Maxi challenge, Jaida earned the job of pairing up the fans and contestants. At first, it seemed like she’d made a huge error in choosing a quieter woman to become her drag sister. However, as this season’s resident drag mother, Jaida’s tough love soon brought her partner out of her shell. Not only did her superfan look the best, but she also complimented Jaida on bringing out her confident side. To top it off, we also got this adorable Jaida moment: “I love women.”
#5: Her “Call Your Girlfriend” Lip Sync
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Jaida started Drag Race strong by bagging a win in her very first episode, while also proving herself a lip sync champ. Rather than have the bottom two queens Lip Sync For Their Life, RuPaul instead opted for All Stars rules in the two-part premiere. As one of the top two queens that week, Jaida got to lip sync for the Maxi challenge win and a cash tip of $5,000 to Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend.” With the Swedish pop star looking on, Jaida pulled off an unexpected wardrobe change halfway through the performance - seamlessly detaching the lower half of her skirt to shorten her dress, before spinning and leaping into a split. It was clear from that moment who was going to come out on top.
#4: Her “Luxuratuck” Commercial
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In the “Droop” challenge, the queens had to come up with and sell luxurious products for a fake lifestyle brand. Jaida’s product was a premium tucking panty named “Luxuratuck.” She got off to a rough start while filming because she kept hitting her microphone on her chest. But, this repeated blunder only made us love her even more. Once she finally found her rhythm, her timing and delivery kept the laughs coming, particularly her self-mocking jab about her poor acting in the “Gay’s Anatomy” challenge. This was an early indicator that Jaida wasn’t just a gorgeous pageant queen - but a comedy one, too.
#3: Her “Survivor” Lip Sync for the Crown
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It all comes down to this. Three queens, one crown. While Gigi, Crystal, and Jaida were working with much less floor space than the Top 3 normally get, this was still a fierce Lip Sync For The Crown. However, while Crystal had an incredible look and Gigi had some creative reveals, it was Jaida Essence Hall who captured the essence of the Destiny’s Child song the trio had to perform to. She looked like a tangerine dream in her well-constructed outfit, which also packed a few surprises if you were paying close attention. Gigi and Crystal might have had the edge on her before, but Jaida undoubtedly won the only lip sync that mattered in the end.
#2: Her “The Color Purple” Runway Look
Drag Race Recap: Whoopi Goldberg Judges the One-Queen Show Comedy Challenge | MsMojo's Drag Race RuCap
Season 12 featured some of the show’s most fashionable queens, but sometimes, you just can’t beat a flawless pageant gown. Jaida never once dropped the ball when it came to her runway looks, but when it comes to choosing the cream of the crop, we have to give it to her “Purple” outfit. The theme was inspired by special guest judge, Whoopi Goldberg’s 1985 movie, “The Color Purple.” Jaida’s look combined a glittery dress with knee-high boots, topped off with a disc fascinator. Glamor, sex appeal, and high fashion all rolled into one. Even better was the fact that she was hiding a Prince-inspired wig underneath her original one, which we got to see during her “1999” lip sync. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Her “You Don’t Know Me” Performance Her Michelle Visage Runway Look Her Black Wedding Runway Look Her Eleganza Extravaganza Look Her Thank You to RuPaul
#1: “Look Over There!”
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From “Not today, Satan!” to “Purse first,” many a Drag Race winner has imparted a memorable catchphrase to the show’s fandom. For Season 12’s winner, that unintentional catchphrase was a throwaway line she probably never expected to become such a hit. During the “Choices 2020” political debate, Jaida chose to represent the kind of candidate who never really answers a question. So when guest judge Jeff Goldblum threw one her way, she deflected it back to Heidi ‘N’ Closet. Then, when he queried her on it, she simply tried to distract him. She also had us in stitches over her silly wordplay on the word “rebuttal,” showcasing her quick-wits on the spot.
