RuPaul’s Drag Race has become a cultural phenomenon since its premiere in 2009. With twelve returning queens on the upcoming All Stars 8 season, fans are eagerly anticipating who will take home the crown. Though none of these queens won the competition during their first time on Drag Race, they left a lasting impression on the franchise and deserve another shot at the title.
The All Stars 8 cast includes a mix of early-out contestants who showed a lot of potential, as well as top five queens who got close to snatching the crown. Among them are Alexis Michelle from season 9, who made it to the top five and won a maxi challenge; Darienne Lake from season 6, who made it to the top four and won two lip syncs; and Heidi N Closet from season 12, who won the Miss Congeniality award despite lip syncing for her life four times.
Other returning queens include Jaymes Mansfield from season 9, who was the first-eliminated despite showing potential as a comedy queen; Kahanna Montrese from season 11, who had to lip sync for her life during both episodes she was on the show; and Monica Beverly Hillz from season 5, who was one of the first queens to publicly come out as trans while competing on the show.
Two queens who made a big splash on season 13 will also be returning: Kandy Muse, the official runner-up of the season, and LaLa Ri, who was crowned Miss Congeniality. Fans can expect these queens to bring their A-game and show off their skills in the upcoming season.
In addition to showcasing the queens’ past track records, All Stars 8 also marks a significant moment for representation in the Drag Race franchise. Monica Beverly Hillz was one of the first queens to come out as trans on the show, while Kandy Muse and LaLa Ri are both members of the LGBTQ+ community.
As fans eagerly await the premiere of All Stars 8, the queens are gearing up to show off their talents and prove that they have what it takes to become a legend in the Drag Race Hall of Fame. With so much talent and potential in the cast, it’s anyone’s game. Who will snatch the crown? Fans will have to tune in to find out.