Fifteen queens entered the workroom of RuPaul’s Drag Race on season 11 to compete for the crown. Which one will walk away victorious? Each week, Billboard will rank each of the remaining queens based on their performances on the show to determine who has the best shot at the crown. Follow Billboard Pride on Twitter and Facebook for updated leaderboards each week.
On the season premiere, the new queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 sashayed into the workroom for the very first time — and were immediately met with some tough challenges. First, the queens had to direct and pose in their very own photoshoot with some illustrious Drag Race alumni. Then, the queens were tasked with crafting personalized looks using materials left behind by former contestants. Brooke Lynn Hytes won the challenge for her Detox-inspired superhero look. After a lip sync showdown to Hannah Montana’s “The Best of Both Worlds,” Kahanna Montrese managed to keep her spot in the competition, sending social media star Soju packing.
Related
This week, the queens will get tap into their thespian side to perform parodies of Black Panther and Get Out.
14. Kahanna Montrese
Landing in the bottom two during the first episode is never a good sign. Kahanna Montrese failed to impress the judges with her Katya-inspired look, with many of them critiquing her confusing silhouette and lack of imagination. While winding up in the bottom is not a death sentence for the queen, Kahanna is walking on thin ice for this week’s challenge.
13. Nina West
While she may have been spared from the lip sync last week, drag legend Nina West still found herself in a sticky situation. Her look seemed poorly executed and haphazard, leading the judges to wonder how a queen of Nina’s stature had produced such a shoddy garment. We know that Nina is one of the best in the business, but she’ll have to start showing it if she wants to keep her spot on the show.
Related
12. Mercedes Iman Diamond
African queen Mercedes Iman Diamond had a tough go in the first episode. After flubbing the photoshoot mini challenge, the queen was ultimately unmemorable on the final runway. Her Bianca Del Rio-inspired outfit was called boring by the judges, which is one of the worst things to hear on day one of the competition.
11. Ra’Jah O’Hara
Despite a “safe” judgement on the runway, this Texan queen nearly found herself lip-syncing to Hannah Montana on episode one. Her work during the photoshoot challenge was disappointing to say the least (glue down those earrings, girl), and her Kennedy Davenport-inspired look lacked imagination. While Ra’Jah wasn’t the worst this episode, she was far from the best.
10. Shuga Cain
New York star Shuga Cain did what she needed to do in episode one, and that is all. The queen’s photoshoot challenge was fine, yet unremarkable. Her runway outfit was decent, but not stunning. She remained in the middle, which is maybe a smart move for the season opener. But that kind of work will not fly during the remainder of the competition, so Shuga will have to bring something a little sweeter next week.
9. Ariel Versace
Much like Shuga Cain, Ariel Versace accomplished her goal last week by remaining in the competition. The Instagram-famous queen leaned into her penchant for aesthetics by doing well in her photoshoot challenge and surviving this round of judges’ critiques on the runway. While there was nothing stellar from Ariel last week, she certainly ensured her spot on the show for at least one more episode.
8. Scarlet Envy
Although she didn’t seem to wow the judges in her first appearance on the show, Scarlet Envy proved that she is a versatile queen. With two very different looks between her entrance and runway, along with a successful photoshoot, Scarlet made the case that she can produce all kinds of glamour. Scarlet’s work on episode one was good, but this week, the queen should be aiming for greatness.
7. Yvie Oddly
The weird can be wonderful, as Yvie Oddly showed us in episode one. The Denver queen made a strong impression on her entrance, gave the audience plenty of personality throughout the episode, and delivered a slick look on the runway that earned her a “safe” spot. Yvie gave us a clear statement as to who she was, giving her some solid ground to stand on going into this week’s episode
Related
6. Honey Davenport
As a drag icon in the city of New York, Honey Davenport had a reputation to live up to when she stepped into the workroom. Unlike fellow competitor Nina West, Davenport delivered. The queen’s entrance look and photoshoot performance were among the best of the bunch, and while her runway may have left a little to be desired, Honey clearly showed up to snatch crowns this season.
5. Silky Nutmeg Ganache
While Silky Nutmeg Ganache has already proven to be one of the most polarizing queens of the season (with both fans and competitors), there is no denying that she made a fierce first impression with everyone. After winning the first mini challenge and getting a “safe” designation on the runway, Silky made it known that she was here to stay in episode one, and we are inclined to believe her.
4. A’Keria C. Davenport
The other Davenport of season 11, A’Keria C. Davenport, gagged the judges this week thanks to her wild Bebe Zahara Benet look. The queen was among the top 4 critiques of the evening, giving her a strong head start leading into this week.
3. Plastique Tiara
Pretty is pretty, but Plastique Tiara proved that she is drop-dead gorgeous last week. Crushing both her entrance and runway looks, the fashionable queen showed that she has a major aesthetic advantage over some of her fellow competitors. While we still wait to learn more about the star, Plastique can rest easy knowing that she is in an excellent position.
2. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo
Miss Vanjie isn’t going home any time soon. The viral sensation of season 10 clearly stepped her game up for season 11, showing off her stunning beauty and hilarious personality at every single opportunity this week. While she was worried about repeating the same mistakes that sent her home last season, Vanjie emerged victorious, using her knowledge from her time on the show to place her among the top competitors in the competition.
1. Brooke Lynn Hytes
As the winner of the very first challenge of the season, Brooke Lynn Hytes is the newly-established competitor to beat. Nailing her Detox-themed latex look for the judges, Brooke Lynn proved that she is a force to be reckoned with to her fellow queens. Winning the first challenge doesn’t guarantee future success, but it definitely gives her a huge advantage going into episode two.