*Spoiler alert* If you have not watched any of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13, we suggest you do not read any further.
The latest season of RuPaul’s Drag Race wrapped up at the end of April, with Symone taking home the crown.
It was unlike any other season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While it had a few bumps in the road—and sometimes felt like it would never end—it was pretty entertaining overall.
A big part of that was, as always, the lip syncs. There were quite a few epic showdowns, so let’s look at the top five lip syncs from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13!
But before we start, I wanted to add a quick disclaimer. These are simply my opinions; some will agree, and some will disagree, but that is the beauty of all this. We can all enjoy what we want to enjoy.
Now, racers, start your engines, and may the best drag queen win!
5. Denali vs. Rosé – If U Seek Amy
Kicking things off is a lip sync between a couple powerhouses.
Both Denali and Rosé shined during the group performance of “Phenomenon”, earning them the top two spots during week three. However, only one of them could take home the win, so they performed to Britney Spears’ classic, “If U Seek Amy”.
Rosé used a perfect mix of precision and comedy, looking to avenge her loss to Olivia Lux a few weeks prior. Denali, free of the ice skates that plagued her against LaLa Ri, was finally able to show off what she could really do. Both queens brought it, making it an even matchup from beginning to end.
Ultimately, Denali ended up taking home the win and the $5000 cash prize. This made her an immediate threat and put the other queens on notice. Sooner rather than later, however, she would put those skills to the test yet again.
4. LaLa Ri vs. Joey Jay – Fancy
Up next was a perfect example of the LaLa Ri experience.
What landed her in the bottom was her abomination of a look for the bag ball challenge. Joey Jay’s look didn’t impress the judges either, so she found herself up for elimination as well. The song of choice for this one? None other than Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX’s smash hit, “Fancy”.
Right out of the gate, Jay showed that she didn’t come here to play. She pulled out all the stops, including throwing a bunch of money in the air. However, LaLa turned the move in her favor, picking up the bills and inciting cackles from the judges and other queens.
Even with her outfit falling apart during the song, she kept bringing the energy without missing a beat. Despite Jay’s best efforts, Mama Ru declared LaLa the winner. Overall, it was a fun and entertaining lip sync from start to finish.
3. Utica Queen vs. Tina Burner – My Humps
Now we look at a clash of two very different interpretations of a song.
Utica Queen and Tina Burner’s soda commercials in week 11 fell flat with the judges. Their Beast Couture runway looks weren’t a hit either, so they were inevitably the bottom two queens. This time around, they battled to Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps”.
Burner’s performance was what you expected to see with this kind of song; it was campy, high-energy, and funny to watch. Utica, on the other hand, decided to flip the script and used her look to her advantage. Her dark and spooky interpretation of the song was creative and worked extremely well.
Ru seemed to agree, giving Utica the win. It was perhaps the biggest upset of the season, as Burner was a heavy favorite in the competition. But it goes to show that sometimes the most obvious route to take is not always the best one.
2. LaLa Ri vs. Elliott with 2 T’s – Whole Lotta Woman
Then we move on to one of the closest lip syncs of the season.
LaLa and Elliott with 2 T’s failed to stand out during the Bossy Rossy talk show challenge in week seven. Their Bead It runway looks did not dazzle the judges either, so they were both up for elimination. To stay in the competition, they had to perform Kelly Clarkson’s “Whole Lotta Woman”.
Throughout the whole performance, it was almost impossible to tell who was going to come out on top. Both queens played off each other so well, including a fantastic moment where they both body rolled in sync.
After this throw down, many were hoping to see them both stay with a coveted double shantay. Unfortunately, RuPaul decided to give the win to Elliott with 2 T’s and sent Lala home. It was a shame, because it was an extremely tight and competitive lip sync from top to bottom.
1. Denali vs. Kahmora Hall – 100% Pure Love
Was there really any doubt?
The best showdown of the season came during week four, where the lip sync for your life was brought back into play. Denali and Kahmora Hall’s lackluster performances in the RuPaulmark Channel movie challenge landed them in the bottom two. This was quite the shocker for the former, who was the top queen just the week before.
The two threw down to Crystal Waters’ dance hit, “100% Pure Love”. From the get-go, it was clear who was taking home the win. While it was not the most competitive battle, Denali’s energy alone made it memorable. If you need any proof, just look at the almost three and a half million views the performance has on YouTube.
Hall did her best to keep up—impaired by a heavy train on her dress—but Denali was not going to be denied. She brought loads of passion and some sharp choreography, owning every inch of the stage. After the song ended, RuPaul wasted little time in declaring her the winner.
Denali’s performance cemented her status as a lip sync assassin. It was not only the best lip sync of season 13 but also one of the best in RuPaul’s Drag Race herstory.