‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 Finale: America’s Next Drag Superstar Is…

The finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 17, which aired on MTV last night (Friday, April 18), saw RuPaul name the season’s victor. The host similarly awarded one Season 17 cast member with the title of ‘Miss Congeniality,’ as well as honoring Hollywood icon Liza Minnelli with the third annual Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The Final Four Face Off in Show-Stopping Solo Performances

After 16 weeks of brutal, fierce, and fabulous competition, the winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 has finally been revealed. Going into Friday night’s finale episode, four queens were still vying for the title of ‘America’s Next Drag Superstar’. The finalists included Onya Nurve, Lexi Love, Jewels Sparkles, and Sam Star. 

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At the top of the episode, RuPaul welcomed the final four back to the Main Stage where they were each given the chance to win over the judges with solo performances of original songs. Onya Nurve, who was the frontrunner coming into the finale with four maxi challenge wins, performed a track about her nerve and talent, while Jewels Sparkles impressed with a comedic number about a “ding-a-ling.” Kentucky-native Lexi Love then took to the stage in chrome-plated roller skates to perform a high-energy routine full of aerial acrobatics before Sam Star, who won three maxi challenges throughout the season, donned a dress that doubled as a red carpet before wowing the judges with her ‘Star’-quality performance.

Before RuPaul decided which two finalists would move on to the Lip Sync for the Crown, the Emmy Award winning host welcomed Hollywood legend Liza Minnelli to the stage to present the third annual ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented in recognition of Minelli’s career of LGBTQ+ community allyship and excellence in entertainment. 

Minnelli, as well as her mother, Judy Garland, have been the subject of frequent references on “Drag Race.” Minnelli herself has been impersonated in not one, but three winning Snatch Game performances from Alexis Michelle (Season 9), Hannah Conda (“Drag Race Down Under” Season 2), and La Voix (“Drag Race UK” Season 6). 

Upon receiving the award, the 79-year-old “Cabaret” actress thanked RuPaul and the series, saying, “I don’t know what else to say except for, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be me. You made me.”

RuPaul responded: “Well, you made us, actually.”

Following Minnelli’s appearance, RuPaul welcomed the final four back to the main stage where contestants Lexi Love and Sam Star were then eliminated from the competition. The pair were each awarded a $10,000 tip for their hard work on the season before the final two queens – Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles – moved on to the final Lip Sync for the Crown. 

Ahead of the highly anticipated final lip sync, however, RuPaul invited the winners of Season 16’s Miss Congeniality Award to the stage. Season 16 marked the first – and only – US season to feature multiple Miss Congeniality winners, with both Xunami Muse and finalist Sapphira Cristal taking home the title in April 2024. 

Muse and Cristal took to the stage to announce that Season 17 contestant Crystal Envy as the winner of this year’s award, which included a $10,000 cash prize. Envy was awarded the title following a cast vote. 

“Remember to always sparkle like a crystal and be kind!” Envy said upon accepting the award. It was later announced that the other eliminated contestants would receive $2,000 each for “slaying all season” long. 

And the Winner of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 17 Is…

As the finale reached its end, Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles returned to the main stage for one final lip sync battle to Lady Gaga’s chart-topper “Abracadabra.” Nymphia Wind, the winner of Season 16 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” then appeared on stage to pass along the crown to her successor. 

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Despite a stellar performance from Jewels, RuPaul ultimately announced Ohio’s own Onya Nurve as the winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 17. Nurve took home a crown and scepter provided by Fierce Drag Jewels, a $200,000 cash prize, and the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar.”

“Hell yeah! It do take Nurve!” said the newly crowned queen. Onya similarly addressed her fans in a post-win interview, saying, “I want to say, thank you guys, truly, from the bottom of my heart for all of the love and support. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Onya Nurve won four maxi challenge wins throughout Season 17, including the iconic Snatch Game. Only three other “Drag Race” winners have accomplished the feat, including Sasha Colby (Season 15), Symone (Season 13), and Sharon Needles (Season 4). 

While “Drag Race” Season 17 has come to a close following the finale, fans of the series won’t have to wait long for more fierce drag competition to return, with “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars 10” set to begin airing on Paramount+ on Friday, May 9.

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