“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is wrapping itself in red, white and blue for Season 12.
The Emmy-winning series, which features 13 cross-dressing queens competing to be “America’s next drag superstar,” embraced a patriotic hue worthy of the presidential election season in a promo video announcing next season’s cast. The contestants will “pledge allegiance to the drag” when the series returns at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, on VH1. Its popular backstage after-show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked,” will premiere immediately after at 9:30 p.m.
“With each new generation of queens, the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ revolution continues to drive culture,” said executive producer and four-time Emmy-winning creator RuPaul, who was recently announced as the host for the Feb. 8 installment of “Saturday Night Live.”
“As more and more new viewers discover the show, the phenomenon continues to open hearts and minds with love, laughter and a whole lotta sass,” added the 56-year-old downtown drag legend, who can also be seen in his Netflix series “AJ and the Queen.”
Here are the new “Drag race” queens, including five who sashay the club scene in New York.
Season 12 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will premiere at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, on VH1.Charlotte RutherfordAiden Zhane (Acworth, GA)
Instagram: @aiden_zhane
Twitter: @AidenZhane
Hailing from rural Georgia, it’s apparent Aiden Zhane is attracted to the darker side of life. Horror films, Marilyn Manson, and weirdness all inform her outlandish – and original – spooky persona.
Aiden ZhaneVH1Brita (New York, NY)
Instagram: @thebritafilter
Twitter: @thebritafilter
Everyone who knows drag in New York City knows Brita. That’s because this hard-working Polynesian queen captivates audiences with her famous lip-syncs … no less than seven nights a week.
BritaVH1Crystal Methyd (Springfield, MO)
Instagram: @crystalmethyd
Twitter: @crystalmethyd
The only thing Crystal Methyd is addicted to is attention. And with her quirky fashions, incomparable makeup skills and screwball sense of humor, she’ll certainly be catching the judges’ eyes.
Crystal MethydVH1Dahlia Sin (Los Angeles, CA)
Instagram: @dahlia_sin
Twitter: @dahlia_sin
Originally hailing from Brooklyn, Dahlia Sin emerged from the Haus of Aja (of Season 9 and “All Stars” fame). Now, this look queen lives in LA, where she wows the west coast with her urban brand of sexiness.
Dahlia SinVH1Gigi Goode (Los Angeles, CA)
Instagram:@thegigigoode
Twitter: @thegigigoode
This leggy fashion queen is only 21, but enters the competition with a sizeable social media following. Gorgeous fashion illustrations come to life and make her Instagram fans stan.
Gigi GoodeVH1Heidi N Closet (Ramseur, NC)
Instagram: @heidincloset
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidincloset/
Heidi comes from Ramseur, a small country town in North Carolina. She playfully says there’s little to do there except count chickens and cows. But her infectious persona is sure to make her a global name very soon.
Heidi N ClosetVH1Jackie Cox (New York, NY)
Instagram: @jackiecoxnyc
Twitter: @jackiecoxnyc
The Persian princess of drag has arrived. Born in Canada and with Iranian heritage, Jackie Cox now considers the New York cabaret stage her home. She loves to write her own shows and bring them to life.
Jackie CoxVH1Jaida Essence Hall (Milwaukee, WI)
Instagram: @jaidaehall
Twitter: @jaidaehall
Jaida Essence Hall always strives to be the essence of glamour. She originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and now gets to both live that fantasy and model her own gorgeous creations.
Jaida Essence HallVH1Jan (New York, NY)
Instagram: @janjanjan
Twitter: @jansportnyc
Jan is a musical theater queen and skilled singer, who can belt in the original key of a female popstar’s song. Ambitious and driven, she’s looking to slay the Drag Race performance challenges.
JanVH1Nicky Doll (New York, NY)
Instagram: @thenickydoll
The first French contestant to compete in RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nicky Doll relocated from Paris to New York City, where she enchants audiences with her European catwalk, high fashions and seductive charm.
Nicky DollVH1Rock M. Sakura (San Francisco, CA)
Instagram: @rockmsakura
Twitter: @rockmsakura
Rock M. Sakura’s aesthetic is an amalgamation of anime, manga, and anything pink. With her high-energy death-dropping performance style and dirty sense of humor, this is a queen who defies categorization.
Rock M. SakuraVH1Sherry Pie (New York, NY)
Instagram: @sherrypienyc
Twitter: @sherrypienyc
A campy, polished queen who knows her references, Sherry Pie will leave an audience in stitches. And with Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett as her icons, she’s certainly learned from the best.
Sherry PieVH1Widow Von’Du (Kansas City, MO)
Instagram: @thewidowvondu
Twitter: @WidowVonDu
The Widow is up in the building. A Missouri girl who lives life out loud, this queen can perform the house down … and dance circles around her competition.
Widow Von’DuVH1


