Welcome to RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Power Rankings! Every Saturday, we’ll debrief the week’s new episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 7 to determine which queens are riding high, and which need she-mergency care. The ball challenge gave two more queens a star apiece, making this a very tight competition indeed.
Raja
Current Star Count: 0
Maxi-Challenges Won: 0
Lip Syncs Won: 0
Raja has now been robbed twice, which is absurd. The idea that her still cute—but not quite on theme—Olivia Newton-John Waters is what kept her from the top two slot, despite a gorgeous final look and a perfect Vanna White Realness, is absurd. That she’s seemingly lost out on that top spot to the same queen (Trinity the Tuck) both times only makes it more frustrating. The bright side is that her early snubs keep her out of the blocking fire fight before the strategy inevitably changes later in the season. But c’mon, judges! Auntie Raja deserves her due!
The Vivienne
Current Star Count: 0
Maxi-Challenges Won: 0
Lip Syncs Won: 0
With this week’s results, Viv is the only queen to not even receive as much as a shout-out during deliberations, much less a win. She feels separated from the rest of the competition at this point. I’m eager to see her break out; despite rooting for Divina de Campo during UK Season 1, I’ve grown fond of The Vivienne, and I want to see her succeed in a closely matched crop. Output akin to her form-fitting, impeccably crafted Realness of Fortune Eleganza will get her closer to the crown. Weaker efforts, like her other two looks this week, will keep her out of contention for the win.
Yvie Oddly
Current Star Count: 0
Maxi-Challenges Won: 0
Lip Syncs Won: 0
Her bogeyman in Snatch Game Round 2 aside, I’m not sure Yvie has yet demonstrated why she’s returned for another shot at the crown. Her efforts in the Realness of Fortune Ball this week were pretty underwhelming, especially her totally off-the-mark Vanna White look and her “best editorial ghost” that was not good enough. I’d like to see Yvie embrace more of the spirit that went into her Cardi Bea Arthur, a creative concept that, while not entirely borne out in execution, nonetheless delighted the judges and expressed her very distinct point of view. If she can do more of that, I could see her winding up in the top in a few challenges. The upcoming improv task, on the other hand, may not be where she thrives.
Monét X Change
Current Star Count: 1
Maxi-Challenges Won: 1
Lip Syncs Won: 0
She’s still very much in the mix based on her star count—which is ultimately all that matters this season—but Monét’s dominance in the premiere has led to more mixed performances in the last two episodes. I very much loved her Mike Tyson impersonation in Snatch Game, and laughed a lot at her very witty Bob the Drag Queen Elizabeth in the Ball. But she’s missed as much as she’s hit for me since her Rumix win; last week, her Martin Lawrence take in Snatch Game failed to make a major impression, and this week, her emerald Realness of Fortune Eleganza looked messy. (Particularly the top, which looked like green aluminum foil.) Monét benefits somewhat from lying low, as the leading competitors keep going after each other with the blocks. And I do think that’s purposeful, since as she’s noted, she’s playing Drag Survivor this season. But at some point, Monét will win a lip sync and have to make a big move. I’m excited to see how she’ll play that.
Jaida Essence Hall
Current Star Count: 1
Maxi-Challenges Won: 1
Lip Syncs Won: 1
A big first win for Jaida gave her a Legendary Legend Star, and she wisely used her lip sync win to block Jinkx Monsoon. Going into an improv challenge, that looks to be a very savvy move. Combined with a dominant lip sync win and the ball challenge win she likely should’ve gotten in her original season, and this was a very good week for Jaida. Still, her space in the top doesn’t quite feel secure yet. I wish I felt better about Jaida’s prospects in these comedy challenges. She’s so naturally funny in confessionals and the workroom—I’m obsessed with her just walking around in The Vivienne’s shoulder pads in this week’s cold open—but it’s another thing entirely to translate that into the show’s various challenge formats. If the judges ultimately didn’t click with her take on Prince during Snatch Game, I’m not sure they’ll respond to her humour otherwise.
Jinkx Monsoon
Current Star Count: 1
Maxi-Challenges Won: 1
Lip Syncs Won: 1
The block has gotta hurt, but overall, Jinkx made her way out of this ball challenge relatively unscathed. As she said, this is her “one weakness, y’all,” which means she’s not likely to wind up vulnerable much this season. On the other hand, this is a group of legends, and we’ve still got eight competitive episodes ahead of us. The likelihood is that Jinkx will fall out of the top again. Especially if there’s another design challenge! And let’s not forget her weakness on the runway otherwise: even among her not-self-constructed looks, her take on Vanna White Realness was massively benefitted by Vanna herself also showing up in black. I still have smart money on Jinkx to go very far this season, but I’ll admit, I don’t feel as comfortable as I did a week ago in the wake of her home-run Judy Garland.
Shea Couleé
Current Star Count: 1
Maxi-Challenges Won: 1
Lip Syncs Won: 1
Shea got a dream solution out of this week: no frustration over being blocked, but universal praise from the judges and consideration for the win. I still think she is likely our favourite for the crown at this point. Although it is worth noting how easy it would’ve been to give her Trinity’s winning slot in the top two. Discounting her other two (very good!) looks entirely, Shea’s bridal eleganza look was more than deserving of the victory. The fact that Ru wouldn’t go there is indication that he may still very much be making up his mind about who’s the frontrunner. She avoided the block’s effects this week, at least, so Shea can fight for a Legendary Legend Star another day.
Trinity the Tuck
Current Star Count: 1
Maxi-Challenges Won: 2
Lip Syncs Won: 0
Ostensibly, Trinity is now our leading competitor. She’s got two wins, in entirely different categories: the ball and Snatch Game. But with that in mind: what does that mean? Yes, she has a Legendary Legend Star, but so do four other queens. Moreover, she hasn’t won a lip sync. It’s hard to judge just how, exactly, Trinity is faring. I personally would have her just above Monét on this list if I were ranking subjectively, with our three lip sync winners at the top. But my own preferences don’t matter this season—only Ru’s do. And with two wins, Trinity is our closest guess in terms of who is favoured in Mother’s eyes. Will it stay that way? Who knows! In the meantime, for Trinity’s best chance at the win, she probably needs to win a lip sync at some point.
Why you can trust Xtra
