RuPaul's Drag Race is a groundbreaking show and has changed how many people perceive the art of drag. It became popular among stars such as Khloé Kardashian and Ariana Grande and was responsible for taking the career of dozens of Drag Queens to the next level, even if they didn't receive the crown by the end of the show.
Of course, winning a reality show is not a guarantee that success will last forever. Here are the eleven winners of RuPaul's Drag Race and what they are doing now.
11 BeBe Zahara Benet
BeBe Zahara Benet was the first queen to win RuPaul's Drag Race, and fans will often remember her as "Cameroon." She was born in the African country, and RuPaul would often call her that when she appeared on the show.
Her career took off after the reality, and BeBe Zahara Benet came back in the All-Stars season 3 in 2018. This year she released the song Banjo, and she stills travel the country with a convert. She is one of the most well-succeed winners of the show.
10 Tyra Sanchez
Tyra Sanchez was the champion in the second season, and not everybody loved her. She managed to enter many feuds during the show, but she always performed well in front of the judges. But the show was not the last her name was involved in polemic situations. In 2014, she was arrested for misdemeanor assault, and she often makes controversial posts on Twitter.
After she received the crown, Sanchez made the headlines for his behavior more often than her work. James William Ross IV, who plays Tyra Sanchez, announced earlier this year that his drag days are over and that he is retired now.
9 Raja Gemini
Raja Gemini received the crown in the third season and was another star who knew how to keep the fame. During many years, Raja worked as a professional makeup artist for celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Adam Lambert, Iggy Azalea, and Dita von Teese.
After the show, she started a web show named Fashion Photo RuView, which analyses the style of other drags. Raja is still performing all over the country.
8 Sharon Needles
Sharon Needles was one of the most successful contestants in RuPaul Drag Race. During the show, she started dating another contestant, and they remained together for three years.
The reality show also opened many doors, and Sharon Needles began a successful singing career, and she has several hits such as Taxidermy (2015) and Battle Axe (2017). Like other names on this list, she is performing all over the country.
7 Jinkx Monsoon
Jinkx Monsoon was a chameleon during season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and she won a massive fan base after that. She invested some money in a drag-themed AirBnB named "Monsoon Manor" in Portland, but most of her income is thanks to her performances.
Monsoon also has many fans in the United Kingdom, where the show is extremely popular, and she often makes performances there. Of course, Bete Middler is still her major idol.
6 Bianca Del Rio
Bianca Del Rio won the crown in season 6 and is by far the most well-succeed drag, which has crossed the show until now. According to Vulture, she is the most powerful drag in America compared to other contestants, and perhaps she is just behind Mama Ru.
The artist is often traveling the world, and she also has a massive fan base in Brazil and the UK. After the show, she had a stand-up comedy show, starred two movies, and even a musical. Not bad at all!
5 Violet Chachki
Violet Chachki won the 7th season, and Dita Von Teese clearly inspires her looks. She is a great artist, but after a while, she took a different direction in her career and dedicated a lot of her time to the fashion industry. She was already part of some fashion shows in Europe, and it seems that modeling is something that is working for her.
"The reason I started drag in the first place is that I felt like I never really fit in, and I still don't feel like I fit into any of those places: the drag world, the circus world or the burlesque world," she said in an interview with Vice "I'm kinda this combination of everything."
4 Bob The Drag Queen
Bob The Drag Queen has been working nonstop since she won the 8th season of Rupaul's Drag Race. She has tried the music industry, and she released some singles that didn't work out very well, but she also released a podcast named Sibling Rivalry.
This year, she teamed up with Shangela, another star of RuPaul's Drag Race, to film the HBO show We Are Here, where they bring drag shows to small and conservative towns.
3 Sasha Velour
Sasha Velour won the 9th season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and she has always been a versatile artist. In 2018, she was one of the 40 drag queens who walked in the New York Fashion Week catwalk. She is also a talented designer, and her illustration of Marlene Dietrich became a Google Doodle to celebrate the actress' birthday in 2017.
This year, she is one of the stars of the series NightGown and said that 'We're transforming the system that doesn't work for us," she said.
2 Aquaria
Aquaria won the 10th edition, and it changed the direction of her career. Like other names on this list, she discovered a passion for fashion, and she is making a name in the industry.
Since she won the show, Aquaria was photographed for Vogue Italia and modeled for brands such as Moschino, H&M, and MAC. She also endeavors on business, and she released a makeup line with NYX. She doesn't avoid subjects such as politics and representativity.
1 Yvie Oddly
Yvie Oddly was the winner of the last edition of RuPaul's Drag Race, and things are still starting to happen to her. It seems that she doesn't get along with RuPaul since this year she Tweeted that "Maybe I'm just biased because our host never made eye contact unless she smelled an Emmy moment."
It is still early to assume what are her projects, but it seems that Yvie Oddly will never hold back an speak her mind.