Ranking the Ultimate Trades of 'Drag Race'

Article written by Kendra Beltran

There is no denying that when it comes to reality competition shows, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ serves up the most in terms of talent. Queens not only have to come ready to look fierce, but also make garments at the speed of light, act, sing, dance, paint, and then some. On top of all of that, ‘Drag Race’ has also taken the crown at casting some of the hottest performers to ever grace the small screen. Every season has an abundance of Queens who look amazing in AND out of drag, so we’re going to take a closer look and not only pick the trade of every regular season (honey - there have been too many incarnations to go through at the moment) and rank them.

13. Season 1’s Shannel

Also known as the vaseline filter season, it’s been hard for even the biggest fans of the show to go back and watch this one due to the well, budget. With only nine queens initially competing for the crown that season, we met ‘Drag Race’s’ first kooky queen Tammie Brown, the always adorable Ongina, and of course the OG Queen BeBe Zahara Benet. However, when it came to Queens our hormones did a little dance for, Shannel was it. Stacked up against the queens that would come after her though, she does land in what we’d call the Porkchop position of this list.

12. Season 4’s Willam

Despite being the first (and as of now only) Queen to be kicked off the show for a conjugal visit, Willam managed to cement herself in our hearts for a very long time. Maybe it was her cocky yet naive approach to life or the fact that when it came to seving body - she did it better than her season 4 sisters Sharon Needles, Chad Michaels, and even the pint-sized darling Kenya Michaels.

11. Season 6’s Trinity K Bonet

In a season that gave us the likes of two Idols a la Adore Delano and Courtney Act, feisty girls like Joslyn Fox and Gia Gunn, icons such as Vivacious - it was a hard season to find the standout but alas Trinity K Bonet edged them all out.

10. Season 5’s Ivy Winters

Winner Jinkx Monsoon was not wrong when she admitted to crushing on Ivy Winters that season because did you see them in and out of drag? Stunning from every damn angle.

9. Season 13’s Gottmik

Yes, at the time of writing this Gottmik has only shown fans a handful of looks over a few weeks but it’s been enough to put this Queen on the list. Which was hard given how fucking drop-dead gorgeous her fellow sisters Joey Jay, Denali, Symone, Olivia Lux, Utica...okay, so the 13th season is basically one of the hottest, ever. Anyways, Gottmik can get it!

8. Season 3’s Raja

‘Drag Race’ did not come to play during that third season that housed the impeccable Carmen Carrera, the diva known as Mariah, and the always adorable Manila Luzon but then and now, Raja has always had this rich widow on vacation with her pool boy look and we live for it.

7. Season 7’s Pearl

She may have slept through the earlier part of her season while Violet Chachki, Jaidynn Diore Fierce, and Max captured our attention but there was no denying that when she woke up - she awakened our hormones.

6. Season 8’s Naomi Smalls

While queens like Bob The Drag Queen and Thorgy Thor brought the funny, and Derrick Berry brought, well...only Britney - Naomi Smalls delivered the fashion. Obviously, that’s not all she was capable of seeing as she made it to the top 3. Seriously though, if I had a body like that, I’d have to move somewhere nudity was embraced.

5. Season 2’s Raven

With the vaseline filter gone, fans could get a look at and gush over Tatianna, Jujubee, and Morgan McMichaels but it’s the runner-up, Raven, that made an impact on fans - if you catch my drift.

4. Season 10’s Kameron Michaels

Another gorgeous season with Aquaria, Asia O'Hara, The Vixen, Monét X Change, and Blair St. Clair serving it the fuck up but when it came to the Queen fans could not stop drooling over - it was the bodied up Kameron Michaels.

3. Season 12’s Jaida Essence Hall

Do you ever look at people like Gigi Goode, Dahlia Sin, and Nicky Doll and wonder how? How can people look that stunning? While season 12 rolled out the red carpet for hot ass Queens, Jaida Essence Hall was taking all the top spots of that season the second she walked into the Werk Room.

2. Season 11’s Brooke Lynn Hytes

Yes, she competed against Mercedes Iman Diamond, Plastique Tiara, Yvie Oddly, and the second-coming of Pearl - Scarlet Envy, but in and out of drag Brooke Lynn Hytes was some next-level perfection and that’s the real tea.

1. Season 9’s Shea Couleé

Valentina, Trinity Taylor, Sasha Velour. All amazing queens in their own right but like, there is no comparing the legend that is Shea Couleé.