DiaTV / BBC / MTV
In the wise words of RuPaul, “Drag is all over the world, it’s a phenomenon!”
As of 2023, RuPaul’s Drag Race is still the biggest and most successful platform for launching new drag superstars all around the world. While it’s only fair to celebrate the achievements of queens who won Drag Race or started hosting international spinoffs, it’s also amazing to see how certain contestants who went home early or competed in older seasons still manage to level up and become incredibly popular in this day and age.
There are also drag entertainers who are building up their own careers completely outside of the Drag Race system, becoming famous for winning pageants, hosting digital series, or being entrepreneurs. Thankfully, despite the various anti-drag, anti-trans, and anti-gay bills being pushed by conservatives, drag artists are doing what they do best: surviving, entertaining, and thriving!
Scroll through to check out which drag queens reigned supreme throughout 2023!
The list of accomplishments from Jinkx Monsoon in 2023 is, like, literally insane. The two-time Drag Race winner made her Broadway debut in Chicago, landed a role on Doctor Who, went on her largest-ever solo tour Everything At Stake across North America – *breathes in, breathes out* – performed at the grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 15, released her stand-up special Red Head Redemption, released new original music, fought against anti-drag and anti-trans legislation, defended LGBTQ+ peers on social media, was interviewed by several high-profile publications and news shows, and wrapped up the year touring with The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show alongside BenDeLaCreme. Queen of all queens, indeed.
This year, Zhané Dawlingz won the title of 2024 Miss Continental – the most prestigious drag pageant in the world. Since then, Zhané has been traveling all over the country as the current-reigning Miss Continental, which has included being the opening act for Todrick Hall’s Velvet Rage tour, attending the 2023 Out100 party, connecting with other drag superstars, and building up her career as a star-in-the-making.
Sasha Colby entered the werk room of Drag Race season 15 as a drag legend and trans trailblazer. Since winning the season and becoming America’s Next Drag Superstar, Sasha has toured the world, released original music, launched a line of hair extensions, attended and spoke at an event hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris, got featured in Vogue, was honored in the Out100, hit the road with her Drag Race sisters for a holiday tour, and announced her 2024 solo tour titled Sasha Colby: Stripped.
Drag entertainer and entrepreneur Biblegirl is the CEO of DragQueenMerch.com, which is still one of the most successful e-commerce businesses for branded merch from Drag Race queens and other LGBTQ+ stars. In 2023, Biblegirl successfully launched a DragQueenMerch collab with Target that involved queens like Shea Couleé, Adore Delano, Kennedy Davenport, Luxx Noir London, Jan, and Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté. Unfortunately, conservatives pushed back against all Pride Month collections from Target, but Biblegirl’s achievement is still something worth being celebrated.
Keiona won Drag Race France season two after a legendary lip sync for the crown during the series’ first-ever live taping of a grand finale. Throughout the season, Keiona won the Rusical and the ball challenge, placed high every single week, and never got even close to touching the bottom. In the end, Keiona lip synced against Sara Forever to Sia’s “Titanium” and was crowned France’s Next Drag Race Superstar.
Maddy Morphosis became the first and only straight cis man to compete on Drag Race following her casting in season 14. Even though fans and other queens quickly embraced Maddy during the season, it’s fair to say that no one could’ve expected the sensational post-season career that Maddy has created for herself with the Give It to Me Straight interview series on YouTube. As of 2023, Maddy is one of the most popular Drag Race queens on YouTube and has gained a legion of fans who now understand her drag and sense of humor even more.
Speaking of interview queens, Brazilian comedy queen Blogueirinha has become one of the biggest drag stars in the world with her digital talk show De Frente Com Blogueirinha (which translates to something like Face to Face With Blogueirinha) through the DiaTV network. Some of Blogueirinha’s most successful interviews on YouTube have accumulated 4.2 million views (with Latin popstar Anitta) and 4 million views (with Blue Beetle actress Bruna Marquezine) as of this writing. On Instagram, this drag star has 3.9 million followers, and will likely end the year crossing the 4-million mark.
Another queen who is experiencing a career high through a new digital talk show is Delta Work. Ever since launching the Very Delta talk show through Moguls of Media (a content network co-owned by Alaska and Willam), Delta has become one of the most important voices in the LGBTQ+ community. Her hot takes are hilarious, informative, and thought-provoking, and her interviews allow guests to relax and reveal things we never knew about them. In many ways, Delta is absolutely one of the queens who have conquered 2023.
Between 2020 and 2023, Jimbo competed in season one of Canada’s Drag Race, left a huge mark on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World, and winning All Stars 8. This international drag clown has truly conquered the world in the span of three years, and 2023 is her biggest year yet. Between hitting the road with a solo tour and a holiday tour, launching the It’s My Special Show on WOW Presents Plus, attending the 2023 VMAs, becoming an Out100 honoree, and being the newest inductee to the Drag Race Hall of Fame, what a year this has been for Jimbo!
Grag Queen won Paramount+’s Queen of the Universe in 2022. Since then, this Brazilian powerhouse vocalist has been releasing hit singles, traveling the world, and landed the coveted spot to host the first season of Drag Race Brasil. As a musician, Grag was booked to perform at The Town Festival, which had an average attendance of 100,000 people per day. This year, she also launched WOW Presents Plus’ first non-English-speaking digital series in herstory, Grag Hearts Drag, which is entirely in Portuguese.
