RuPaul’s Drag Race: 10 Best Lip Syncs In Any Series, According To Reddit

RuPaul’s Drag Race is a cultural phenomenon that has grown from a small show on an obscure cable channel to ratings gold on both live television and streaming across numerous countries. One thing every iteration of the show has in common with the others is the iconic lip-sync battles that end each episode.

Lip-sync performances have long been a crucial element of drag culture at large and thus a vital component of the Drag Race franchise. These competitions draw even non-fans to the show, as the performances are so well crafted that viewers can’t help but be entertained.

Morgan McMichaels vs. Kylie Sonique Love – “Two Of Hearts” by Stacey Q

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 2, Episode 4 – “The Snatch Game”

Morgan and Kylie had to lip-sync for their lives because of poor performance during the very first “Snatch Game” challenge. It’s a lip-sync fans still love. Redditor 69bbhmm69 said, “Morgan & Kylie’s lip-sync will always have a special place in my heart.”

Morgan McMichaels offered a more classic drag performance focusing on the lyrics, while Kylie showed she was a stunt queen who could do tricks others couldn’t. Fans still love the showdown because it showed how professional queens are expected to perform in a show. In the end, Morgan stayed and Sonique sashayed away.

Trinity K. Bonet vs. Laganja Estranja – “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 6, Episode 3 – “Side Hustles”

The best lip-syncs of each season of RuPaul’s Drag Race so far have proven to be high energy and include a few tricks that stun both the judges and the other queens. The showdown between Trinity K. Bonet and Laganja Estranja in season 6 was no different.

Redditor chillidwnwthfiregang said, “Laganja had so much to prove and turned out a 15/10.” Both performers showed they knew how to play to their audience, with Trinity getting all the queens to clap along with her fan snaps. But Laganja served multiple back-breaking moves and death drops, earning her the win.

Kana Warrior vs. Angele Anang – “Dancer” by Sukanya Nakpradit

Drag Race Thailand Season 2, Episode 9 – “Thai Musical”

The lip-sync between Kana Warrior and Angele Anang on Drag Race Thailand needed no translation as the two friends gave a performance highlighting their connection, making the upbeat song seem more meaningful as they honored their journey and friendship.

Redditor InfluenceAble1195 claims it’s “the best lip-sync of all with the pre-situation and how the queens proceeded.” The performance turned from a battle to a duet that highlighted the professionalism of both queens and how well they each could perform under emotional circumstances. The lip-sync was so good that neither queen was eliminated.

Alyssa Edwards vs. Coco Montrese – “Cold Hearted” by Paula Abdul

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 5, Episode 9 – “Drama Queens”

Some things about RuPaul’s Drag Race are fake, but one thing that isn’t was the feud between Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese that resulted in one of the best lip-syncs on the show. Redditor temperamenstruation said, “I had been waiting for that lip-sync from the beginning of the season, and it did not disappoint! Still, my most fave lip-syncs from storytelling-wise.”

Both queens pulled out all the stops, Alyssa turning big tricks and Coco using her outfit to pull focus. But when Coco literally pointed to her mouth to show the judges she knew every single word to Paula Abdul’s difficult rap from “Cold Hearted,” she secured the win.

Icesis Couture vs. Kendall Gender vs. Pythia – “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” by Celine Dion

Canada’s Drag Race Season 2, Episode 10 – “Queen Of The North”

Redditor thetitaniumtaco said, “Since I haven’t seen anyone mention Canada s2, The top 3 lip-sync to It’s All Coming Back to Me Now was so good.” The lip-sync captured the song’s sentiment, and the queens could added personal touches, such as when Pythia sprinkled glitter on the floor.

With such a well-known song, fans were looking for mistakes, but none of the top three queens missed a single word or motion that made the lip-sync so much better. In the end, Icesis Couture won the lip-sync and the season.

Dida Ritz vs. The Princess – “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 4, Episode 3 – “Glamazons vs. Champions”

Redditor omjizzle cited the lip-sync between The Princess and Dida Ritz to Natalie Cole’s classic “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) as one of the series’ best. It was a highlight for Dida, and she cemented her place as one of the most entertaining Drag Race queens who deserved more recognition on their season.

The performance was energetic and perfectly fit the song’s mood, with Dida dedicating a move to every beat. The lip-sync was only made better by the fact that Natalie Cole herself was a judge and gave Dida her stamp of approval. It not only validated for Dida but showed the other queens there wasn’t much that could shake her in the competition.

Vanity Milan vs. Scarlett Harlette – “Scandalous” by Mis-Teeq

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 3, Episode 7 – “Miss Fugly Beauty Pageant”

Drag Race UK has produced some of the best drag performers in the franchise and some lip-syncs that fans consider not only memorable but the standard for a lip-sync. Vanity Milan and Scarlett Harlette’s showdown is one of these.

Redditor OkPhotograph9595 said, “I have a bunch of faves … the first that comes to mind is Vanity Milan & Scarlett.” Their battle lip-sync was enhanced by the queens’ outfits and unintentional moments of syncing up their moves, such as when they both hit the floor at the end of the song. Scarlett Harlett won, but few viewers would’ve complained had it been a double shanté.

Kiara vs. Priyanka – “I Drove All Night” by Celine Dion

Canada’s Drag Race Season 1, Episode 5 – “The Snatch Game”

As Priyanka said on the show, she knew she was going to be at the bottom after her poor performance in the main challenge th week she was compelled to lip-sync for her life. That’s is part of the reason why Redditor Lapantin named it as one of their favorite lip-syncs of all time.

Both queens put their spin on the song, which can be emotional or sensual, depending on interpretation. The judges struggled to pick a winner but ultimately settled on Priyanka, who embodied the sensual side of the song. Priyanka also stripped off her wedding look to reveal a gold dress worthy of Celine Dion, enhancing her performance.

Delta Work vs. Manila Luzon – “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3, Episode 8 – “Ru Ha Ha”

The lip-sync for their lives between Manila and Delta showcased how comical and talented Manila was, making her an all-time fan favorite. As Redditor Mary_doogan said, this performance is “the original ‘NOW THAT WAS A MFN LIP-SYNC FOR YOUR LOIFE.'”

The queens took different approaches to the song, with Delta making it more emotional and Manila adding her now signature over-the-top facial expressions. While this battle started slowly, it finished with a bang and began Manila’s journey as one of the most beloved queens from the show.

Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatianna – “Shut Up And Drive” by Rihanna

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 2, Episode 5 – “Revenge of the Queens”

One of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s best seasons is the second All Stars, and one of its highlights is the lip-sync between Alyssa Edwards and Tatianna, which Redditor TransportationLast33 and many other fans consider the show’s greatest lip-sync battle of all time.

From the matching outfits and wigs to the flashy dance moves, like when both queens started stomping and spinning during the song’s breakdown to when they both hit the floor simultaneously, this lip-sync was already a classic before it was over.

Next: All The Queens Rumored To Be Cast In RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8