One of my fav things on Drag Race is the lip syncs. They're just so epic so I figured i'd rank them by season! I did this like 4-5 years ago but theres been like 100 seasons since then.
i'll be doing all US, All Stars, Canada and UK seasons as those are the ones i've actually watched and know the context of.
So starting at Season 1, we have 7 lip syncs to rank!
#7. Victoria "Porkchop" Parker vs. Akashia - Supermodel by RuPaul
Uhm this one is alot of a mess. It's the first episode of the show and you can tell this is a work out the kinks episode and its so prevalent in the lip sync. It's a editing mess, Victoria stumbles and barely lip syncs and while Akashia somewhat turns it, it's just not that amazing. In terms of quality I think every lip sync gets better from here on out.
#6. Shannel vs. Rebecca Glasscock - Shackles (Praise You) by Mary Mary
This one honestly isn't bad! I'm just not a big fan of the song and not much happens in it, although Shannel does wiggle her ass which is. Rebecca is pretty good at emoting but the rest of her is pretty wooden and Shannel kind of turns it but obviously she wasn't gonna stay after the infamous "I don't wanna be here anymore" moment so yas.
#5. Tammie Brown vs. Akashia - We Break the Dawn by Michelle Williams
Honestly this lip sync is a mess and has some pretty terrbile editing but given what they had to work with im ok with it. I think its hilarious that Tammie doesn't lip sync and originally didnt even move so they had to refilm it with her doing something. Akashia is great here and she is kind of an underrated assassin because girl knows how to embody songs. I can't put it any higher but I kind of love this lip sync for what it is.
#4. Jade vs. Rebecca Glasscock - Would I Lie to You? by The Eurythmics
I really like this lip sync. Jade fucking kills it with her spin into the motorcycle splits like yes! Rebecca isn't bad here either she actually does well with the song but just can't compare to Jade however in a controversial point of drag being a contact sport, i think both girls are at fault since Jade started it but Rebecca took it too far. That being said its still iconic and underrated. I also love the song.
#3 - Nina Flowers vs. Bebe Zahara Benet - Cover Girl by RuPaul
This lip sync is great. Both of them put on a show and Cover Girl is just a great song to lip sync to (as you will also see in Season 2). Nina and her windmill dancing while Bebe slides under Nina's dress like yas. I do think Nina won the lip sync overall but like both did great so its justified. Such a fun lip sync and a great end to the season.
#2. Akashia vs. Shannel - The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston
God this lip sync is great. Akashia just emoting Whitney is gorg but the real show stopping moment is Shannel. In my opinion there are 4 very important moments of the entire show that come from this season and Shannel with her head piece falling off is one of them. She said "i'm a show vulnerability" and she really did. I also really like the song. i wish it would come back in a new season I think it needs that treatment. Absolute classic.
#1. Ongina vs. Bebe Zahara Benet - Stronger by Britney Spears
Absolutely no question. This lip sync is the moment of season 1. It's so memorable and amazing from Bebe's sporadic dancing to ongina's more controlled emoting its so good. There is one particular shot of a very intense zoom in on Bebe's fallen wig on the stage floor and I laugh so hard everytime. The song is also just so good and is such a a great lip sync song (as we will see in Season 9). This is another very important moment for drag race (along with Ongina's HIV status reveal and Tammie's fight in the reunion) because it showed that you can be the frontrunner but that can change in an instant. Ongina was pushed.
And thats season 1. It's a pretty basic ranking because its pretty clear cut but my opinions will definitely contrast later. Im excited for Season 2 and this series <3
