The new queens for Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race  is here! I’m so excited for it and this new crop of queens, especially since this means we get to see MISS VANJIE again! (well, I say “excited,” but you’ll see some more thoughts about the queens below since I don’t know if this meet the queens ruveal special showed them in the best light).

Here’s what VH1 has to say about this season:

The 11th season of Emmy® Award-winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is set to be the most fashionable, fearless and jaw-dropping spectacle in “Drag Race” herstory. The newest queens vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” were introduced via a VH1 YouTube Live hosted by Olympic medalist Adam Rippon and season 10 winner Aquaria. A premiere date for the new season will be announced soon.
The series recently made history as the first to win Emmys® for both Outstanding Reality-Competition Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program categories in the same year. It also scored VH1’s first Producers Guild Award for Producer of Game and Competition Reality Show.
“Just when I think to myself – ‘shedonealreadydonehadherses’ – a new crop of killer queens sashay their way into my heart and leave me gagging for more,” said executive producer and three-time Emmy® Award-winning host and RuPaul. “Dare I say, this might be the most sickening season of all time.”

VH1

Here’s also what they had to say about each of the queens.

A’keria C. Davenport has a huge honey blonde wig and wears a pastel orange and purple ruffle high-low dress with huge puffy sleeves. She also wears orange dangle earrings, a pink and black circle necklace, and pink sock boots.
VH1

A’keria C. Davenport (Dallas, TX) |Instagram: @mizakeriachanel, Twitter: @A_doubleC_D
From the legendary drag House of Davenport, A’keria’s slick, shiny look makes you sit up and pay attention. The current reigning Miss Black Universe, this super accomplished pageant queen is doing the Davenports proud with her signature aesthetic: “fit, fashion, mug and body.” Expect big hair, big attitude and big results from this competitor.

Ariel Versace wears frizzy blonde hair in a 1980s-esque style, complete with a 1980s-esque hot pink tutu dress with orange corset, aqua tights, and pink, white and orange colorblock heels. She also has pink motor gloves and pink and aqua bangles.
VH1

Ariel Versace (Cherry Hill, NJ) |Instagram/Twitter: @arielversace
A life-sized Bratz doll, this queen’s Jersey-licious Disney princess aesthetic is already a hit on social media, where she has a significant following. But don’t be fooled by a pretty face with a poppin’ Instagram presence – Ariel can sing, act and put on a fully entertaining show. You’ve been warned.

Brooke Lynne Hytes wears a orange and purple jumpsuit with orange thigh-high boots. the purple on the jumpsuit are flower appliques and flower appliqued garters and belt. She wears a slicked-back blonde short wig and purple square earrings.

Brooke Lynn Hytes (Nashville, TN) Instagram: @bhytes, Twitter: @BhytesBrock
Brooke Lynn grew up in Toronto, Canada before traveling the world as a professional ballet dancer. Much of her drag centers around dance and movement and she is a prestigious former Miss Continental pageant winner. Will Brooke Lynn dazzle the judges with the same polish she brings to the dancefloor?

Honey Davenport wears a bright orange wig swept to the side. She wears a pink latex dress with a yellow hoop. She's wearing yellow knee-high boots.
VH1

Honey Davenport (New York, NY) |Instagram: @honeydavenportofficial, Twitter: @Honey_Davenport
New York City’s crown jewel, Honey is the second cast member hailing from the legendary House of Davenport and cites “Drag Race” alum Sahara Davenport as a mentor. With parts in Off-Broadway plays, an electro band and 18 pageant crowns under her belt, queens know to bow down to this talented diva.

This is hard to describe, to be honest. Kahanna Montrese wears a honey blonde wig and gold-flesh colored bikini showgirl outfit with a skirt-bustle. She also has arm warmers(?) of the same color. She also has purple fabric spiky things adorning her shoulders and hips. She's wearing heels the same color as her gold outfit.
VH1

Kahanna Montrese (Las Vegas, NV) Instagram/Twitter: @kahannamontrese
Las Vegas’s hip-hop showgirl, Kahanna merges edgy street influences with upscale high fashion couture. After seeing Kahanna perform just one time, “Drag Race” legend Coco Montrese adopted this spitfire performer and Kahanna’s drag identity was born. Will Kahanna finish the job that Coco Montrese started?

Mercedes Iman Diamond wears an aqua and hot pink high-low dress with puffy sleeves. The dress has a gold lining. She's also wearing fishnet stockings and hot pink thigh-high boots.
VH1

Mercedes Iman Diamond (Minneapolis, MN) Instagram: @mercedesimandiamond
This African princess moved from Kenya to the USA when she was 11, but Mercedes wasn’t “born” until 10 years later at the world famous Gay 90s club in downtown Minneapolis. All about the “body-ody-ody,” Mercedes owns any stage she sets foot on, dazzling the crowd with her graceful presence and the expensive bling she is named after.

Nina West wears a glittery aqua and pink halter bootcut jumpsuit with a gold and pink glittery corset. She also has a pink boa, purple gloves, pastel purple wavy coiffed hair, and glittery pink heels.
VH1

Nina West (Columbus, OH) Instagram/Twitter: @ninawest
This comedy queen has a big reputation preceding her into the competition. Nina has won the national Entertainer of the Year pageant and writes and produces her own spectacular shows complete with show-stopping dance numbers. She’s also an advocate and fundraiser for LGBTQ causes. But can this local legend live up to all of her hype?

Plastique Tiara wears STONED TIGHTS. But also, she's wearing a pastel pink and red dress with red bows on her arms. She also has on stoned see-through gloves and teal strappy shoes. She has strawberry blonde hair in a slightly Ariana Grande-style of half-updo.

Plastique Tiara (Dallas, TX) |Instagram/Twitter: @plastiquetiara
Originally hailing from Saigon, Plastique takes a lot of drag inspiration from Vietnamese pop stars. Stunningly beautiful, her popular Instagram drag photos have even been reposted by Tyra Banks. With none other than “Drag Race” superstar Alyssa Edwards for a drag mother, all eyes will be on Plastique to see if she can deliver in the competition.

Ra'jah D. O'Hara wears an orange, pink and purple bodysuit. The pink and purple are in chevron stripes. She is also wearing a purple coat with orange and purple heels and orange spiral earrings.
VH1

Ra’jah D. O’Hara (Dallas, TX) Instagram: @therajahoharashow
Ra’jah is from Dallas, Texas, where everything is bigger, better and bolder. A dancing queen known for her kicks, splits and tearing up the dance floor, the “D” in Ra’jah’s name stands for Davenport: this season’s third cast member from the Davenport dynasty. A high energy performer, Ra’jah warns her competitors to watch their backs when she is lip-synching.

Scarlet Envy wears an aqua and red mermaid style dress with red stoned gloves. She looks like a pinup model and her chocolate brown swept hair is in a 1960s-esque style.
VH1

Scarlet Envy (New York, NY) Instagram: @scarletenvy, Twitter: @ScarletEnvyNYC
Southern beauty mixed with New York City grit, Scarlet pulls from references as varied as movie stars of the 40s, Andy Warhol superstars of the 60s and supermodels of the 80s. A self-described “natural beauty,” Scarlet has worked with fashion photographer Steven Klein, Harper’s Bazaar magazine and even appeared in a musical number on Saturday Night Live.

Shuga Cain has a black ponytail with bangs and wears huge yellow, blue and fuschia earrings. She wears a yellow sparkly bodysuit that has a huge fuchsia and teal bow. She also has teal gloves, a teal and yellow ring and fuchsia tights. Her shoulder has a yellow plume and her teal ankle strap shoes have pink plumes on the tips.

Shuga Cain (New York, NY) | Instagram: @missshugacain, Twitter: @ShugaCainNYC
A relative newcomer to drag, Shuga quit her sweet six-figure corporate job to become a full-time drag queen. But talent rises to the top, and within 18 short months Shuga has already established herself as a key fixture in the competitive New York City drag scene where she relies upon her performance background in opera and musical theater to stand out from the crowd.

Silky Nutmeg Ganache wears a red and yellow bustier with a teal and yellow pencil skirt with yellow suspenders. She also has a Slave Princess Jasmine-esque hairstyle with yellow bands banding her black hair into ball segments. She's wearing red heels.
VH1

Silky Nutmeg Ganache (Chicago, IL) Instagram: @silkyganache


The life of the party, you always know when exuberant “Big Silk” is in the building. But scratch the surface of this gregarious queen and you’ll find a softer side to Silk– one who was raised in the church, has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and is even on her way to becoming a Doctor of Philosophy. Let’s hope her accolades translate into success in the competition.

Soju has dark brown hair that slicked down in front with extreme baby hair and loose and curly in a huge ponytail. She wears yellow square earrings, a teal and red bodysuit with yellow belt, and red fluffy arm warmers. She is wearing teal thigh-high tight-esque boots.
VH1

Soju (Los Angeles, CA) Instagram/Twitter: @shotwithsoju
Raised in Korea, Soju brings Korean influences into her drag, be it colorful crazy K-Pop aesthetics or Taekwondo martial arts weapons. Producer and star of the popular YouTube show “Shot With Soju,” where queens spill the beans about their time on “Drag Race,” Soju comes into the competition fully prepared for her own shot at the crown.

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo wears a hot pink sparkly bodysuit with a yellow and cerulean dress overlay. She also has on hot pink gloves and silver heels strepped up with pink ribbons. She is wearing honey blonde hair coiffed in a 1950s-esque style.
VH1

Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (Los Angeles, CA) Instagram/Twitter: @VanessaVanjie
Miss Vanjie. Miss Vaanjie. Miss… Vaaanjie! Never have more iconic words been uttered by a departing queen. Despite being the first queen eliminated from season 10, Vanessa’s mesmerizing backwards exit inspired memes, tweets and celebrity shout-outs and an overwhelming demand to see more of this charismatic queen. She’s back with a Vanjeance, but can the queen live up to the memes?

Yvie Oddly is wearing yellow fluffy arm wamers and an orange dress with square cutouts under the bust. She also has an orange chain choker necklace. She's wearing yellow tights, teal creepers, and black hair in a swirly updo.
VH1

Yvie Oddly (Denver, CO) Instagram/Twitter: @oddlyyvie
Denver’s “commodity of drag oddity,” shock queen Yvie bucked her boring local drag scene and brought conceptual artistry into the mix. Tall and weird (her words), Yvie draws inspiration from fashion muses like Thierry Mugler, and drag stars like Christeene. Known for bringing her brain to the table, anyone who encounters Yvie is guaranteed to end up with their jaw on the floor.

So, who am I rooting for? Well, obviously Vanessa Vanjie Mateo! But I’m also rooting for Soju, since I watch her show all the time. Out of the new queens…maybe Honey Davenport and Silky Ganache? I still need to watch more to see who I really like, but they all seem to meld together except for Miss Vanjie and Soju. That’s not really any fault of the queens, per se–it’s just that the meet the queens ruveal was…something.

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But overall, I’m excited for this season. It looks so candy coated and fun and colorful and BEAUTIFUL. I can’t wait to see what goes down!

Who are you rooting for? Write about it below!

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By Monique