Canada, start your engines! Season 12 of the award-winning RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE is coming to Crave (in English and French), and OUTtv beginning Friday, February 28, with thirteen fabulous queens vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $100,000. 

It’s not only the runway queens who will attracting viewers, as hip-hop queen Nicki Minaj kicks off Season 12 as a guest judge! She’ll be joined by RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, and Ross Mathews on the panel for the 90-minute premiere. Additional guest judges throughout the season include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Thandie Newton, Leslie Jones, Jeff Goldblum, Chaka Khan, Normani, Robyn, Winnie Harlow, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The thirteen queens vying for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” on Season 12 of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE are: 

Aiden Zhane (Acworth, GA) | Instagram: @aiden_zhane, Twitter: @AidenZhane
Hailing from rural Georgia, it’s apparent Aiden Zhane is attracted to the darker side of life. Horror films, Marilyn Manson, and weirdness all inform her outlandish – and original – spooky persona.

Brita (New York, NY) | Instagram: @thebritafilter, Twitter: @thebritafilter
Everyone who knows drag in New York City knows Brita. That’s because this hard-working Polynesian queen captivates audiences with her famous lip-syncs…no less than seven nights a week.

Crystal Methyd (Springfield, MO) |Instagram:@crystalmethyd, Twitter: @crystalmethyd
The only thing Crystal Methyd is addicted to is attention. And with her quirky fashions, incomparable makeup skills and screwball sense of humor, she’ll certainly be catching the judges’ eyes.

Dahlia Sin (Los Angeles, CA) | Instagram: @dahlia_sin, Twitter: @dahlia_sin
Originally hailing from Brooklyn, Dahlia Sin emerged from the Haus of Aja (of Season 9 and All Stars fame). Now this look queen lives in LA, where she wows the west coast with her urban brand of sexiness.

Gigi Goode (Los Angeles, CA) |Instagram: @thegigigoode, Twitter: @thegigigoode
This leggy fashion queen is only 21, but enters the competition with a sizeable social media following. Gorgeous fashion illustrations come to life and make her Instagram fans stan.

Heidi N Closet (Ramseur, NC) | Instagram: @heidincloset, Twitter: @heidincloset
Heidi comes from Ramseur, a small country town in North Carolina. She playfully says there’s little to do there except count chickens and cows. But her infectious persona is sure to make her a global name very soon.

Jackie Cox (New York, NY) | Instagram: @jackiecoxnyc, Twitter: @jackiecoxnyc
The Persian princess of drag has arrived. Born in Canada and with Iranian heritage, Jackie Cox now considers the New York cabaret stage her home.  She loves to write her own shows and bring them to life.

Jaida Essence Hall (Milwaukee, WI) | Instagram: @jaidaehall, Twitter: @jaidaehall
Jaida Essence Hall always strives to be the essence of glamour.  She originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and now gets to both live that fantasy and model her own gorgeous creations.

Jan (New York, NY) | Instagram: @janjanjan, Twitter: @jansportnyc
Jan is a musical theater queen and skilled singer, who can belt in the original key of a female popstar’s song. Ambitious and driven, she’s looking to slay the Drag Race performance challenges.

Nicky Doll (New York, NY) | Instagram: @thenickydoll
The first French contestant to compete in RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nicky Doll relocated from Paris to New York City, where she enchants audiences with her European catwalk, high fashions and seductive charm.

Rock M. Sakura (San Francisco, CA) |Instagram:@rockmsakura,
Twitter: 
@rockmsakura
Rock M. Sakura’s aesthetic is an amalgamation of anime, manga, and anything pink. With her high-energy death-dropping performance style and dirty sense of humor, this is a queen who defies categorization.

Sherry Pie (New York, NY) | Instagram: @sherrypienyc, Twitter: @sherrypienyc
A campy, polished queen who knows her references, Sherry Pie will leave an audience in stitches. And with Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett as her icons, she’s certainly learned from the best.

Widow Von’Du (Kansas City, MO) |Instagram: @thewidowvondu,
Twitter: 
@WidowVonDu
The Widow is up in the building. A Missouri girl who lives life out loud, this queen can perform the house down… and dance circles around her competition.

Season 12 of RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE rolls out in Canada as follows:

  • On Crave, episodes premiere Fridays at 8:35 p.m. ET on TV and 9:30 p.m. ET on the Crave app and Crave.ca, beginning February 28
  • On OutTV, episodes premiere Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on TV and 9:30 p.m. ET on OUTtvGo, beginning February 28

In Canada, Crave and OUTtvGo are the streaming home of the full RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE full library (Season 1-11), RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE ALL STARS (Season 1-4), and RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE UK (Season 1).

As previously announced, the new Crave Original Series CANADA’S DRAG RACE is coming soon to Crave and OUTtv. The series is helmed by a dynamic panel of judges including Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, and Stacey McKenzie, along with Traci Melchor who joins as Canada’s very first Squirrel Friend.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.