RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6 Episode 12 Review: This is Our Country
Justin Carreiro
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We have our winner!
A queen was inducted into the Drag Race Hall of Fame on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6 Episode 12. It was a hard-fought battle between several strong queens, and a game that saw the Final 4 each get the redemption they were looking for.
Any of the Final 4 would've been deserving of the win. The final choice was a great win for both the competition and the series as a whole.
Kylie Sonique Love had a great redemption storyline heading into "This is Our Country."
She came from an early exit during RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2 (11 years ago!) to become one of the frontrunners in this competition. Not many of the older Drag Race season queens adapt to the new style of the game and the work that goes into winning the crown. So, for her to thrive, it proved how strong of a competitor she was.
Her runways were consistently at the top of the group, and she performed like a superstar when given the chance to lip-sync. While she only won one Maxi Challenge, she had been at the top a couple of times like during Snatch Game and the Ball.
Just like the queens pointed out, the track records were so close between everyone that any of the four queens could've snatched it.
During "This is Our Country," Kylie did a good job with both her runway and Maxi Challenge performance. Though, her talk with RuPaul and Michelle Visage was where it pushed her momentum ahead.
Her American flag-inspired runway channeled her sexy aesthetic. She looked glamorous with all the diamonds on the bodice; she came across as a 50s-inspired pin-up. I just wish she had a long red train to go with it that she could pull off for added flair.
The Maxi Challenge showcased all her showstopping energy and moves, but why was her lip-syncing portion so short?
This means everything to me. I found myself through Drag. Drag has been my life, it’s been my saving grace. It’s given me a place to express myself. And winning this title, it’s just reassurance that I followed the right path.
Kylie Sonique Love
Kylie barely got any bars to write lyrics and perform compared to the other queens. The moment felt like when Trinity the Tuck got a smaller portion during the Super Queen finale on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 4; it was enough for the number, but it felt unbalanced compared to the weight of the song.
At least she got time with the judges to speak her truth and make her case. Drag Race and RuPaul are so closely tied to her trans journey; she perfectly explained her transformation and growth, and how it impacted her life.
Ra'Jah O'Hara was the queen I thought would win RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6 heading into the finale.
Ra'Jah had two Maxi Challenge wins, she had the most confessionals, and she blew the judges away each week on the runway. Plus, the edit looked highly favored in her direction since it set her up for a great redemption storyline.
The fan vote also teetered in her direction in a very close race with Kylie. (At certain times, both queens flipped spots or one moved ahead to only then be caught by the other.)
This could be a case of the track records, performance, and fan reaction being stuck in a tight race. Ra'Jah and Kylie each had amazing redemption storylines, so both would be great winners.
Ra'Jah continued her great track record with another stellar week in the finals. If this were another round in the competition, Ra'Jah would've been the top All Star.
Her lyrics were on point and she danced the house down during her segment. Ra'Jah was one of the clear standouts during the lip-sync performance; she got a lot of bars, so maybe she balanced with Kylie?
RuPaul: I know you’ve adopted purple as your signature color.
Ra’Jah O’Hara: Yes, I have. My favorite color is actually magenta, which is a shade of purple.
RuPaul: See, that’s a very La Toya answer, by the way.
[They all laugh]
The finale runway came across as a purple version of her finale runway on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11. It might be the mixture of the wig and the cut of the gown, but it brought back familiar memories.
It's a look that worked for her because she looked beautiful then and she looked beautiful now.
Ginger Minj could've won this competition had it ended much earlier.
Her momentum had stayed high since RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6 Episode 1, but it didn't translate into a push for her to win. Ginger is a seasoned professional and one of the most successful/loved queens to leave Drag Race. She's already a winner, and we've come to expect that she's great at it all.
Ginger Minj: Stop talking to me. I have to write lyrics.
Ra’Jah O’Hara: Yeah, you wrote your two sentences yet?
Ginger Minj: Yeah, I wrote seven pages … but I haven’t narrowed it down!
[Ra’Jah laughs]
"This is Our Country" was another strong week that rounded out her great Drag Race resume. She killed it with her catchy lyrics, she matched every step, and her pitch to RuPaul/Michelle Visage balanced both heart and comedy.
Ginger did exactly what she needed to do to land at the top. She's polished, and just like her confessionals, it all seemed structured and finetuned.
Eureka! had the smallest odds of winning compared to the other queens in the Final 4. She took the longest to win a Maxi Challenge, but even then, she just came back from being recently eliminated.
As we chatted about in the review for RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 6 Episode 10, the smackdown should've happened weeks earlier to give the returning queen more of a chance to shake off their elimination.
One great returning week still had to balance the other rounds in the competition. And the narrative didn't seem like it was setting up a Eureka win; the story focused on her redemption and finding the strength in herself.
The showgirl-inspired runway look and her lyrics in the Maxi Challenge both suited that tone. She could've won this week and put up a strong fight against Ra'Jah if this were just another round in the game.
The final lip-sync of "Stupid Love" by Lady Gaga sealed the results of the winner.
Could you imagine if Kylie hadn't done the roll after tripping on her coat? The results could've turned out badly, like when Ariel Versace fell on her dress on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11.
Ohhhhh Myyyy Goooood!
Ra’Jah O’Hara
There was no outcome where she could've won had she not used that opportunity to roll in a gown. Kylie rolling and looking flawless rightfully snatched her the lip-sync victory.
Ginger came a close second in the lip-sync with her comedic playfulness to the crown. Those little moments would've saved her in any other Lip-Sync For Your Legacy. Hopefully, "Stupid Love" is used again in the future; it's a really good lip-sync song.
Last Thoughts From The Werk Room:
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Jamal Sims is a joy to have around. The choreography sessions are always fun, and the queens can't even hide their crushes.
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If you're not big into country music, you'll learn a fair bit about the genre and Tanya Tucker.
- Shea Couleé slayed with her queen robotic look!
Now, over to you, Drag Race fans.
What did you think of "This is Our Country"?
Are you happy that Kylie won? Who did you want to win the competition? Who had the best finale look?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Justin Carreiro was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
