Racers, start your engines. RuPaul’s Drag Race has revealed the 14 new queens set to grace the runway for its 18th season as they vie for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar and a grand prize of $200,000.
Premiering January 2 on MTV, the season will be accompanied by another run of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, where viewers get the chance to get an inside look at all the tea being spilt behind the scenes of the hit show.
The new season will also feature a bit of a twist from the outset. Unlike the recent spate of season-premiere episodes that feature a talent show — remember Season 15, when the judges were somehow unimpressed with Irene the Alien’s keen ability to make a glass of ice water? — the competition appears to be starting with a sewing challenge.
“Reclaim! Renew! Rejoice!” will have contestants pay tribute to the drag legends that came before them through repurposing leftover garments from the Drag Race vaults to create their own signature lewk.
Oh, the Ru-manity….
Drag Race has already released an hour-long video where you can meet the queens before the show’s premiere.
Ahead of the premiere, MTV is sharing bios of these 14 fierce contestants:
Athena Dion (Miami)
Athena Dion is named after the Greek goddess and brings legendary energy wherever she goes. A talented hostess and prolific drag mother, she has built a dynasty spanning Miami and Mykonos, Greece, counting Morphine Love Dion and Plane Jane among her drag daughters. This season, Athena makes Drag Race herstory alongside Juicy Love Dion, marking the first-ever mother/daughter duo to compete together.
Briar Blush is Boston’s pin-up princess, and a walking contradiction: retro yet edgy, goth yet glamorous, sweet but with a sting. With her signature jet black hair and killer beat, she commands attention wherever she goes. Named after the thorns on a rose, Briar’s sharp wit and prickly personality prove she’s not here to be liked – she’s here to be remembered.
Indy’s shapeshifting superstar, Ciara Myst blends sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and magic into her drag. A prosthetic makeup artist with credits ranging from Dynasty to Marvel Studios productions, Ciara Myst crafts her own costumes and promises to bring creature transformations to life on the main stage. A little ooky spooky, a little ethereal, Ciara Myst is ready to haunt, mesmerize, and transform the competition one look at a time.
A country, camp-queen, Darlene Mitchell blends soap-opera glamour with Midwestern trailer-trash panache. Known for her signature Peg Bundy-style hair, she originally hails from Greentown, Ind., and once performed under the name Trash. After 10 years in drag — but a five-year hiatus from the performance circuit — Darlene comes to the competition to see if RuPaul and the main stage can coax her back out of her bedroom once more.
Fiery and feisty, DD Fuego is a full-on production, serving runway-ready looks with a wink and a nod. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, she brings the heat without the cha-cha-cha Latina clichés. A former production designer for TV and off-Broadway theater, she created behind the scenes before stepping into the spotlight. High heat and maximum impact – DD Fuego leaves nothing on the stage but smoke.
Discord Addams is a high-fashion punk rock maximalist ready to bring the chaos, serving looks packed with safety pins, studs, and unapologetic attitude. Known for playing guitar in a punk rock band, Discord brings a dark, raw energy to the stage. Her ultimate goal: to trade the mosh pit for the runway and become a bona fide drag rock star.
Inspired by old-school funny ladies like Bette Midler and Joan Rivers, Jane is a comedy queen serving up sharp jokes and even sharper shoulder pads. Counting as her drag sisters both Bosco (Drag Race Season 14 and All Stars 10) and Irene The Alien (Drag Race Season 15 and All Stars 10), Jane Don’t walks into the competition ready to make her own mark – and make the other queens sweat.
Small in size, colossal in talent, Juicy Love Dion turns every performance into a masterclass in dance. Self-described as “Miami’s Afro-Cuban dancing doll,” Juicy brings energy, precision, and flair to every stage she steps on. A proud member of the Dion Dynasty, she’s the drag daughter of Morphine Love Dion, and technically the drag granddaughter of fellow competitor Athena Dion – proving that in the Dion Dynasty, the juice flows through every generation.
This Southern showstopper is already serving you the answer to the question in her name: Can you please her? Only if you can handle all this auntie energy and attitude! A celebrated Lizzo impersonator, Kenya mixes heart, humor, and high energy performances that get the crowd on their feet. Kenya is here to show the world that Southern charm, curves, and confidence are a winning combination.
“A mango a day keeps the doctor away!” Mandy Mango is Philly’s favorite fruit, serving kooky, conceptual looks with playful flair. By day, she’s a nurse specializing in HIV and sexual health, caring for the LGBT community – by night, she’s giving the stage a healthy dose of fruity energy. With a cheeky bedside manner, Mandy Mango prescribes high doses of charisma, charm, and contagious energy with every performance.
Mia Starr is a ’90s/early 2000s hip-hop dancing diva bringing urban style, sharp choreography, and powerhouse personality to the main stage. A talented backup dancer with world tour credits for Rihanna and Britney and a Super Bowl performance with J Lo, she started drag 17 years ago, took a 14-year break to chase her dance career, and now she’s back – ready to shine front and center.
“Gorgeously stupid, and stupidly gorgeous,” Myki Meeks is Orlando’s dynamic theatrical powerhouse. A self-described “recovering theater kid,” Myki blends glamour with camp, lights up the room as a host, and is known back home for her quick wit and ease with a microphone. A talented actress and consummate performer, Myki brings a stage presence that will keep the competition on its toes.
A high-energy, high-fashion diva from the Mile High City, Nini Coco is equal parts theatrical and fierce. A skilled costume designer, she blends conceptual looks with showstopping performances. Having quit her day job as a mechanical engineer, she’s here to prove that trading blueprints for sequins is a risk worth taking – because in her world, it’s all or nothing.
Calling herself “Queen V,” Vita VonTesse Starr is a pageant powerhouse and an icon of opulence. Hailing from the famed Starr drag family, she’s a multi-titleholder who brings elegance, precision, and a flair for the dramatic to every performance. Vita handcrafts showstopping looks that match her stage presence, making her a formidable competitor in any sewing challenges.
Two 20-year-old men have been accused of plotting a deadly terrorist attack in suburban Detroit, allegedly targeting several LGBTQ bars after purchasing high-powered weapons, stockpiling ammunition, and practicing at local gun ranges.
According to an FBI affidavit, Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, both 20 and from Dearborn, allegedly conspired with at least five unnamed individuals and a minor -- identified as "Person 1" -- to carry out an ISIS-inspired shooting attack on Halloween night. Prosecutors say Ali and Person 1 were to execute the assault while the others planned to travel to Syria to join Islamic State forces.
Organizers of the "MAGA Invasion" meetup at Disneyland in Anaheim, California appear to have picked a date that coincides with "Mini Gay Days," an LGBTQ fan event, setting the stage for potential confrontations.
On November 19, a Southern California conservative group called 805 Patriots -- which also operates a Facebook page under the name "SoCal Patriots" -- announced a meetup of "like-minded patriots" at Disneyland as part of an unsanctioned event planned for February 28, 2026.
One organizer said the purpose of the "Patriots in the Park" event is to "go have some fun by triggering as many liberals as possible" at Disneyland.
An interracial gay couple who run an award-winning farm in King George County, Virginia, say they were the targets of a hate-filled act after someone deliberately dumped medical waste on their property following last week’s state elections.
Kevin Graham, 44, and Dragan Kurbalija, 47, own Gardening Gays Farm, a 27-acre property along U.S. Route 301 where they sell flowers, eggs, seasonal produce, and pasture-raised meats, including lamb and chicken.
They also sell jams, sauces, teas, herbal remedies, local honey, handcrafted candles, and other artisan goods at their on-site store, and share their experiences as farmers on YouTube. The business was recently voted King George County’s “Overall Best Business,” “Best Family-Owned Business,” and “Best Agricultural Business” in a county-sponsored “Best of the Best” contest.
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