Sasha Colby Wins ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 15

And the winner is… Sasha Colby! On Friday night, the legendary entertainer was crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and awarded $200,000 during the Season 15 grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, after a sultry, Medusa-inspired performance of her original song, “Goddess,” and a reveal-filled lip sync to Amii Stewart’s “Knock on Wood” against runner-up Anetra. Mistress Isabelle Brooks and Luxx Noir London were also in the top four, but did not advance to the final round. Originally from Hawaii but currently living in Los Angeles, Colby is the second transgender performer in a row to win a regular season of the U.S edition of the competition series. She was a strong contender throughout the season and has long been favored to be in the top since she impressed the judges week after week with her immaculate runway looks and dexterous abilities in acting and dancing challenges. At one point, RuPaul told Colby that even as the queen of drag, “I’m amazed by you.”

In an interview with USA TODAY, Colby recalls her emotional reaction to Ru’s words saying, “I felt like I was such a crybaby the whole season, so I was like, ‘Don’t keep crying. I was trying to hold it back and she was literally yelling at me, ‘You are amazing!’ I was trying to be stoic, but she broke me. I was just a puddle.” Already an icon in the drag community, claiming to be your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen, Colby earned countless new fans over the course of the season including Ariana Grande, Cara Delevingne, and Orville Peck. She also says it was important to check any ego at the door going into this competition.

“I know how much of a presence I hold, how much my reputation precedes me, and that I can seem very intimidating, but I think my best quality is being very disarming when you finally get to meet me,” she explains. “I knew that I would be able to talk to the girls on that level. And honestly, there were so many life moments that happened for me that humbled me, so this was really purely joy.”

With dangerous bans on gender-affirming care and drag shows happening around the country, Colby took her winning moment to speak out for LGBTQ people whose rights are under attack. “This goes to every trans person past, present and future, because we are not going anywhere,” she proclaimed during the series finale. Colby echoed a similar sentiment at a finale viewing party at New York’s Hard Rock Hotel, where she accepted the crown and scepter from last season’s winner Willow Pill.

“It is such a privilege to be on this show, and to now have a platform to help everyone that looks like us not feel so scared about what’s going on in the world,” Sasha said on stage. “And to know that they still need to be doing drag, honey.” So, are you ready for the Sasha Colby meet and greet? Congratulations to our newly crowned queen! Photo courtesy of Sasha Colby