With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new queens every week based on their performance. Below, we take a look at the season’s first ball challenge to see how the queens served their looks on the main stage. Spoilers ahead for episode 6.
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Thus far on season 17, we’ve already hit a lot of the big challenge types — the queens have tried their hands at acting, singing and sewing. So, why not spice things up early on by throwing the queens into another sewing challenge?
That’s exactly what the producers did in episode 6, as the 12 remaining queens were tasked with handling their first ball of the season. Taking on a series of ocean-inspired categories, the girls were asked to construct the last of their three looks this week using only unconventional materials provided in the work room — specifically, using pieces of marine waste (or “ocean garbage” as some of the queens aptly called it).
After nearly going home last, Arrietty came into episode 6 with a lot to prove — and prove herself she did, taking home her long-awaited first challenge win thanks to her stunning runway presentation. Meanwhile, Hormona Lisa and Lana Ja’Rae sunk in the judges’ estimations, landing the two in the bottom. In a lip sync showdown to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Get Him Back,” Lana managed to climb into a lifeboat and earn another week in the competition, leaving Hormona to sleep with the fishes.
Below, Billboard takes a look back at episode 6 and ranks where our remaining contestants lie based on this episode and the season as a whole:
