| "American" | |
|---|---|
| RuPaul's Drag Race episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 10 Episode 12 |
"American" is the twelfth episode of the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race . [1] [2] [3] [4] Todrick Hall is a guest judge and choreographer. He coaches the remaining four contestants for the main challenge, who are tasked with writing, recording, and performing original versus to RuPaul's song "American" (from her 2017 studio album of the same name).
For the episode's main challenge, the contestants are tasked with writing, recording, and performing original verses to RuPaul's song "American". The challenge involves choreography by Todrick Hall, [5] who also serves as guest judge. [6] On the runway, the category is "Final Four Eleganza Extravaganza". The remaining four contestants (Aquaria, Asia O'Hara, Eureka, and Kameron Michaels) lip-sync to "Call Me Mother" by RuPaul. All are declared finalists.
Oliver Sava of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'B+' and said it "[spotlights] why each of these queens has made it this far". [7]
The version of "American" featuring the four contestants debuted at number 12 on Billboard ‘s Dance/Electronic Song Sales charts. According to Nielsen Music, the track sold 2,000 downloads in the week ending June 21, 2018. [8]
Mariah Paris Balenciaga, also simply known as Mariah or Mariah Balenciaga, is the stage name of Elijah A. Kelly, an American drag queen, ball performer, and television personality, best known for competing on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2011) and the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2020). Since appearing on the show, she has been featured in a number of web series produced by World of Wonder, such as Wait, What?, Transformations, and Fashion Photo RuView. Balenciaga released her first single, "Mug 4 Dayz", on November 19, 2013.
The ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race began airing on March 24, 2017, on VH1. The returning judges included RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Ross Mathews and Carson Kressley. Fourteen drag queens competed for the title of "America's Next Drag Superstar". The prizes for the winner are a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics, a cash prize of $100,000, and a crown and scepter provided by Shandar. The full list of contestants was revealed on February 2, 2017. This season saw the return of season eight contestant Cynthia Lee Fontaine, who finished the competition in 10th place.
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The tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race began airing on March 22, 2018, on VH1. The premiere was broadcast one week after the finale of the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, and episodes are to be followed by RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked. Contestants were officially announced on February 22, 2018, in a teaser trailer during an episode of All Stars 3 later followed by a special "Meet the Queens" live-stream on Facebook, hosted by season nine winner, Sasha Velour. This season saw the return of season 9 contestant Eureka O'Hara who was removed from her original season after tearing her ACL. The prizes for the winner of this season include a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics and a cash prize of $100,000. This is the first season in which each episode was 90 minutes long.
Eureka, also known as Eureka O'Hara and Eureka!, is the stage name of Eureka D. Huggard, an American drag queen and reality television personality. Eureka rose to prominence competing on the ninth and tenth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race. She was removed from the ninth season due to a knee injury, becoming the first contestant in the history of the show to be sent home due to injury; she was then given an automatic berth to season 10, where she placed as runner-up. In 2021, Eureka competed on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she once more placed as a runner-up. In 2024, she competed on the second season of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World.
Dane Young, known professionally as Kameron Michaels, is an American drag performer who came to international attention after competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Originally from Columbia, Tennessee, she began her career in Nashville, where she performed locally from 2004 or 2005 until her appearance on television. Since her season aired in 2018, Michaels has been a staple of several domestic and international tours that feature Drag Race contestants, including Werq the World, Christmas Queens and Drive 'N Drag. She has also appeared on a number of web series produced by World of Wonder. In June 2019, she released "Freedom", her debut single and music video. Since January 2020, she has been a staple cast member of RuPaul's Drag Race Live!, a residency show in Las Vegas, and also stars in the accompanying VH1 miniseries RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue.
The Vixen is the stage name of Anthony Prince Taylor, an American drag performer, best known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and placing seventh. Her appearance on the show was notable for raising a conversation around racial dynamics both among her fellow drag queens and in the show's fandom. She is the founder of Black Girl Magic, a drag show consisting of only African-American queens. In August 2020, she released Commercial Break, her debut album.
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RuPaul's Drag Race Live! is a concert residency in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring past competitors from the TV series of the same name its franchise. The residency show features a variety of original music, lip-syncs, comedy, and dance numbers directed by RuPaul and choreographed by Jamal Sims. The performances are held every weeknight at Flamingo Showroom and produced by World of Wonder and Voss Events.
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