‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Crowns Winner for Season 16
[The following story includes spoilers for the season 16 finale of RuPaul‘s Drag Race.]
RuPaul’s Drag Race has crowned a new champion.
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Nymphia Wind happily accepted the crown for America’s Next Drag Superstar during the season 16 finale on Friday night, becoming the first Taiwanese American drag queen to be named the show’s winner.
Her final lip sync to Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam” pushed her to the top, beating out fellow finalists Plane Jane and Sapphira Cristál.
“Oh my God, I just won the crown,” Wind, known throughout the season for her love of the color yellow, bananas and fierce designs, said in a video posted on Instagram. “This crown is not just for me, but it’s for the whole of Asia. Let’s go! Asians aren’t in, and we’re gonna have a very beautiful reign with me as a queen.”
Earlier this week, on Whatcha Packin’, Wind sat down with the show’s longtime judge Michelle Visage to unpack the latest season. During their conversation, Wind admitted that she felt a responsibility to succeed in the competition series for the Asian American community.
“All I said to myself was, I’m here to break the Asian curse,” Wind said at the time. “I am not going to be out early on.”
She added, “So I just wanted to come here and show a rich, rich Asian culture in my drag.”
As the winner, Wind not only took home the scepter and crown, but she also scored a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills Cosmetics and a $200,000 prize (served by CashApp).
Wind follows Sasha Colby, who won last season’s competition.
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