For months now, fans of RuPaul's Drag Race have been searching every corner of the Internet for clues about what's coming next. Lucky for them, the wait is officially over!
On Thursday (Jan. 23), VH1 announced the long-awaited return of RuPaul's Drag Race for season 12. Premiering on Feb. 28 at 8:00 p.m. ET, the Emmy-winning reality show is bringing together a brand new cast of 13 drag stars to fight it out for $100,000 and the coveted title of "America's Next Drag Superstar."
“With each new generation of queens, the RuPaul’s Drag Race revolution continues to drive culture,” RuPaul said in a statement released with the news. “And as more and more new viewers discover the show, the phenomenon continues to open hearts and minds with love, laughter and a whole lotta sass."
To celebrate the show's return, VH1 shared their first look at the 13 new queens joining the cast of Drag Race with a red-white-and-blue themed promo video. "My fellow Americans, RuPaul's Drag Race season 12 is here," Ru says in the new clip, clad in a stunning blue mini-dress. "Mama Ru needs you to pledge allegiance to the drag." As the clip continues, each of the 13 new queens introduce themselves, in their best patriotic looks, all while delivering their new pledge of allegiance.
Get to know a little bit more about each of the 13 queens below:
Meet the Queens of Season 12
Aiden Zhane | Acworth, GA
"Hailing from rural Georgia, it’s apparent Aiden Zhane is attracted to the darker side of life. Horror films, Marilyn Manson, and weirdness all inform her outlandish – and original – spooky persona."
Brita | New York, NY
"Everyone who knows drag in New York City knows Brita. That’s because this hard-working Polynesian queen captivates audiences with her famous lip-syncs…no less than seven nights a week."
Crystal Methyd | Springfield, MO
"The only thing Crystal Methyd is addicted to is attention. And with her quirky fashions, incomparable makeup skills and screwball sense of humor, she’ll certainly be catching the judges’ eyes."
Dahlia Sin | Los Angeles, CA
"Originally hailing from Brooklyn, Dahlia Sin emerged from the Haus of Aja (of Season 9 and All Stars fame). Now this look queen lives in LA, where she wows the west coast with her urban brand of sexiness."
Gigi Goode | Los Angeles, CA
"This leggy fashion queen is only 21, but enters the competition with a sizeable social media following. Gorgeous fashion illustrations come to life and make her Instagram fans stan."
Heidi N Closet | Ramseur, NC
"Heidi comes from Ramseur, a small country town in North Carolina. She playfully says there’s little to do there except count chickens and cows. But her infectious persona is sure to make her a global name very soon."
Jackie Cox | New York, NY
"The Persian princess of drag has arrived. Born in Canada and with Iranian heritage, Jackie Cox now considers the New York cabaret stage her home. She loves to write her own shows and bring them to life."
Jaida Essence Hall | Milwaukee, WI
"Jaida Essence Hall always strives to be the essence of glamour. She originally wanted to be a fashion designer, and now gets to both live that fantasy and model her own gorgeous creations."
Jan | New York, NY
"Jan is a musical theater queen and skilled singer, who can belt in the original key of a female popstar’s song. Ambitious and driven, she’s looking to slay the Drag Race performance challenges."
Nicky Doll | New York, NY
"The first French contestant to compete in RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nicky Doll relocated from Paris to New York City, where she enchants audiences with her European catwalk, high fashions and seductive charm."
Rock M. Sakura | San Francisco, CA
"Rock M. Sakura’s aesthetic is an amalgamation of anime, manga, and anything pink. With her high-energy death-dropping performance style and dirty sense of humor, this is a queen who defies categorization."
Sherry Pie | New York, NY
"A campy, polished queen who knows her references, Sherry Pie will leave an audience in stitches. And with Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett as her icons, she’s certainly learned from the best."
Widow Von’Du | Kansas City, MO
"The Widow is up in the building. A Missouri girl who lives life out loud, this queen can perform the house down… and dance circles around her competition."