Jackie Cox to Nikki Paul: ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ newbies, pt. 3
It’s time once again to meet the queens who will compete this season on RuPaul’s Drag Race and find out who the CUNT-iest of them all is. We’ve met six of the 13 contenders for the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar so far, with a variety of different backgrounds.
From a queen whose fans include Adele, to a queen who’s been in the game since they were 15, Mama Ru has cherry-picked an interesting bunch.
With only a week away until the return of Drag Race, it’s time to be introduced to the second half of the queens we’ll be rooting for (or maybe hating) this season. Let’s get to know Jackie Cox, Jaida Essence Hall, Jan, and Nikki Paul.
Jackie Cox (NYC, NY)
The third Canadian queen, Jackie feels like the kooky aunt from a sitcom, but it works. Jackie and her college friend came up with her drag name by imagining the kind of theater geek who thinks because they have talent they’re a god. This is the energy that we want out of our queens on Drag Race.
As one of the oldest queens this season, Jackie has to make it clear that she’s still got it against the young ones. She’s an all-around queen who likes to use all her talents to tell a story with her performance. From the look, to the movement, to her song choices, Jackie wants to make her message loud and clear when she performs.
In her intro video, Jackie makes it clear from the get-go where she struggles: sewing and avant-garde make-up. But she’s looking to use Drag Race as a chance to grow, not just get $100,000. Though she makes it clear she’ll put that to good use too. Jackie is going to be the queen that’s everyone’s best friend and if she leaves, we’re going to hate seeing her go home.
Jaida Essence Hall (Milwaukee, WI)
A true drag daughter honors where she came from, and Jaida is for sure that. While Jaida comes from a name her friend called her, and Essence from a boyfriend calling her “the essence of beauty”, Hall is a direct callback to her drag mom Tajma Hall.
But even though Jaida is Tajma’s third drag daughter on the show, she isn’t letting her legacy make her make for her. Jaida has her fair share of pageant wins, so she’s no stranger to competition, and she’s coming to win. Jaida is “living her fantasy” and is ready to add America’s Next Drag Superstar to that fantasy.
Jaida’s take on drag is hyper-femininity, which sounds basic until you realize what goes into having the perfect look 24/7. She nails that sometimes your best effort won’t yield perfect results. But Jaida brings her feminine touch to everything she does as a queen, and that’s something new from a Wisconsin queen.
Jan (NYC, NY)
While not as much of a basic bitch as Jan from The Brady Bunch, Jan Sport takes her namesake from her, as well as the backpack brand. But this tomgirl queen is competitive with a capital C, and is ready to bring it in this season of Drag Race. No stranger to reality TV, as she was in a drag singing trio on America’s Got Talent, Jan is ready to work the camera.
“The girl next door, but so much more”, Jan made her name as a live singer, but she tries to make it work as a look queen and do a fun performance. Heck, she started drag by doing Kris Jenner. While music and singing are her strong suits, Jan makes it clear that she’s got a finger in a little bit of everything.
While Jan has her moments when she sounds a bit cocky about her vocals, she’s got heart. As someone who completely did a 180 in her life from being a soccer star at an all boy’s catholic high school to becoming a drag queen, she’s made it clear she can take on anything. We’re excited to see her take on Drag Race!
Nicky Doll (NYC, NY)
A French queen? Ooh, la la! This well-traveled queen also spent several years in Morocco, so she truly is a look queen. Spending so much of her time in the fashion capitals of Europe, Nicky pulled her name from Nicole, and the idea that she can be several different people in the same week as a Barbie doll.
Fashion may be her strong suit, but Nicky wants to make her performance a visual experience beyond her looks. She’s a bit of a weeaboo and likes anime, so she tries to bring that fantasy style into her performance along with her Fashion Week runway looks.
Nicky’s time in Morocco really inspired her to be a drag queen. That’s where she discovered she was gay and wanted to get in touch and explore that side of her after being shunned back to France. In easily one of the most iconic quotes in drag history: “I think I really became a man once I started to act like a woman.” We already know she’s going to be serving scalding tea the minute she walks down the catwalk.
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Rupaul’s Drag Race returns to VH1 for season 12 on Friday, February 28th at 8pm.
