Squirrel Friends! RuPaul’s Drag Race returns for a sickening 17th season, promising more intensity and elevation than ever before!
Premiering January 3, 2025, on MTV, this season kicks off the new year with a bang, featuring 14 incredible queens from across the country. With contestants hailing from Kentucky, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Fort Lauderdale, Tennessee, and beyond, the diversity and charisma of this cast are unmatched.
The Knockturnal had the opportunity to interview 13 of these fierce competitors: Acacia Forgot, Arrietty, Crystal Envy, Hormona Lisa, Jewels Sparkles, Joella, Kori King, Lana Ja’Rae, Lexi Love, Lydia B Kollins, Onya Nurve, Sam Star, and Suzie Toot. Rounding out this dynamic lineup is Lucky Starzzz, who could not join for interviews but completes the cast for this season!
In the exclusive interview, the queens shared their experiences, answering questions such as:
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How would you describe your drag style in just a few words?
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If you could return to when you first started drag, would you have believed you’d make it to Drag Race? Was this always the dream?
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How have the reactions been since you finally got to RU-veal the news?
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Were you nervous about living up to the standard, or were you ready to dive headfirst?
To answer our first question, the queens introduced themselves as follows:
Jewels Sparkles
“If I had to describe it as a person, as an aura, as an individual, as a creature, and as a queen I am – THE ONE.”
Hormona Lisa
“I would say my drag is kind of like Maralyn Monroe meets Disney princess dipped in a pastel but as a toddler, if that makes any sense.”
Crystal Envy
“I am feeling fresh, fabulous, and funky – and I think those are some words to describe my drag. It is a fresh take on some ‘old school pageantry’ drag. I make it a little funky because sometimes I am going to do things that are a little unexpected. And it is always and forever going to be fabulous.”
Lexi Love
“My name is Lexi Love and I am the roller derby doll from Louisville, Kentucky!”
Lydia B Kollins
“I am the dancing diva of Pittsburg.”
Suzie Toot
“I am the tap dancing, 1920’s little weirdo, creepy, film freak.”
Onya Nurve
“My drag style kind of varies in different realms but essentially my drag is birthed from my love for art, theatre, my culture, and all of that with glamour sprinkled all on top!”
Kori King
“Cartoon, 90’s – with Barbie and a Splash or RuPaul. Sickening, cartoonish figure, big blonde hair, but also very vulgar and very ‘funny’ – very that!”
Joella
“My drag is very regal Asian lady. A very beautiful gorgeous woman. I have a lot of classic old drag inspirations into new wave drag inspirations, it’s just – me!”
Sam Star
“I’m Southern-inspired. I like anything over the top and theatrical. I was the little gay kid in my town who had a little too much style, I made it out and made it to drag race, thank god!”
Arrietty
“Arrietty is a mixture of an Alvin devotee that was into the matrix – it’s glam but in a weird way.”
Lana Ja’Rae
“I can describe my drag as very fem, very sexy, very naked, very 90’s supermodel. Think of a fashion illustration brought to life if they were sexy!”
Acacia Forgot
“My drag is very 80s, new wave, rock, meets Dolly Parton country.”
Lucky Starzzz
“Your animated fantasy brought to life. Lucky Starzzz is colorful, she’s a maximalist” – (Episode 1)
You can dive deeper into what the queens had to share with The Knockturnal in our exclusive interviews below!
This season promises fun, fierce fashion, and flawless performances. Episode 1 kicks things off with a bang, featuring appearances by legendary queens like Kerri Colby, Trinity the Tuck, Angeria Paris VanMicheals, and other iconic alum.
Together, they introduce the “Squirrel Games” — a playful spin on the Korean series Squid Game‘s famous “Red Light, Green Light.”
Catch Episode 1 of Season 17 now on MTV, where you’ll get to meet all the queens, from their Werk Room entrances to their runway looks themed “Masked for Masked Singer” with special guest judge, Katy Perry.
