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Grand Finale (RuPaul's Drag Race season 12)

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"Grand Finale"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.Season 12
Episode 14
Presented byRuPaul
Featured music
Original air dateMay 29, 2020 (2020-05-29)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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List of episodes

"Grand Finale" is the fourteenth and final episode of the twelfth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race.[1][2][3][4] It was filmed virtually becaused of the COVID-19 pandemic and originally aired on May 29, 2020. The episode tasks the final three contestants with performing lip-syncs to songs of their choice. There are also guest appearances by former contestants Nina West and Yvie Oddly, as well as American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. After a final lip-sync between Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode, and Jaida Essence Hall, the latter is crowned the season's winner.

Episode

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For the first time a virtual finale is held from remote locations across the country due to the impact of the COVI-19 pandemic.[5][6] For the first lip-sync contest, the contestants all perform to "Bring Back My Girls" by RuPaul, with only their faces showing. The final three contestants then lip-sync alone to a song of their choice. Crystal Methyd lip-syncs to "I'm Like a Bird" (2000) by Nelly Furtado, Gigi Goode lip-syncs to "Take On Me" (1984) by A-ha, and Jaida Essence Hall lip-syncs to "Get Up" (2006) by Ciara featuring Chamillionaire.[7][8] It is announced that Heidi N Closet is this season's Miss Congeniality. For the final lip-sync contest, Crystal Methyd, Gigi Goode, and Jaida Essence Hall perform to "Survivor" (2001) by Destiny's Child.[9] It is announced that Jaida Essence Hall is the winner, making Crystal Methyd and Gigi Goode the runners-up.[10][11][12]

Production and broadcast

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Jaida Essence Hall (pictured) is crowned the season's winner.

The episode originally aired on May 29, 2020. Former contestants Nina West and Yvie Oddly, as well as Dolly Parton make guest appearances.[13][14]

Crystal Methyd portrays both a mother bird and a baby bird during "I'm Like a Bird".[15][16] In 2021, Miles Griffis of the American animal welfare organization Audubon said the bird species in the video was "not positively identified".[17] Jaida Essence Hall had the "most traditional" performance of the three finalists, according to Nylon, which said she delivered a "sexy, fishy rendition" of "Get Up" that used her couch and floor, and highlighted her face and hair.[18]

Fashion

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RuPaul wears a face mask.[19]

Reception

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Kate Kulzick of The A.V. Club gave the episode a rating of 'A-'.[20] Paul McCallion of Vulture rated the episode five out of five stars.[21] Kevin O'Keeffe of Xtra Magazine said "staging their own digital drag shows made for one of the best finale challenges we've ever seen".[22] Daniel Reynolds of The Advocate called the "I'm Like a Bird" performance "unforgettable".[23] Sam Damshenas of Gay Times said Crystal Methyd "served one of the most batshit crazy performances in the show’s history; reenacting the life cycle of a bird and regurgitating in her mouth".[24][25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Damshenas, Sam (2020-05-30). "RuPaul crowns Drag Race season 12 winner in genius lockdown finale". Gay Times. ISSN 0950-6101. Archived from the original on 2025-02-26. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  2. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race season finale recap: Who won Season 12?". Xtra Magazine. Pink Triangle Press. ISSN 0829-3384. Archived from the original on 2024-05-27. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  3. ^ "And the Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Is ..." People. People Inc. ISSN 0093-7673. OCLC 794712888. Archived from the original on 2020-11-23. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  4. ^ Murray, Tim (2020-05-30). "RuPaul's Drag Race Finale: Jaida Essence Hall Crowned the Winner". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
  5. ^ "The winner of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 12's quarantine finale is…". Entertainment Weekly. People Inc. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on 2025-02-23. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  6. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race crowns season 12 winner in lockdown finale". Metro. DMG Media. 2020-05-30. ISSN 1469-6215. OCLC 225917520. Archived from the original on 2020-10-03. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  7. ^ Holland, Scott (2020-06-03). "RuPauls Drag Race Season 12 Episode 12: The Finale". Hotspots Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  8. ^ Richards, Jared (2020-06-01). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Recap: Sure, Gigi's Goode And Crystal's Addictive, But Jaida Is Essential". Junkee. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  9. ^ Malone, Chris (2020-06-08). "Lip Sync Herstory: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Destiny's Child's 'Survivor'". Billboard. Eldridge Industries. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 732913734. Archived from the original on 2025-06-28. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  10. ^ Guzzo, Bianca (2020-05-30). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Episode 14 Recap: Grand Finale". IN Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-11-12. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  11. ^ "The winner of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 12's quarantine finale is…". Entertainment Weekly. People Inc. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on 2025-02-23. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  12. ^ Jones, Dylan B. (2020-05-30). "RuPaul's Drag Race recap: season 12 finale - she's a winner baby!". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2021-07-05. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  13. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race announces its s12 winner as Jaida Essence Hall". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. 2020-05-30. Archived from the original on 2022-07-10. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  14. ^ Swift, Andy (2020-05-30). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 12 Finale: Did The Right Queen Snatch The Crown?". TVLine. Static Media. Archived from the original on 2025-12-31. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  15. ^ "The 'Drag Race' Season 12 Finalists On What It Was Like Filming The Finale At Home". Bustle. Bustle Digital Group. 2020-06-01. Archived from the original on 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  16. ^ "Crystal Methyd: Queen of the Queen City". Sartorial Magazine. 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  17. ^ "A Brief History of Avian Drag". Audubon. 2021-06-29. Archived from the original on 2025-11-14. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  18. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Winner Jaida Essence Hall On Winning The Crown". Nylon. Bustle Digital Group. 2020-06-02. ISSN 1524-1750. Archived from the original on 2025-06-03. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  19. ^ Street, Mikelle. "Watch 'Drag Race' 12's Finale Performances, Read Our Take". Out. Pride Media. ISSN 1062-7928. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  20. ^ Kulzick, Kate. "RuPaul's Drag Race brings DIY charm and surprising polish to its werk-from-home finale". The A.V. Club. Paste Media Group. Archived from the original on 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  21. ^ McCallion, Paul (2020-05-29). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season-Finale Recap: Long May She Reign". Vulture. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2025-11-26. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  22. ^ "Where does 'Drag Race' go from here?". Xtra Magazine. Pink Triangle Press. ISSN 0829-3384. Archived from the original on 2025-11-14. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  23. ^ "Drag Race's Crystal Methyd Explains Her Name and Unique Drag Origins". The Advocate. Pride Media. ISSN 0001-8996. OCLC 60638931. Archived from the original on 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  24. ^ Damshenas, Sam (2020-11-11). "Drag Race season 12 was just the beginning for Crystal Methyd". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 2025-07-11. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  25. ^ Damshenas, Sam (2020-06-22). "Crystal Methyd spills the T on Drag Race season 12 and plans for "world domination"". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
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