Is there any better way to kick off a New Year than by starting your engines? If you’re the contestants of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16, then the answer is “no” as they kick off competition this Friday, January 5 on MTV and Paramount+. The new season is nearly here, and the network has given Cosmopolitan an early look at the first 12 minutes of the premiere episode.
In the exclusive clip above, competitors Q (Kansas City, MO), Xunami Muse (New York, NY), Amanda Tori Meating (Los Angeles, CA), Morphine Love Dion (Miami, FL), Sapphira Cristál (Philadelphia, PA), Mirage (Las Vegas, NV), and Dawn (Brooklyn, NY) all walk into the workroom and meet each other as a mini group for the first time.
The premiere is split into two parts this season, and the talent show main challenge is returning…with a twist. MTV revealed last month that contestants will be ranking each other’s talent show performances to determine the tops and bottoms of the week, in “Rate-A-Queen.”
Before we get the full episode though, the queens themselves have a packed week of events to mark the occasion. Tomorrow, the cast will celebrate the season 16 premiere with a massive fashion show in front of hundreds of NYC fans at Hammerstein Ballroom, hosted by judge Michelle Visage.
“The queens will be dazzling attendees with brand new, exclusive looks made for this first ever fashion show premiere event that will bring the iconic ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ runway to life, giving fans an immersive show experience. Fans will also get an exclusive sneak peek at the first episode of Season 16, which will feature the iconic talent show as the Maxi Challenge (which is themed as MTV’s Spring Break) and a gag worthy twist following the talent show performances, where the queens will be tasked to “Rate-A-Queen”—ranking each other’s performances to determine the tops and bottoms of that week.”
Season 16 premieres on MTV and Paramount+ this Friday, January 5 at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes debuting each Friday.
WATCH ‘DRAG RACE’ ON PARAMOUNT+ HERE
WATCH ‘DRAG RACE’ OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND LATIN AMERICA HERE
Alexandra Whittaker is the deputy editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, where she helps manage the website and all of Cosmo‘s news and entertainment coverage. With more than a decade of journalism experience, Alexandra oversees multiple teams of stellar writers and editors. She crafts thoughtful editorial coverage plans from start to finish by ideating, assigning, and editing timely, search, and brand-building stories with an eye on strategy, growth, and audience development. She is a mentor with Girls Write Now and the American Society of Magazine Editors, and she is a proud Northwestern and Marquette alumna.
