RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 Finale: Sasha Velour Named Winner

RuPaul’s Drag Race season 9 ended with a fabulous finale on Friday. The four final queens Peppermint, Sasha Velour, Shea Coulee and Trinity Taylor took to the stage in the first ever lip-syncing contest for the crown.

Before the contest began, each queen introduced their family members in attendance for the night and Ru surprised them all with a good luck video from a celebrity rooting for them from home–Laverne Cox for Peppermint, Katy Perry for Sasha, Blac Chyna for Shea and Bobby Moynihan for Trinity.

The new lip sync format was the focus of the finale with host and Emmy winner RuPaul Charles serving as judge.

The first round found Trinity and Peppermint battling to the tune of Britney Spears’ “Stronger,” which Trinity appeared to dominate — until Peppermint shocked the audience with a last-minute wig toss.

Round No. 2, during which Sasha and Shea battled to Whitney Houston’s “So Emotional,” saw both queens going all-in from the start. In this round, Sasha was the winner.

Sasha and Peppermint faced off for the crown to Houston’s “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.”

in the end, the winner was Sasha, who received her crown from Ru Paul.