Meet The Judges of Drag Race Spinoff ‘Queen of The Universe’
MTV ENTERTAINMENT Reading Time: 3 minutes
Queen of The Universe is the latest installment under the house of Rupaul’s reality show empire. The show premiered on Paramount+ on December 2, and has been the hottest topic this month. Queen of The Universe is an extravagant competition show, where drag queens from around the world “Sing For Their Life!”
Showcasing talented international drag queens, Queen of The Universe is a refreshing look into the world of drag. Produced by the team behind Rupaul’s Drag Race, Queens of The Universe may be a different show, but the spectacle that people love from Drag Race remains.
Like Drag Race, the judging panel plays a big role in the success of the show. Judges have to be just as animated as the contestants that they critique. The judges on Queen of The Universe are familiar faces who brought their A-game to the singing competition show.
Vanessa Williams
It is fitting that the queen of everything is judging Queen of The Universe. The iconic Vanessa Williams has been in the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She is a singer, actress, fashion designer, and author among many other things. In 1984, Williams became the first Black woman to win Miss America.
After scandal forced her to resign as the winner, she continued a career that included countless Grammy and Emmy nominations and storied Broadway career. Williams is behind iconic characters we love from the shows Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. Her hit song “Save The Best For Last,” is still played at weddings across the world. Fans of Drag Race will remember Williams from her guest judging appearances in Season 3 and in Drag Race All-Stars Season 3.
Trixie Mattel
Trixie Mattel is best known as a Season 7 Drag Race contestant and the winner of Drag Race All-Stars Season 3. Her larger than life personality has helped her turn her 15 minutes of fame into a full-fledged career between touring with fellow Drag Race alum Katya, to creating a cosmetic brand. Trixie being a judge on Queen of The Universe is a full circle moment for the colorful star.
Although Trixie was able to lip sync on Drag Race, she still knows a thing or two about actually singing. She has released four albums, most recently, Full Coverage Vol. 1 was filled with covers of her favorite songs.
Michelle Visage
Of course the OG of Rupaul’s Drag Race judges had to be included in this new iteration. Michelle Visage has been a main staple in the drag universe since Season 3. Visage earned five chart topping singles with her band Seduction and was the lead vocalist in The S.O.U.L S.Y.S.T.E.M.
The judge of all judges, is also a DJ and actress. Before joining Rupaul’s Drag Race, Visage worked with Rupaul at WKTU from 1996-2002. Visage and Rupaul also worked together on the VH1 talk show, The Rupaul Show.
Always one to give off a comedic relief, many fans are always surprised that Visage is actually a great singer. She recently teamed up with the group Steps and released the video and song “Heartbreak in This City.”
Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis is no stranger to singing competition shows. She famously won The X Factor back in 2006 and her 2007 hit “Bleeding Love” topped the charts in 35 countries. Her amazing vocals had some critics comparing her to Mariah Carey.
Lewis also turned to acting, appearing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats as the iconic role of Grizabella. Recently, Lewis released Christmas, With Love Always. The singer also served as a guest judge on The X Factor: The Band.
Grag Queen was recently crowned the first winner of the new show that captivated fans across the world. Considering the impressive talent and the RuPaul glam, it’s only a matter of time before we hear of the premiere date for Season 2.
