Hair Flip Heaven: RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8, Episode 9 Recap

This week on *RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8*, the queens faced off in a lip-sync extravaganza, the "Lalaparuza", with a twist. The queens, divided into pairs, chose their opponents and, most importantly, the song they'd be lip-syncing to. While the format provided exciting drama, the episode's overall quality felt underwhelming, with most lip syncs failing to live up to the iconic performances of previous seasons.

Let's break down the lip syncs, in order:

Gottmik vs. Angeria: Gottmik, chosen by Bruno to pick her opponent first, surprisingly chose Angeria, arguing that their different performance styles would make for an interesting match. However, she overlooked the fact that Angeria would then select the song. Angeria, choosing the En Vogue classic "My Lovin'," dominated the stage, leaving Gottmik struggling to find her footing. While Angeria's performance wasn't exceptional, it was enough to secure her victory, and it was a far cry from Raven's iconic original performance on the show.

Vanjie vs. Plastique: Vanjie, having learned from Gottmik's mistake, wisely picked Plastique, who, unfortunately, is not a strong lip-syncer. Predictably, Plastique opted for "When I Grow Up" by Pussycat Dolls, a song already featured three times on the show. While both queens brought energy and impressive hair flips to the performance, it lacked the emotional connection and finesse seen in previous versions. Vanjie, with her engaging stage presence, ultimately emerged victorious, sending Plastique home without a single lip-sync win this season.

Nina vs. Shannel: Nina, in a strategic move, chose Shannel as her opponent, who then selected "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" by Dead or Alive, a song famously performed by Trinity the Tuck on season 10. Shannel, known for her prowess in lip-syncing, dominated the stage, leaving Nina trailing behind. Shannel's performance was a delightful redemption of the Dead or Alive classic and a testament to her impressive drag skills.

Roxxxy vs. Jorgeous: The final lip sync of the first round pitted Roxxxy Andrews against Jorgeous, with Roxxxy choosing "Holding Out for a Hero," a song that held personal significance for her. As expected, Roxxxy’s performance was mesmerizing, exhibiting her signature hair-flipping and stage command. Jorgeous fought valiantly, but she was simply no match for Roxxxy's mastery of the stage. Roxxxy's performance reminded viewers that sometimes, the most captivating drag performances are simply about embracing your unique style and owning it.

Vanjie vs. Shannel: In the semifinals, Vanjie chose to face Shannel, anticipating her choice of "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan. Both queens performed admirably, but Shannel, with her familiarity with drag standards, edged out Vanjie for the win.

Roxxxy vs. Angeria: The second semifinal saw Roxxxy facing off against Angeria, with the song "Groove Is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite. This song, while considered the best on the list, proved challenging for Angeria. Roxxxy, on the other hand, excelled, seamlessly embodying the song's energy and even delivering the iconic rap verse, earning her fifth star of the competition.

Roxxxy vs. Shannel: The final showdown pitted Roxxxy against Shannel, with Ariana Grande's "Break Free" as their soundtrack. This song, originally performed by Jaidynn Diore Fierce and Kandy Ho, proved to be Shannel's undoing. Her performance, while entertaining, lacked the pop star energy that Roxxxy brought to the stage. Roxxxy, with her signature hair flips and captivating stage presence, secured her sixth star, leaving Shannel behind and sending her into the two-part finale with a strong momentum.

Despite its shortcomings, this episode served as a reminder that lip-syncs are a crucial part of *Drag Race's

magic, and even with underwhelming performances, the competition still provides thrilling moments.