Throwback Thursday: The Day I Became a Drag Race Fan

Hi, today I want to throw it back to the moment I officially became a RuPaul’s Drag Race fan.

I actually knew about RuPaul before I was a Drag Race fan. And funnily enough, my entry point wasn’t drag — it was America’s Next Top Model. I was obsessed with ANTM back then, and that’s where I first discovered Raja. Or as we knew them at the time: Sutan.

Later on, I found out that Sutan was on a show called RuPaul’s Drag Race. People kept describing it as America’s Next Top Model meets Project Runway — literally two of my favourite reality shows combined. On paper, it sounded like something I would love… but somehow, it just didn’t click yet. I didn’t sit down and properly watch a full season. I knew about it, I knew who won, but I wasn’t in it.

That all changed in 2017.

Lady Gaga was announced as the Special Guest Judge for the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9. And if you know me, you know this: I do not miss anything Lady Gaga-related. Ever. So I told myself, okay, I’ll just watch this one episode.

One episode turned into a full season.

That premiere made everything make sense. I finally understood why Drag Race had reached Season 9, why it had such a massive fanbase, and why someone like Lady Gaga would want to be part of this world. It wasn’t just about drag — it was about artistry, performance, identity, resilience, and self-expression. And suddenly, I was hooked.

From that point onwards, I watched RuPaul’s Drag Race religiously. I went back and rewatched all the previous seasons (thank you Netflix, at the time). I learned the queens, the references, the memes, the heartbreaks, the lip sync assassins — everything.

And now?

Here I am, writing recaps for RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18.

How wild is that?

From someone who casually knew about the show, to someone who plans episodes around airtime and puts thoughts into words every week. Time really does fly when you’re having fun… and when you finally find a show that speaks your language.

So now I’m curious —

When did you become a Drag Race fan? 💄👑