RuPaul's Drag Race season 16: Who took home the crown?

RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 aired its finale on Friday, April 19, 2024. The segment saw the top three drag queens perform on the MTV show's stage one last time before one of them was crowned the next drag superstar.

As per the synopsis:

"The top queens face off in an epic evening of performances and lip syncs, as they compete for the title of America's Next Drag Superstar and a grand prize of $200,000."

On Friday, Nymphia Wind was crowned as the season 16 winner and became the first Taiwanese contestant ever to win the show. She is also the third Asian-Pacific islander to win the show after Raja (season 3) and Sasha Colby (season 15.)

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RuPaul's Drag Race top three share messages for their younger selves

The season finale of RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 aired on Friday, April 19, 2024. The segment saw the entire cast of the MTV show join the top three one last time before one of them was crowned the winner of the show.

In one of the segments, RuPaul asked the top three to pass on a message to themselves when they were young. RuPaul asked Nymphia Wind what she would tell her 4-year-old self, Leo.

The RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 contestant told Leo that growing up, he was going to feel like he didn't belong anywhere. She added that Leo had always been a "really weird child" and told him that sometimes he would feel "very lonely."

"But one day, you'll come across a woman named Nymphia Wind and she is your higher self so let her guide you throughout your life and go wherever the wind wants to take you."

The host then asked Plane Jane what she would say to 4-year-old Andy. The drag queen got emotional looking at her childhood picture and told him that he was going to be a drag queen when he grew up. She told him to never wish that he was anyone but himself.

"I'm standing on the main stage of RuPaul's Drag Race with Mama Ru herself, feeling more empowered and beautiful than I ever have in my entire life. You're going to get there baby."

She further told Andy to be himself.

RuPaul asked Sapphira Cristal the same thing. The cast member reminded O'Neal that he was "full of love." She told him that he needed to remember that and never lose it.

"The evil that's going to come to you, it's really just going to be there to teach you a lesson. And you have parents who love you, who are going to instill things in you to make you always believe that you are a star."

The episode also saw reigning Miss Congeniality Foxy Doll return to the main stage to pass on her crown to one of the RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 contestants.

Foxy Doll revealed that the winner of Miss Congeniality in season 16 would receive $10,000 presented by Olay Body. The former contestant announced that for the first time in the show's history, it was a tie. The winners were Xunami Muse and Sapphira Cristal.

Xunami Muse noted that she may have not won the show, but she won a crown and Sapphira said that it "pays to be nice."

Plane Jane placed third, and Sapphira Cristal was the first runner-up of RuPaul's Drag Race. The two finalists lip-synced to Kylie Milogue's Padam Padam, after which the host announced the winner of the show.

Episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 are available to stream on MTV.