Grand Finale (RuPaul's Drag Race season 17)

"Grand Finale"
RuPaul's Drag Race episode
Episode no.	Season 17 Episode 16
Presented by	RuPaul
Original air date	April 18, 2025 (2025-04-18)
Guest appearances
Liza Minnelli Joey Luft Sapphira Cristál Xunami Muse Nymphia Wind

"Grand Finale" is the sixteenth episode and finale of the seventeenth season of the American television series RuPaul's Drag Race.^[1] It originally aired on MTV on April 18, 2025. During the episode, the four finalists perform songs with original vocals. Onya Nurve is crowned the season's winner after defeating runner-up Jewels Sparkles in a lip-sync contest to "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga. Additionally, Liza Minnelli received the Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Episode

The season's contestants appear on stage, then RuPaul performs a song. The final four contestants perform individually to songs with original vocals.

Sapphira Cristál and Xunami Muse, who were voted Miss Congeniality on the sixteenth season, returned to reveal Crystal Envy as this season's title holder.^[6]

Jewels Sparkles and Onya Nurve are declared the two finalists. They face off in a lip-sync contest to "Abracadabra" (2025) by Lady Gaga. Onya Nurve is deemed the winner,^[7] making Jewels Sparkles the runner-up.

Production

The episode originally aired on MTV on April 18, 2025.

Minelli's younger Joey Luft also appeared on the episode.^[8]

Fashion

Suzie Toot wore an outfit inspired by Audrey II from the musical Little Shop of Horrors.^[9]

References

^ Frank, Jason P. (2025-04-19). "RuPaul's Drag Race Season-Finale Recap: Winner Winner". Vulture. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
^ Robledo, Jordan (2025-04-02). "Gay icon Liza Minnelli to make Drag Race debut during season 17 finale". GAY TIMES. Retrieved 2025-04-03.
^ "'Drag Race' adds Liza Minnelli for historic season 17 finale appearance". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2025-04-12. Retrieved 2025-04-12.
^ Tangcay, Jazz (2025-04-01). "Liza Minnelli to Appear on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Finale and Receive Lifetime Achievement Award". Variety. Archived from the original on 2025-04-12. Retrieved 2025-04-12.
^ "Liza Minnelli, 79, Makes Rare Appearance for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 Finale as New Winner Is Crowned". People.com. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 17 winner, Miss Congeniality revealed: See who won". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
^ Remington, Kaylee (2025-04-19). "Cleveland's Onya Nurve crowned winner of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' season 17". cleveland. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
^ Tangcay, Jazz (2025-04-19). "'Drag Race' Producer Explains How They Got Liza Minnelli to Join the Season 17 Finale: 'I Bow to the Drag Gods'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
^ Duncan, Charlie (2025-04-17). "RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 finale looks - a review". PinkNews. Retrieved 2025-04-19.

External links

Grand Finale at IMDb

RuPaul's Drag Race

Episodes

Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Season 2	"Snatch Game"
Season 3	"Snatch Game"
Season 4	"RuPocalypse Now!" "WTF!: Wrestling's Trashiest Fighters" "Glamazons vs. Champions" "Queens Behind Bars" "Snatch Game" "Float Your Boat" "Dragazines" "Frenemies" "Frock the Vote!" "DILFs: Dads I'd Like to Frock" "The Fabulous Bitch Ball" "The Final Three" "Reunited"
Season 5	"RuPaullywood or Bust" "Lip Synch Extravaganza Eleganza" "Draggle Rock" "Black Swan: Why It Gotta Be Black?" "Snatch Game" "Can I Get an Amen" "RuPaul Roast" "Scent of a Drag Queen" "Drama Queens" "Super Troopers" "Sugar Ball" "The Final Three, Hunty" "Reunited"
Season 6	"RuPaul's Big Opening" "RuPaul's Big Opening: Part 2" "Scream Queens" "Shade: The Rusical" "Snatch Game" "Oh No She Betta Don't!" "Glamazon by Colorevolution" "Drag Queens of Comedy" "Queens of Talk" "Drag My Wedding" "Glitter Ball" "Sissy That Walk" "Reunited!"
Season 7	"Born Naked" "Glamazonian Airways" "ShakesQueer" "Spoof! (There It Is)" "The DESPY Awards" "Ru Hollywood Stories" "Snatch Game" "Conjoined Queens" "Divine Inspiration" "Prancing Queens" "Hello, Kitty Girls!" "And the Rest Is Drag" "Grand Finale"
Season 8	"Keeping It 100!" "Bitch Perfect" "RuCo's Empire" "New Wave Queens" "Supermodel Snatch Game" "Wizards of Drag" "Shady Politics" "RuPaul Book Ball" "The Realness" "Grand Finale"
Season 9	"Oh. My. Gaga!" "She Done Already Done Brought It On" "Draggily Ever After" "Good Morning Bitches" "Reality Stars: The Musical" "Snatch Game" "9021-HO" "RuPaul Roast" "Your Pilot's on Fire" "Makeovers: Crew Better Work" "Gayest Ball Ever" "Category Is" "Reunited" "Grand Finale"
Season 10	"10s Across the Board" "PharmaRusical" "Tap That App" "The Last Ball on Earth" "The Bossy Rossy Show" "Drag Con Panel Extravaganza" "Snatch Game" "The Unauthorized Rusical" "Breastworld" "Bossy Rossy RuBoot" "Social Media Kings Into Queens" "Evil Twins" "American" "Queens Reunited" "Grand Finale"
Season 11	"Whatcha Unpackin?" "Good God Girl, Get Out" "Diva Worship" "Trump: The Rusical" "Monster Ball" "The Draglympics" "From Farm to Runway" "Snatch Game at Sea" "L.A.D.P.!" "Dragracadabra" "Bring Back My Queens!" "Queens Everywhere" "Grand Finale"
Season 12	"I'm That Bitch" "You Don't Know Me" "World's Worst" "The Ball Ball" "Gay's Anatomy" "Snatch Game" "Madonna: The Unauthorized Rusical" "Droop" "Choices 2020" "Superfan Makeover" "One-Queen Show" "Viva Drag Vegas" "Reunited: Alone Together" "Grand Finale"
Season 13	"The Pork Chop" "Condragulations" "Phenomenon" "RuPaulmark Channel" "The Bag Ball" "Disco-mentary" "Bossy Rossy RuBoot" "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical" "Snatch Game" "Freaky Friday Queens" "Pop! Goes the Queens" "Nice Girls Roast" "Henny, I Shrunk the Drag Queens!" "Gettin' Lucky" "Grand Finale"
Season 14	"Big Opening Number 1" "Big Opening Number 2" "A Pair of Balls" "She's a Super Tease" "Save a Queen" "Glamazon Prime" "The Daytona Wind" "60s Girl Groups" "Menzeses" "Snatch Game" "An Extra Special Episode" "Moulin Ru: The Rusical" "The Ross Mathews Roast" "Catwalk" "Grand Finale"
Season 15	"One Night Only, Part 1" "One Night Only, Part 2" "All Queens Go to Heaven" "Supersized Snatch Game" "House of Fashion" "Old Friends Gold" "The Daytona Wind 2" "Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown" "The Crystal Ball" "50/50's Most Gagworthy Stars" "Two Queens, One Joke" "Wigloose: The Rusical!" "Teacher Makeovers" "Blame It on the Edit" "Grand Finale"
Season 16	"Rate-A-Queen" "Queen Choice Awards" "The Mother of All Balls" "RDR Live!" "Girl Groups" "Welcome to the DollHouse" "The Sound of Rusic" "Snatch Game" "See You Next Wednesday" "Werq the World" "Corporate Queens" "Bathroom Hunties" "Drag Race Vegas Live! Makeovers" "Booked and Blessed" "Lip Sync LaLaPaRuza Smackdown – Reunited" "Grand Finale"
Season 17	"Squirrel Games" "Drag Queens Got Talent – Part 2" "Monopulence!" "Bitch, I'm a Drag Queen!" "RDR Live!" "Let's Get Sea Sickening Ball" "Snatch Game" "The Wicked Wiz of Oz: The Rusical!" "Heavens to Betsey!" "The Villains Roast" "Ross Mathews vs. The Ducks" "Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve & Talent Monologues" "Drag Baby Mamas" "How's Your Headliner?" "Lip Sync Lalaparuza Smackdown" ""

Contestants

Winners

Franchise	Girl groups Lil' Poundcake Pit Crew Rusical Snatch Game
Events	A Drag Queen Christmas Battle of the Seasons Drive 'N Drag Haters Roast RuPaul's Drag Race Live! Werq the World
Spin-offs	All Stars Global All Stars Holi-slay Spectacular Live Untucked Secret Celebrity 1 2 Untucked Vegas Revue RuPaul's Drag U
Web series	Fashion Photo RuView Whatcha Packin'
AJ and the Queen The Bitch Who Stole Christmas Christmas Queens 1 2 3 4 Dancing Queen Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch Dragnificent! Hey Qween! Painted with Raven Queen of the Universe We're Here

Category