RuPaul’s Drag Race has a new champion!
Season 16 of the hit MTV reality series concluded on Friday, April 19, with host RuPaul crowning Nymphia Wind as America’s next drag superstar, making the 28-year-old performer Taiwan’s first queen to win the title and third. Winner of Asia and the Pacific Islands in America’s premier franchise since season 3 champion Raja and season 15 champion Sasha Colby.
To reach the top, Nymphia beat out finalists Saphira Cristál and Plane Jane. All three had entered the finals with an impressive track record, Saphira and Plane with four main challenge wins and Nymphia with three.
However, unlike the other two, Nympiha had never made it to the bottom three – a feat only achieved by a handful of winners, including Trya Sanchez (season 2), Bianca Del Rio (season 6), Violet Chachki (season 7) , Sasha. Velor (season 9), Aquaria (season 10), and Sasha Colby (season 15).
Nymphia edged out Saphira after a final acrobatic lip sync to Kylie Minogue’s “Padam Padam.”
“To those who feel like they don’t belong, remember to live without fear and live your truth – and Taiwan, this is for you!” Nymphia proclaimed as she made her victory march.
Throughout the season, Nymphia’s fierce fashions, endearing personality, and unwavering love of all things banana and yellow have earned her a place in the hearts of Drag racing Fans.
But it was his charisma, uniqueness, courage and talent – as well as the support of his fans, the Banana Believers – that earned him the title. “My drag is very conceptual and cultural and very yellow, obviously,” she teased at the premiere.
In addition to the scepter and crown, Nymphia also won a year’s worth of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics and the $200,000 “gag-worthy prize” (powered by CashApp). This is in addition to the $15,000 in bonus cash she earned during the competition (plus a large portion of the $5,000 she received when it was shared among her 3 other teammates during the group challenge some girls).
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV
Season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race featured 14 queens from across the country battling for victory.
Other competitors besides the bottom three included Q (Kansas City, Missouri), Morphine Love Dion (Miami), Dawn (New York City), Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige (Miami), Plasma (New York City), Xunami Muse. (New York), Megami (New York), Geneva Karr (Brownsville, Texas), Amanda Tori Meating (Los Angeles), Mirage (Las Vegas) and Hershii LiqCour-Jeté (Los Angeles).
Like previous seasons, the series debuted in January with a split premiere.
Since 2003, RuPaul’s Drag Race was broadcast on MTV. The show originally premiered on LogoTV in 2009 and aired its first eight seasons there. Seasons 9 through 14 aired on VHI starting in 2017.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Realty Trust
The show has won 30 Emmy Awards, including five for Outstanding Reality Program. RuPaul has been named Outstanding Host for her work on the series eight consecutive times and is the most awarded Black performer in Emmy history.
Drag racing has generated a number of spinoffs over the years, both in the United States and internationally. The American series remains the reference, with 15 queens previously named “America’s Next Drag Superstar”.
They are: BeBe Zahara Benet (Season 1), Tyra Sanchez (Season 2), Raja Gemini (Season 3), Sharon Needles (Season 4), Jinkx Monsoon (Season 5), Bianca Del Rio (Season 6), Violet Chachki (Season 7), Bob the Drag Queen (Season 8), Sasha Velor (Season 9), Aquaria (Season 10), Yvie Oddly (Season 11), Jaida Essence Hall (Season 12), Symone (Season 13), Willow Pill (Season 14) and Sasha Colby (Season 15).
Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
RuPaul’s Drag Race can be streamed on Paramount+.
