Recent RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Raja has released a sexy, sexy song with an even sexier video where she serves up high glam in a leopard outfit with matching hat and gloves. She also rocks a bedazzled dress with a creepy-ass Black Swan crown. Raja’s genderfuck made her a stand out among the Drag Racers—and she doesn’t bother with fake tits or a feminine singing voice here either. She just puts on crazy head pieces showing that you don’t need a wig when you’ve got full-throttle style.
This video is also hella edgier than the musical adventures of BeBe Benet and Tyra Sanchez, the two first Drag Race winners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVty6ZHYt4o
The song Sanchez chose to a generic gay club hit. Yawn 2000.
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BeBe’s video played off of her Cameroon roots, which got a little old after an entire season of her constantly defining her style through an African lens, but whatevs.
All three lady-boys totally deserved to win, but Raja continues to show the reason Ru chose her while the other two have pretty much plateaued and disappeared since their coronation day.
Mike
I appreciate the effort to create art but the latest video is total rubbish. Sorry Raja. Love you but gotta be honest…
queertypie
This video is NOT sexy at all. Raja’s looks are great, though. I guess after they auto-tuned her on RuPaul’s drag race, she thought she could sing. Guess again! Why do these drag queens have to go the “look at me, I’m sexuality, come f**k me? scenario? They can all take a lesson from the always professional, supermodel of the world…RuPaul.
Josh Elder
Raja should not have won, plain and simple. She hardly embodies anything that Drag is truly about. She’s a self-absorbed bitch, and not in a good way, she looks like a boy in a dress and a skeleton with make-up. She was, and still is, all about “high-fashion” and walking a runway. Those are the only things she had going for her, that is NOT what being a Drag Queen is about.
Being a Drag Queen is about entertainment, simple as that. Raja lacked that ability from the start. I can name a handful of queens who could out perform her any day of the week, draw more of a crowd, get more tips and work a stage better. To me, she was simply a boy in a dress who was pissed she lost America’s Next Top Model. She cared more about walking that damn runway and wearing some “couture” looking outfit than anything. Yes, some of her outfits were creative, I have to give her that, but beyond the bad makeup and fashion was what? Nothing. A boy in a dress. She had a horrible disgusting holier-than-thou attitude. I live in Kentucky for fuck’s sake, I get enough of that crap on a daily basis, we certainly don’t need it within our own community.
I’m saddened people, like India, weren’t their true selves and didn’t shine like I know they could have. I’ve seen India perform (before she became famous) and that bitch can work a stage, let me tell you.
Yea, her video is actually pretty nice, not a fan of the straight blonde wig, but everything else is great. The lyrics leave a bit to be desired, beat is kinda nice but Raja just, hits a nerve with me that bothers me. I just don’t like her, at all. Never will.
Stephen
Really, really abstract and GOOD. Perhaps a little too intense for those not into the underground, but MAN, that’s punk rock. She’s got a future.
Ray
Awful. Just awful. Go design costumes for Ringling Brothers. You’d be better suited for that and maybe you could work you way up to Cirque du Soleil.
Countervail
Wow. Simply not good.
I don’t want to knock her efforts too hard. I would guess this to be the brainchild of the producers of Drag Race, but all through the show it was obvious that entertaining was not her strong suit. She wasn’t as good as some of the other girls at public speaking, comedy and definitely not music. She can work a runway better than all of them and she’s very personally engaging. I don’t know how you turn that into a sustainable career though. It’s a shame that the show overlooked substance, with Manila Luzon or Alexis Matteo, for style when they chose this year’s winner.
2+2chan
OK Raja – I was mad about you winning until I saw this video. The world could use more punk rock infused queens.
Spike
The curse of winning a reality show type competition. They think they have achieved something and therefor worthy of moving to the next level of celebrity, fame and fortune.
Err, not so much.
Raja, was entertaining, amusing, not back to the drag performance circuit. Turns out being fierce, blah, blah, blah, isn’t the huge payday everyone would like to think that it is.
fredo777
Not crazy about the song itself, but I appreciate the “pictures” + the production of the video itself. It was a lot of really interesting/intriguing imagery. Plus, Raja was just gorgeously styled.
Robbie K
I liked the imagery but still out on the song.
RLS
I don’t understand all the shade thrown at Bebe and Tyra by the writer. I mean, what exactly is it that they’re supposed to be doing besides getting paid to perform drag and host events, which they’re both doing and are in high demand for. And on top of that, they’re both total sweethearts to boot.
I mean, do you think Raja is going to be the female lead in the next Marvel summer blockbuster or something? The show is an opportunity for queens to get known on a larger scale and to WORK. Ru
Paul is the only true drag superstar there ever was, is, or will be.
She knows it, we know it, and every queen who appears on the show knows it.
Mike
Who cares, it’s not like any of these “singles” put forth by these ladies are ever gonna be #1 hits or even in the Top 40.
Mike
@Josh Elder: Manila Luzon was all about performance and had a great look. She should have won.
dean0
“Raja continues to show the reason Ru chose her while the other two have pretty much plateaued and disappeared since their coronation day.” hmmm okay, the writer is clearly delusional. Raya is still riding the Drag Race celebrity bandwagon which is why anyone still remotely caresfor the talentless hack. His 15 minutes of Drag fame are up for expiration in 3, 2, 1.
Top to Bottom
I don’t think the video is awful, but I think Raja can do much, much better. However, she did come out with something much quicker than the other two winners. Hopefully that means she’ll make more progress over time.
Countervail
P.S. I’ve heard through some channels that Ru and Raja were actually good friends in LA before this season was ever cast and the producers had to work hard to make things seem unbiased. Anyone know if there’s any truth to this or is is just catty gossip?
Chris
Raja completely deserved to win. She was ten times better than Manila, and Alexis. She made drag into art again, she pushed boundaries and this song is awesome. Compared to the previous season winners Raja is brilliant. I am sorry to say but if you don’t get Raja you just don’t understand art.
Alexspade93
Raja, I like you very much. But please, never, NEVER do it again! Your song and video are awful, vulgar, cracker-barrel, rude and simply BAD. I’m very disappointed.
ScaryRussianHeather
@Countervail said :
“I would guess this to be the brainchild of the producers of Drag Race, but all through the show it was obvious that entertaining was not her strong suit. She wasn’t as good as some of the other girls at public speaking, comedy and definitely not music. She can work a runway better than all of them and she’s very personally engaging. I don’t know how you turn that into a sustainable career though. It’s a shame that the show overlooked substance, with Manila Luzon or Alexis Matteo, for style when they chose this year’s winner.”
No. The song was produced by Eddie Amador and Josh Peace. Written by Anthony Garza and Raja.
Sutan Amrull is Raja. An amazing fluid person floating between both sides of his sexuality. Not an actor pretending to be a woman. He is this generation’s new breed. Authentic. THIS is why RuPaul chose him. The closest is Carmen Carrera, who labels herself third gender. Something to think about. Albeit, Carmen is more Carmen than Christopher.
Public speaking: Um, she slayed the finale question “Why you?” when Manila and Alexis stumbled and rambled with no message whatsoever. Perhaps you missed the part about “the treacherous journey” versus Alexis’s pageant answer? All of her interviews since the show reveal an articulate, grounded, fearless quick thinker with a message of love and LGBT advocacy.
Comedy: Manila placed bottom in the comedy challenge and Alexis not far behind. Considering Raja opened the show and the judges thought she was great, including Rita Rudner, I don’t get your “factual” basis. She also is on youTube hosting shows for years and delivering comedy and audience interaction. Is her avocation “comedy” like DJ Pierce? No. Neither is RuPaul’s. And considering RuPaul’s appearances are all tightly scripted, there wasn’t much very “funny” about Ru lately even with writers on staff.
Music: She won the music challenge and Manila was meh. Not an Alexis fan but I admit she did an okay job. Raja commits. ALL of them were autotuned but if you listen in the workroom, Raja was on key and also refused to change her key in the recording room because she wanted to sing in her true voice. Authentic person not an ACTOR. (like DJ)
You’re a little late on the “sustainable career” theory. Raja has been a working performer in Calif. for 15 years. RuPaul first saw her at Peanuts when he moved to LA way back in the early 90’s and raved about her on his blog. The blog is still live today and his initial comment is preserved in chronological sequence. Did she make more money as a makeup artist? Of course. Being a complete artist, Sutan Amrull’s goal in life is not to be just a showgirl. Authenticity. It rings true and can’t be denied. He will always be Raja and many other forms of art will be explored. Joining the ranks of other starving artists who must create to breate. Unlike DJ who simple wants to be a working actor, drag or tv, it makes no difference to him.
Also you realize that RuPaul fought radio his entire life and only enjoyed a very limited commercial success, right? He still can’t get airplay or publicity even with his mainstream commercial fame.
ScaryRussianHeather
*create to breate = create to breathe