RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under (Season 1)

Drag Race Down Under
1	2	3	4

Season 1

Overall Information

No. of Episodes

8

No. of Contestants

10

Premiere

May 1, 2021

Finale

June 19, 2021

Season Information

Season Chronology
Next →
Season 2

The first season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under was officially announced on August 26, 2019.^[1] On January 18, 2021 the official title of the series was announced by RuPaul through World of Wonder's social media. This also confirmed that the show would be airing on WOW Presents Plus, Stan Australia and TVNZ.^[2] Down Under will also be broadcast on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

The cast was planned to be revealed at Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival on March 6, 2021. However, the cast was revealed hours earlier via World of Wonder.

The season premiered on May 1, 2021 globally at 4pm AEST (12am PST).

The winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under recieved a cash prize of A$30,000 and one year supply of Revolution Beauty Cosmetics.

The winner of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under was Kita Mean with Art Simone, Karen From Finance and Scarlet Adams placing as the runners-up.

About The Show

Hosted by RuPaul, drag queen contestants compete in an elimination-style contest and strut their stuff in a variety of challenges - all to prove that they’ve got what it takes to be a Down Under drag queen superstar!

Contestants

Anita Wigl'it

Art Simone

Coco Jumbo

Elektra Shock

Etcetera Etcetera

Jojo Zaho

Karen From Finance

Kita Mean

Maxi Shield

Scarlet Adams

(Biographical information stated from during time of contest)

Rank	Contestant	Photo	Age	Location	Ep. 1	Ep. 2	Ep. 3	Ep. 4	Ep. 5	Ep. 6	Ep. 7	Ep. 8
Rank	Contestant	Photo	Age	Location	Runway	Snatch Game	Girl Groups	Design	Advert	Make Over	Talent Show	Finale
1st (Winner)	Kita Mean		34	Auckland, New Zealand	SAFE	SAFE	HIGH	SAFE	HIGH	WIN	BTM2	WINNER
2nd-4th (Runner-Up) (Orig. 9th)	Art Simone		28	Melbourne, Australia	HIGH	ELIM		RTRN + HIGH	SAFE Mini Chall. Winner	SAFE	LOW	RUNNER UP
2nd-4th (Runners-Up)	Karen From Finance		32	Melbourne, Australia	WIN	LOW	SAFE	BTM2	LOW	HIGH	LOW	RUNNER UP
2nd-4th (Runners-Up)	Scarlet Adams		27	Perth, Australia	HIGH	LOW	WIN Team Captain	WIN	SAFE	BTM2	WIN	RUNNER UP
5th	Elektra Shock		27	Auckland, New Zealand	BTM2 Mini Chall. Winner	LOW	BTM2 Team Captain	SAFE	WIN	LOW	ELIM
6th	Maxi Shield		46	Sydney, Australia	SAFE	LOW	LOW	HIGH	BTM2	ELIM Mini Chall. Winner
7th	Etcetera Etcetera		22	Sydney, Australia	SAFE	SAFE	SAFE	LOW	ELIM
8th	Anita Wigl'it		31	Auckland, New Zealand	SAFE	WIN	HIGH	ELIM
9th	Coco Jumbo		30	Sydney, Australia	LOW	BTM2	ELIM
10th	Jojo Zaho		30	Newcastle, Australia	ELIM

█ The contestant won RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under.

█ The contestant lost the final lip-sync and is the runner-up.

█ The contestant won the maxi challenge.

█ The contestant received mainly positive critiques but did not win the maxi challenge.

█ The contestant received mainly negative critiques but did not place in the bottom two.

█ The contestant placed in the bottom two and won the lip-sync for your life.

█ The contestant placed in the bottom two, lost the lip-sync for your life, and was eliminated.

Contestants' Winning Earnings (In AUD)

Contestant	Money
Kita Mean	$30,000
Art Simone	$0
Karen From Finance	$3,000
Scarlet Adams	$5,000
Elektra Shock	$0
Maxi Shield	$0
Etcetera Etcetera	$0
Anita Wigl'it	$5,000
Coco Jumbo	$0
Jojo Zaho	$0

Episodes

Series #	Episode #	Title	Airdate

1	1	G'day G'day G'day	May 1, 2021
2	2	Snatch Game	May 8, 2021
3	3	Queens Down Under	May 15, 2021
4	4	Rucycled	May 22, 2021
5	5	Marketing Hats	May 29, 2021
6	6	Family Resemblance	June 5, 2021
7	7	Talent Show Extravaganza	June 12, 2021
8	8	Down Under Grand Finale	June 19, 2021

Episode 1: "G'day G'day G'day"

Airdate: May 1, 2021

Synopsis: We meet the Australian and New Zealand drag queens competing to become Down Under’s first Drag Race superstar. It’s a hometown homage this week, as the queens showcase their personalities at the ‘get to know you’ ball.

Special Guest: Taika Waititi
Mini Challenge: Audition for the new movie: Thar
Mini Challenge Winner: Elektra Shock
Mini Challenge Prize: A necklace set from Fierce Drag Jewels
Maxi Challenge: Present a nude illusion look and a home town look on the main stage
Runway Themes:
- Born Naked
- No Place Like Home
Maxi Challenge Winner: Karen From Finance
Maxi Challenge Prize: $3,000 tip from Mary's Poppin' in Adelaide
Bottom Two: Elektra Shock and Jojo Zaho
Lip Sync Song: "Tragedy" by Bee Gees
Eliminated: Jojo Zaho
Farewell Message: " ♡ I am so happy to call each & everyone of you mob (sisters). Bring that crown home Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi xoxo Jojo Zaho x now clean this mirror Bitch lol 💋"

Entrance Order

1	Art Simone
2	Maxi Shield
3	Jojo Zaho
4	Elektra Shock
5	Scarlet Adams
6	Coco Jumbo
7	Kita Mean
8	Etcetera Etcetera
9	Anita Wigl'it
10	Karen From Finance

Runway Inspirations

Contestant	Hometown
Anita Wigl'it	Leigh
Art Simone	Melbourne
Coco Jumbo	Coffs Harbour
Elektra Shock	Auckland
Etcetera Etcetera	Canberra
Jojo Zaho	Newcastle
Karen From Finance	Melbourne
Kita Mean	Auckland
Maxi Shield	Ballina
Scarlet Adams	Perth

Episode 2: "Snatch Game"

Airdate: May 8, 2021

Synopsis: It’s the time we’ve all been waiting for, as the queen’s don their best celebrity get-up to compete in the infamous celebrity impression Olympics. It’s Snatch Game, baby!

Special Guests: Kylie Minogue and Danni Minogue
Maxi Challenge: Snatch Game
Runway Theme: Sea Sickening
Maxi Challenge Winner: Anita Wigl'it
Maxi Challenge Prize: $5,000 tip from Barefoot Wine Australia
Bottom Two: Art Simone and Coco Jumbo
Lip Sync Song: "I'm That Bitch" by RuPaul
Eliminated: Art Simone
Farewell Message: "P.S WATCH Highway to heel! REDЯUM ♡ ART Karen bring home that crown ♡"

Snatch Game Characters

Contestant	Celebrity
Karen From Finance	Dolly Parton
Art Simone	Bindi Irwin
Coco Jumbo	Lizzo
Anita Wigl'it	Elizabeth II (credited as "Queen Lizzy II")
Scarlet Adams	Jennifer Coolidge
Elektra Shock	Catherine O'Hara (as Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek)
Maxi Shield	Magda Szubanski (as Lynne Postlethwaite from The D-Generation)
Etcetera Etcetera	Lindy Chamberlain
Kita Mean	Dr. Seuss

Episode 3: "Queens Down Under"

Airdate: May 15, 2021

Synopsis: The queens are split in two, as they compete in the ultimate girl group sing-off.

Special Guests: Leland and Troye Sivan
Mini Challenge: Show their best slow-motion surf rescue
Mini Challenge Winner: Scarlet Adams and Elektra Shock
Mini Challenge Prize: A $2,500 gift card from Glitter au Gogo to Scarlet and a $2,500 gift card from Philman's WerqShop to Elektra
Maxi Challenge: Record vocals and perform in a girl group number for the original song "Queens Down Under"
Runway Theme: Bogan Prom Realness
Maxi Challenge Winner: Scarlet Adams
Maxi Challenge Prize: Custom prosthetic piece from BODYFX worth $4,500
Bottom Two: Coco Jumbo and Elektra Shock
Lip Sync Song: "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches & Herb
Eliminated: Coco Jumbo
Farewell Message: "I ♡ You My Sisters The Party 💋 STARTS 💋 NOW!!! ♡ Jumbo!! PS WATCH OUT Bitch!"

"Queens Down Under"

Girl Group	Outback Fake-Hoes	Three and a Half Men
Contestants	Anita Wigl'it	Elektra Shock
	Coco Jumbo	Karen From Finance
	Etcetera Etcetera	Kita Mean
	Scarlet Adams	Maxi Shield

Episode 4: "Rucycled"

Airdate: May 22, 2021

Synopsis: The queens are put through their paces with a sewing challenge that has them showcasing their best thrift flip.

Guest Judge: Elz Carrad
Returned: Art Simone
Maxi Challenge: Use crusty castoffs from an op-shop to create their own runway looks.
Maxi Challenge Winner: Scarlet Adams
Maxi Challenge Prize: $2,500 gift card from Elea's Closet
Bottom Two: Karen From Finance and Anita Wigl'it
Lip Sync Song: "I Begin To Wonder" by Dannii Minogue
Eliminated: Anita Wigl'it
Farewell Message: "To my beautiful Queens, You are everything to me! I came in with 3 Kiwi sisters and leave with a whole Australian sister-hood. Never forget my Dry Ass Pussy!! Anita P.S: See you in two weeks in the trash!!"

Episode 5: "Marketing Hats"

Airdate: May 29, 2021

Synopsis: The queens put their marketing hats on, as they are given the challenge to create and market a product, green screen infomercial and all.

Special Guest: Suzanne Paul
Guest Judge: Rena Owen
Mini Challenge: Reading is Fundamental
Mini Challenge Winner: Art Simone
Mini Challenge Prize: A state-of-the-art sewing machine from Singer
Maxi Challenge: Create and market their own brand of yeast spread
Runway Theme: Finest Sheila in the Bush
Maxi Challenge Winner: Elektra Shock
Maxi Challenge Prize: A luxury four-night stay at a Sofitel property of her choice
Bottom Two: Maxi Shield and Etcetera Etcetera
Lip Sync Song: "Absolutely Everybody" by Vanessa Amorosi
Eliminated: Etcetera Etcetera
Farewell Message: "YIPEE YIPEE! TRANS PEOPLE DESERVE MORE! I LOVE YOU BITCHES ♡ ETC THE GLAMOUR BUG xo"

Yeast Spread

Contestant	Yeast Spread
Art Simone	Art's Yeast Yank Extractor
Elektra Shock	Topped
Etcetera Etcetera	Piss
Karen From Finance	Discharge
Kita Mean	Yeasty Nuts
Maxi Shield	Hornbag Yeast Concentrate
Scarlet Adams	Snatch

Episode 6: "Family Resemblance"

Airdate: June 5, 2021

Synopsis: Can you see the family resemblance? The queens are challenged to makeover and raise their very own drag family members, out of drag first timers.

Special Guests: Aunty Donna
Mini Challenge: Whatcha Packin' Down Under?
Mini Challenge Winner: Maxi Shield
Mini Challenge Prize: $2,000 gift card from Amped Accessories
Maxi Challenge: Transform sportsmen into drag queens
Runway Theme: Drag Family Resemblance
Maxi Challenge Winner: Kita Mean
Maxi Challenge Prize: A $2,500 prize package from House of Priscilla for Kita, and a $1,500 gift card from DailyJocks for Feta
Bottom Two: Maxi Shield and Scarlet Adams
Lip Sync Song: "Better The Devil You Know" by Kylie Minogue
Eliminated: Maxi Shield
Farewell Message: "I HAD TO STAND ON A STOOL TO WRITE THIS! I ❤ you All So much MAXI xx"

Makeovers

Contestant	Makeover Partner
Contestant	Name	Drag Name
Art Simone	Jonah	Craft Simone
Elektra Shock	Fara	Riri Action
Karen From Finance	Wolf	Debbie From Reception
Kita Mean	Carl	Feta Mean
Maxi Shield	Dan	Cilla Wet
Scarlet Adams	Brad	Sapphire Adams

Episode 7: "Talent Show Extravaganza"

Airdate: June 12, 2021

Synopsis: The queens compete in a talent show and attempt to cement their place in the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.

Special Guests: Raven and The Veronicas
Maxi Challenge: Compete in a Talent Show
Runway Theme: How's Your Head, Piece?
Maxi Challenge Winner: Scarlet Adams
Maxi Challenge Prize: A custom line of merchandise and a $5,000 cash tip
Bottom Two: Elektra Shock and Kita Mean
Lip Sync Song: "Untouched" by The Veronicas
Eliminated: Elektra Shock
Farewell Message: "only 1 queen could beat me... and that's the Winner of Rupauls Drag Race Down under ✧ Kia Kaha. THANK YOU Elektra SHOCK ☆"

Talent Show

Contestant	Talent	"Who Should Go Home Tonight?"
Karen From Finance	Ballooning	Elektra Shock
Art Simone	Contemporary Mouth Art	Elektra Shock
Kita Mean	Quick Change Magic	Elektra Shock
Scarlet Adams	Pole Dancing	Elektra Shock
Elektra Shock	Modern Dance	Art Simone

Finalists

Contestant	Challenge Wins	Up for Elimination
	0	1 (Ep. 2)
	1 (Ep. 1)	1 (Ep. 4)
	1 (Ep. 6)	1 (Ep. 7)
	3 (Eps. 3, 4, 7)	1 (Ep. 6)

Episode 8: "Down Under Grand Finale"

Airdate: June 19, 2021

Synopsis: The final queens write their own verses to RuPaul’s “I'm a Winner, Baby” and compete to be crowned winner of the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.

Special Guest: Olivia Newton-John and Chloe Lattanzi
Main Challenge: Write, sing and perform the Down Under version of RuPaul's song "I'm a Winner, Baby"
Runway Theme: Best Drag
Lip Sync Song: "Physical" by Olivia-Newton-John
Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1: Kita Mean
Runners-Up: Art Simone, Karen From Finance and Scarlet Adams

Gallery

Check out the lookbook gallery to see the contestants' looks from each episode.

Check out the lookbook gallery to see the contestants' planned looks for each episode.

Check out the video gallery to see challenge performances, runways, lip syncs and more!

Trivia

Drag Race Down Under is the first season:
- To have Snatch Game as the second competitive episode on a regular season.
- To have the lowest Tops to Bottoms ratio, with 1:6 during the Snatch Game.
- To feature a contestant of:
  - Fijian descent, Coco Jumbo.
  - Lebanese descent, Etcetera Etcetera.
  - Indigenous Australian descent, Jojo Zaho.
Drag Race Down Under is the second season:
- To feature Indigenous Oceanian contestants (Coco and Jojo), after Brita.
- To have contestants who were previously involved in another drag competition series, Anita Wigl'it, Kita Mean and Elektra Shock.
  - Elektra was a runner-up on House of Drag Season 2, which Anita and Kita judged.
  - The first being The Switch Drag Race Season 2, which Gia Gunn and Kandy Ho competed on.
- To have the promotional looks be the same as the entrance looks, the first being RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 5.
- To feature contestants from Down Under after RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 with Courtney Act.
- Where a contestant, Elektra Shock, referred to someone as the winner in their lipstick message and it ended up coming true later in the season.
  - This happened on Season 3 with Mariah Paris Balenciaga's message about Raja winning.
- To have an eliminated contestant return, reach the finale and place as one of the runners-up, after Kandy Zyanide and Kana Warrior.
- In the Drag Race franchise to have a three-way tie in placements after The Switch Drag Race Season 2, in which Gia Gunn, Pavel Arámbula and Sofía Camará placed as runners-up (2nd/3rd/4th). In this season's case, Art Simone, Karen From Finance and Scarlet Adams all placed as runners-up (2nd/3rd/4th).
- To feature a full cast of contestants with first and last names, the first being RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8
Drag Race Down Under is the fourth season hosted by RuPaul to have a Runway Challenge in the first episode after RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9, RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1 and RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2.
- This is also the second season to have RuPaul judge the Challenge out of drag, after RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9.
- All of these episodes also had two runway categories, with one of them always being "Hometown".
Drag Race Down Under has the second earliest Snatch Game in all of the Drag Race franchise, tied with All Stars 2.
- Both of their Snatch Game’s were on the second episode of their respective seasons.
  - This will also be the largest earliest Snatch Game, as All Stars 2 only had 8 contestants doing the Snatch Game.
Drag Race Down Under has the earliest instance of two Maxi Challenge winners in the bottom two together, with Karen From Finance and Anita Wigl'it lip-syncing against each other in episode 4.
According to a deleted tweet made by Art Simone, the lip sync between her and Coco Jumbo was recorded three times.^[3] This was subtly confirmed by Maxi Shield.^[4]
Art Simone revealed in an interview that the season was only filmed in 2.5 weeks and there weren't any days off during filming.^[5]
This season has produced a total of one returning contestant:
- Anita Wigl'it, who also competed on Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs The World Season 1, where she placed 8th.
Every contestant who placed in the top in Episodes 1 & 6 placed in the bottom the following episode.

References

↑ RuPaul's Drag Race Australia announced host - Pink News
↑ RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under premieres this year on WOW Presents Plus - World of Wonder.com
↑ Reddit
↑ "Drag Her! Podcast (at 15:30)
↑ Live From Rupaul's DragCon 2022 - An Interview with Art Simone

Navigation

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1
Winner	Kita Mean
Runners-Up	2nd, 3rd & 4th: Art Simone, Karen From Finance & Scarlet Adams
Other Contestants	5th: Elektra Shock • 6th: Maxi Shield • 7th: Etcetera Etcetera • 8th: Anita Wigl'it • 9th: Coco Jumbo • 10th: Jojo Zaho
Host	RuPaul
Judges	Michelle Visage • Rhys Nicholson • RuPaul
Pit Crew	Max Currie • Sean Walters • Rod Tian

Drag Race Franchise

Series
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Spin-Off Series
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Specials

[pinknews-1] RuPaul's Drag Race Australia announced host - Pink News

[wow-2] RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under premieres this year on WOW Presents Plus - World of Wonder.com

[Reddit-3] Reddit

[Drag_Her!_Podcast_(at_18:00)-4] "Drag Her! Podcast (at 15:30)

[YouTube-5] Live From Rupaul's DragCon 2022 - An Interview with Art Simone

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