'Drag Race' Contestants Talk Season 17 (Exclusive)

Shantay, they stay! Just before RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 serves up its grand opening, four kiki queens on their drag family ties to Luxx Noir London, Trinity the Tuck and Irene Dubois, while plotting to leave TS Madison and Michelle Face gagged and gooped.

Source: RuPaul’s Drag Race / MTV

Tonight, queens from across the country will enter the workroom to compete in the Drag Olympics, this time with a twist. As previously reported, this promises to be the splashiest season of HERstory, with 14 Queens competing for the coveted title of America's Next Drag Superstar and a $200,000 cash prize.

Source: RuPaul’s Drag Race / MTV

Things will get particularly interesting with the presence of the Badonka Dunk Tank. After the lip sync, the eliminated queens have one last chance to shantay and stay. The queens will pull one of 10 levers, and if they dunk the fabulous Michelle Visage, they'll snatch immunity and a second chance at the crown. If not, it's indeed time to walk away.

Speaking of Michelle, Daniel Canadaeditor-in-chief of BOSSIP, asked a burning question to candidates Acacia Forgot, Arrietty, Lana Ja'Rae and Sam Star:

“Who were you most nervous about being judged by, and why was it Michelle Visage?”

Lana Ja'Rae responded quickly.

“I feel like Michelle (Visage) stays on my mind,” she said with a smirk. “RuPaul was already obsessed with me before I walked into the workshop, in my mind,” Lana said. “But Michelle is RuPaul’s best friend. So I thought if Michelle likes you, RuPaul will like you. That's how you win.

Arrietty, known for her whimsical style and cartoon-inspired looks, had a different perspective.

“For me, I love Michelle and I feel like I could resonate with her on an '80s level,” she explained. “But TS Madison? I hold her on a pedestal. If she didn't like me, I think I would quit drag forever.

The conversation then turned to the misconceptions surrounding beauty pageant queens, a topic near and dear to Sam Star's rhinestone-studded heart.

“People think we take ourselves too seriously, and sometimes we do,” she admitted. “But what they don’t realize is that beauty pageant queens are multi-talented. Competition teaches you how to communicate, how to handle criticism and how to move on from it. There's so much more beneath the rhinestones.

Acacia Forgot, Arrietty, Lana Ja'Rae and Sam Star Talk Drag Family Legacy

The queens also shared insights from their drag families.

Arrietty, the drag girl from Irene DuBoisrevealed her mother's best advice:

“Be creative, be authentic and have fun because drag is an art form. What about Drag Race? Don't get in your head. It's tough when you're on a competition show, but that's the key.

Lana Ja'Rae, the daughter of the season 15 finalist Luxx Black Londonreflected on the weight of carrying his family's legacy.

“It’s amazing to have Luxx as a mom,” she said. “But it was also anxiety-inducing. I felt like I had to be a finalist because she was. I had to remind myself that my journey is mine and no one can take that away from me.

Sam Star, the southern model/daughter of the iconic co-winner Trinity the Tuckechoed similar sentiments.

“There’s always pressure not to let them down,” she admitted. “But having Trinity on my side gave me an advantage. She shared little tips and mental preparation that I wouldn't have known otherwise. Without her, I don't think I could have achieved it.

Acacia, the season's self-proclaimed country queen, brought the interview home with a fun hypothesis: If she could put any country star in drag, who would it be?

“Lainey Wilson,” she replied without hesitation. “She has the body of a pantsuit, loves her flared jeans and would look so sexy in drag with big blonde hair. I would love to see it!

Whether they're serving looks or spilling tea, Acacia, Arrietty, Lana and Sam are here to kill; watch our exclusive!