RuPaul’s Drag Race is about to grace our screens again for a seventeenth season of the flagship US franchise, with a host of queens from all over the country vying to become America’s Next Drag Superstar. While the songs featured in the show’s signature “lip sync for your life” head-to-head challenge are mostly dance-pop and R&B, drag has its forays into heavy music from time to time, albeit removed from the Drag Race stage.
Alaska Thunderfuck, season five runner-up and All Stars season two champion, is no stranger to 2000s nostalgia, as evidenced by her song “XOXOY2K” from her most recent album Red for Filth. Turns out the Glamtronian diva likes herself some turn of the millennium hard rock as well, as video has surfaced of Alaska covering Creed’s hit “Higher” live.
@jblu93 Blonde Alaska is the best Alaska. #alaskathunder5000 #alaskadragqueen #rupauldragrace #dragrace #alaska
♬ original sound - the queeniest queen
While Alaska’s style is usually campy and tongue-in-cheek, her voice is spot-on for the track. No amount of internet sleuthing has led to finding the name of the guitarist in this clip, but props to her and the paid actor that was her hat that fell off during the chorus.
No studio version of the cover has been released to this point, nor has there been an official release for it. Now that the Nineties have overtaken the Eighties as the touchstone decade for nostalgia, though, perhaps Alaska will take the hint and take us higher before long.
There is, however, a ballad version which was allegedly filmed by Drag Race season fifteen champion and your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen Sasha Colby which has surfaced as well:
@jblu93 This video was filmed by our current reigning, queen Sasha Colby. #alaskathunder5000 #sashacolby #alaskadragqueen #rupaulsdragrace #dragrace #alaska
♬ original sound - the queeniest queen
RuPaul’s Drag Race will air its seventeenth season on MTV beginning on Friday, January 3rd. Past seasons can be streamed on Paramount+.
