Culture

Drag Race Holland season 2 winner makes herstory

By Sam Damshenas

24th September 2021

The winner of the second season of Drag Race Holland has just made herstory for the series.

Spoiler alert – obviously. 

Following eight weeks of lip-sync smackdowns and fierce runway presentations, as well as maxi-challenges such as the iconic Snatch Game, Drag Race Holland crowned its season two winner in an epic grand finale.

Although Keta Minaj was leading the race with three maxi-challenge wins, more than the rest of her competitors, she was defeated in a lip-sync to Vivaldi and sashayed away in fourth place – setting the stage for an unpredictable finale.

For their final challenge, Vanessa Van Cartier, My Little Puny and Vivaldi were tasked with writing lyrics, singing and dancing in the music video for Vieren for Famke Louise, before stomping down the runway in their best drag.

Season one winner Envy Peru, who also guest-starred in the first season of Drag Race Espana, made her ruturn as a guest judge, where she assisted host Fred Van Leer in crowning a new queen. It was a family reunion for Envy, too, as Vanessa is one of her drag mothers (Tabitha, who reached fifth place, is also her mother).

Ultimately, the decision dwindled down to Vanessa and My Little Puny. After the pair lip-synced the house down (it was severe) to This Is My Life to Shirley Bassey, Fred crowned Vanessa as the Next Dutch Drag Superstar. The star wins €15,000, a crown and sceptre from Fierce Drag Jewels, her own stage at Milkshake Festival 2022 in Amsterdam and a beauty editorial in the Dutch edition of Cosmopolitan.

With her win, Vanessa made herstory as the first transgender champion of Drag Race Holland. She now joins the likes of Angele Anang (Drag Race Thailand season two) and Kylie Sonique Love (Drag Race All Stars 6) as the Drag Race franchise’s transgender winners.

Viewers celebrated Vanessa’s win, as well as Drag Race’s more recent celebration of drag artists that aren’t exclusively cis gay men.

“Kylie Sonique Love won All Stars 6, Vanessa Van Cartier just won Drag Race Holland,” one fan tweeted. “Can you imagine if Victoria Scone wins Drag Race UK?! 2021, year of women doing drag!” 

“Condragulations to the winner of Drag Race Holland season 2,” said another. “Such an incredible talent with a story to match. Bon lashans!”

Check out the reactions below.

Congratulations Vanessa!

Catch Vanessa Van Cartier in Drag Race Holland S2, available exclusively on WOW Presents Plus. Subscribe by clicking here.