At the Olympia, in Paris, on August 28, France 2 broadcast the All Stars finale of Drag Race France: Mami Watta), 26 years old, emerged victorious against Elips at the end of a lip-sync tournament, leaving with a crown, scepter, and 30,000 euros. Beyond the crowning, the highlight remains the speech by Soa de Muse ("Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo") kept in the edit, reminding us of the political impact of drag.
Drag Race France: an established franchise
Born in 2022, Drag Race France is the French adaptation of the contest imagined by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, brought to France by Nicky Doll. Produced by Endemol France, Shake Shake Shake, and World of Wonder, the show is broadcast on France 2 and france.tv, with international relay on WOW Presents Plus. Weekly, the show mixes mini-challenges (improv, reading, photo) and maxi-challenges (sewing, comedy, musical, performance). The lip-sync for your life decides the risky weeks.
After three regular seasons of Drag Race France (Paloma 2022, Keiona 2023, Le Filip 2024), the franchise has established itself in the television landscape. In 2025, the first French season of All Stars brings together 10 iconic queens for a strategic and spectacular rematch.
What changes with Drag Race France All Stars
The "legendary" version of the format, All Stars intensifies the drama: tight rankings, frequent duels, high-intensity decisions. Nicky Doll remains the master of ceremonies, supported by Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, and Shy’m. Expected classics (Talent Show, Snatch Game, Ball, Roast, Girl Groups) and runway themes punctuate the season.
The finale is based on a lip-sync tournament: random draw of duels, then a super finale for the crown. A setup that tests endurance, precision, and the sense of body storytelling.
Drag Race France All Stars finale at the Olympia
Recorded on August 21 at L’Olympia and broadcast on August 28, 2025 late at night on France 2, the conclusion of All Stars took on the air of a concert. In front of 2,000 people, the production recorded two endings, one for each finalist, to maintain suspense until the broadcast. On stage, the quartet Elips, Mami Watta, Misty Phoenix, and Piche showcased choreography, costume reveals, humor, and precise couture.
In the duels, Elips triumphed over Piche on "Born to Be Alive" (Patrick Hernandez). Mami Watta dominated Misty Phoenix on "Kongolese sous BBL" (Theodora). In the super finale, Mami Watta faced Elips on "Abracadabra" and seized the crown.
Yesterday, on air: the film of a night
11:20 PM–11:25 PM: opening credits, entrance of Nicky Doll. The audience chants "Mami!" then "Elips!".
11:30 PM: first duel. Elips delivers a surgical lip-sync, sculpted silhouettes, and haute couture reference poses.
11:45 PM: second duel. Mami Watta invokes the ballroom, stretches lines, delivers sharp reveals, accelerates the pace.
After midnight: archive footage, testimonies from loved ones, unique trajectories between harassment, exiles, reconciliations.
Super finale: on "Abracadabra", Mami Watta imposes the narrative, Elips responds with precision. Standing ovation, embrace, confetti.
Mami Watta, a victory that resonates
At 26 years old, Mami Watta, a Franco-Ivorian artist revealed in season 2, claims the All Stars crown. She leaves with a crown, scepter, and 30,000 euros. This season, she achieved three victories (including Talent Show, Girl Groups, and Roast) and sharp looks, without losing sight of an intimate narrative: Catholic family in Abidjan, move to France, law studies, settling in Saint-Denis, diving into the ballroom and Parisian drag scene.
Her name draws from West African myths that she reappropriates. On set, she speaks of assertion and vulnerabilities transformed into strength. The triumph tells the story of a generation that crafts models and uses clothing as armor. Moreover, she invests the public space with bodies long relegated to the background.
And after the crown?
Next is the Drag Race France All Stars Live tour, bookings in clubs and festivals, fashion capsules, TV appearances, and residencies. The franchise has proven it can propel: Mami Watta follows in this path, a figure of the diaspora and a role model for a youth seeking its words.
Soa de Muse, a microphone for geopolitics
Winner or not, the evening’s standout moment is signed by Soa de Muse. During interviews dedicated to non-finalist participants, she declares: "Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo". France 2 keeps the excerpt and broadcasts it. On social media, the decision is praised. A reminder: in 2025, the art of drag remains a political language. The stage is not just a podium; it’s a platform where intimate stories and current events converge.
Ten queens, from season 1 to All Stars
- Elips (season 1, Miss Congeniality) — Stylist-poet. Architectured silhouettes, fashion references, surgical precision in lip-sync, All Stars finalist.
- Misty Phoenix (season 3) — Formidable comedian. Sense of camp, well-crafted characters, humor that hits the mark.
- Piche (season 2) — Rapper-dancer. Camp looks and raw energy, her music career has grown, even reaching the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she shared behind-the-scenes stories.
- Magnetica (season 3) — High-tension performer. Glam and spectacular drag, editorial makeup.
- Soa de Muse (season 1, finalist) — Militant voice. Afro-punk aesthetic, cabaret, political storytelling.
- Punani (season 2) — Romantic couture, dry humor, iconic duo with Rose in season 2, a palette of "against-type" characters.
- La Big Bertha (season 1) — Political body. Burlesque, tenderness, stage magnetism.
- Kam Hugh (season 1) — Makeup technique, pop references, self-mockery.
- Moon (season 2, Miss Congeniality) — Lyrical poetry, precise gestures, emerging sensitivity, eliminated at the gates of the finale.
- Mami Watta (season 2, All Stars winner) — Ivorian drag reinvented. Ballroom, humor, and fashion storytelling.
The host and the jury: who does what
Nicky Doll stays the course: host, mentor, referee in the finale. The 2025 jury combines television and fashion: Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, and Shy’m. At the table, guests from music, cinema, and pop culture; an expected nod to Thomas Jolly. The lineup offers a cross-view: show, couture, writing.
The numbers and reception: late at night, strong online
Slot after 11 PM on linear TV, strong digital audiences. This season, the production claims 700,000 views on average per episode (broadcast + digital). Additionally, it boasts 62% consumption on france.tv. Furthermore, it reaches 45.3% audience share among 25-34 year-olds. Finally, it totals 98 million video views (+35% vs. the previous season). Meanwhile, the franchise has an IMDB rating around 9.1/10 and international visibility via WOW Presents Plus.
The viewing parties ecosystem fueled the summer: bars, venues, and queer stages hosted collective viewings, often paired with shows and meet & greets. For the finale, the atmosphere was a "chorus" of watching, commenting, and shouting.
Why drag queens in France have cultural weight
In three years, the show has popularized the art of drag and exposed its codes: ballroom, makeup, couture, lip-sync, pop icons. It has routinized identity narratives and gender expressions that were previously scattered, offering a space for staging and re-appropriations.
For France Télévisions, broadcasting Drag Race France is an inclusive and creative offer on free-to-air and streaming. When a queen talks about family, exile, insecurity, joys, she creates reference points. When Soa de Muse brings the world to the stage, she reminds us that everything here can become political.
The ecosystem continues beyond the screen
The All Stars season is accompanied by a live tour of the headliners, with stops in large venues (up to Accor Arena). Alongside: "Meet the Queens", workshop bonuses, chaptered replays, podcasts, and social media extensions.
Drag houses and collectives (ballroom, cabaret, local scenes) benefit from the halo: residencies, festivals, invitations. Fashion fuels the runway: emerging designers and tributes to icons (from Grace Jones to haute couture). The soundtrack mixes French disco, international pop, queer hits, and urban scenes.
What we didn’t see on screen
Before the recording, audience warm-up and instructions. Between acts: tight technical changes. The protocol of two recorded endings kept the community on edge until the broadcast.
And now?
France 2 has not yet officialized the next regular season. Given the public’s appetite, a return in 2026 seems likely. Additionally, the international potential strengthens this possibility. Moreover, the community power is a favorable factor. However, this remains subject to budgetary and scheduling decisions.
Useful references
- Format and broadcast: France 2 in the second/late evening, full episodes on france.tv, international: WOW Presents Plus.
- Jury: Nicky Doll (host), Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, Shy’m.
- Drag Race France All Stars 2025 finale: August 28, L’Olympia (recorded August 21). Mami Watta winner, Elips finalist.
- Prizes: 30,000 euros, crown, and scepter.
- Memorable moments: Soa de Muse‘s on-air statement, lip-sync duels "Born to Be Alive", "Kongolese sous BBL", "Abracadabra".
