Credits: Léna / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0.
At the Olympia in Paris on August 28, France 2 aired the All Stars finale of Drag Race France: Mami Watta, 26 years old, came out on top against Elips at the end of a lip-sync tournament, leaving with the crown, scepter, and €30,000. Beyond the title, the standout moment remains Soa de Muse’s statement (“Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo”), kept in the edit, a reminder of drag’s political weight.
Drag Race France: A Franchise That’s Now Established
Launched in 2022, Drag Race France is the French adaptation of the competition imagined by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, led in France by Nicky Doll. Produced by Endemol France, Shake Shake Shake, and World of Wonder, the show airs on France 2 and france.tv, with an international run on WOW Presents Plus. Airing weekly, the show blends mini-challenges (improv, reading, photo shoots) and maxi-challenges (sewing, comedy, musicals, performance). The lip-sync for your life settles the risky weeks.
After three regular seasons of Drag Race France (Paloma 2022, Keiona 2023, Le Filip 2024), the franchise has become part of the television landscape. In 2025, the first French All Stars season brings together 10 iconic queens for a strategic, spectacular comeback.
What Changes With Drag Race France All Stars
The “legendary” version of the format, All Stars raises the drama: tight rankings, frequent duels, and high-stakes decisions. Nicky Doll remains the host, supported by Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, and Shy’m. Expected classics (Talent Show, Snatch Game, Ball, Roast, Girl Groups) and runway themes set the pace for the season.
The finale hinges on a lip-sync tournament: random draw for the duels, then a super finale for the crown. A setup that tests stamina, precision, and a feel for physical storytelling.
Drag Race France All Stars Finale at the Olympia
Filmed on August 21 at L’Olympia and broadcast on August 28, 2025 late in the evening on France 2, the conclusion of All Stars felt like a concert. In front of 2,000 people, production recorded two endings, one for each finalist, to preserve the suspense until airtime. On stage, the quartet Elips, Mami Watta, Misty Phoenix, and Piche delivered choreography, costume reveals, humor, and razor-sharp sewing.
In the duels, Elips beat Piche on “Born to Be Alive” (Patrick Hernandez). Mami Watta outperformed Misty Phoenix on “Kongolese sous BBL” (Theodora). In the super finale, Mami Watta faced Elips on “Abracadabra” and took the crown.
Yesterday on Air: The Story of One Night
11:20 p.m.–11:25 p.m.: opening credits, Nicky Doll enters. The crowd chants “Mami!” then “Elips!”
11:30 p.m.: first duel. Elips delivers a surgical lip-sync, sculpted silhouettes, and high-fashion reference poses.
11:45 p.m.: second duel. Mami Watta channels the ballroom, lengthens the lines, strings together crisp reveals, and picks up the pace.
After midnight: archival clips, loved ones’ testimonials, singular journeys through harassment, exile, and reconciliation.
Super finale: on “Abracadabra,” Mami Watta takes control of the narrative, Elips отвечает with precision. Standing ovation, embrace, confetti.
Mami Watta, a Victory That Resonates
At 26, Mami Watta, a Franco-Ivorian artist revealed in season 2, takes the All Stars crown. She leaves with the crown, scepter, and €30,000. This season, she earned three wins (including Talent Show, Girl Groups, and Roast) and sharp looks, while never losing sight of an intimate story: a Catholic family in Abidjan, departure for France, law studies, settling in Saint-Denis, a dive into ballroom and the Paris drag scene.
Her name draws from West African myths that she reclaims. On set, she speaks about self-affirmation and fragilities turned into strength. The triumph tells the story of a generation that builds its own models and uses clothing like armor. It also puts bodies long kept out of frame into the public space.
And After the Crown?
What comes next is the Drag Race France All Stars Live tour, club and festival bookings, fashion capsules, TV appearances, and residencies. The franchise has proven it can launch careers: Mami Watta fits into that path, a diaspora figure and role model for a generation looking for words.
Soa de Muse, a Microphone for Geopolitics
Winner or not, the standout moment of the night belongs to Soa de Muse. During the interviews with the non-finalist contestants, she says: “Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo.” France 2 kept the clip and aired it. Online, the decision was 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 urgent current events come together.
Ten Queens, From Season 1 to All Stars
- Elips (season 1, Miss Congeniality) — Stylist-poet. Architectural silhouettes, fashion references, surgical precision in lip-sync, All Stars finalist.
- Misty Phoenix (season 3) — A formidable comedienne. A sharp sense of camp, finely drawn characters, humor that lands.
- Piche (season 2) — Rapper-dancer. Camp looks and raw energy; her music career has grown, all the way to the Paris 2024 Olympics, behind-the-scenes of which she recounted.
- Magnetica (season 3) — A high-voltage performer. Glam and spectacular drag, editorial makeup.
- Soa de Muse (season 1, finalist) — A militant voice. Afro-punk aesthetic, cabaret, political storytelling.
- Punani (season 2) — Romantic couture, deadpan humor, cult duo with Rose in season 2, range of “against-type” characters.
- La Big Bertha (season 1) — Political body. Burlesque, tenderness, stage magnetism.
- Kam Hugh (season 1) — Makeup technique, pop references, self-deprecation.
- Moon (season 2, Miss Congeniality) — Lyrical poetry, precise gestures, visible sensitivity, eliminated just before the finale.
- Mami Watta (season 2, All Stars winner) — Reinvented Ivorian drag. Ballroom, humor, and fashion storytelling.
The Host and the Judges: Who Does What
Nicky Doll keeps things on track: host, mentor, and finals referee. The 2025 panel combines TV and fashion: Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, and Shy’m. At the table, guests from music, film, and pop culture; an expected nod to Thomas Jolly. The lineup offers a crossover perspective: show, couture, writing.
The Numbers and the Response: Late-Night, Huge Online
A post-11 p.m. slot on linear TV, with a strong digital audience share. This season, production claims 700,000 average views per episode (broadcast + digital). It also reports 62% of consumption on france.tv. In addition, it reached a 45.3% audience share among 25–34-year-olds. Finally, it totaled 98 million video views (+35% vs. the previous season). At the same time, the franchise has an IMDB score around 9.1/10 and international visibility via WOW Presents Plus.
The watch party ecosystem fueled the summer: bars, venues, and queer spaces hosted group viewings, often paired with shows and meet-and-greets. For the finale, the mood was all about the chorus: we watch, we comment, we scream.
Why Drag Queens Matter Culturally in France
In three years, the show has popularized the art of drag and exposed its codes: ballroom, makeup, couture, lip-sync, pop icons. It has normalized stories of identity and gender expression that were previously scattered, offering a space for staging and reclaiming.
For France Télévisions, airing Drag Race France is an inclusive and creative offering on free-to-air TV and streaming. When a queen speaks about family, exile, insecurity, and joy, she creates points of reference. When Soa de Muse brings the world onto the stage, she reminds us that here, everything can become political.
The Ecosystem Keeps Going Off-Screen
The All Stars season comes with a live tour featuring the headliners, with stops in major venues (up to Accor Arena). Alongside it: “Meet the Queens,” workshop extras, chaptered replays, podcasts, and social media spin-offs.
Drag houses and collectives (ballroom, cabaret, local scenes) benefit from the spotlight: residencies, festivals, invitations. Fashion feeds 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 filming, there was a warm-up and instructions. Between two numbers: tight technical changes. The protocol of the two recorded endings kept the community on edge right up to broadcast.
What’s Next?
France 2 has not yet officially announced the next regular season. Given audience demand, a return in 2026 seems likely. In addition, the international potential strengthens that possibility. Moreover, the community pull is a favorable factor. However, this remains subject to budget and scheduling decisions.
Useful Reference Points
- Format and Broadcast: France 2 in the late-night slot, full season on france.tv, international: WOW Presents Plus.
- Judges: Nicky Doll (host), Daphné Bürki, Loïc Prigent, Shy’m.
- Drag Race France All Stars 2025 Finale: August 28, L’Olympia (filmed August 21). Mami Watta winner, Elips finalist.
- Prizes: €30,000, crown, and scepter.
- Standout Moments: Soa de Muse’s on-air statement, lip-sync duels “Born to Be Alive,” “Kongolese sous BBL,” “Abracadabra.”