From Baroness Basic to the Queen of the Mothertucking World, Tia Kofi has proven that a glow up is all it takes to win RuPaul’s Drag Race! Equipped with an already perfect arsenal of wit and camp, Tia came back to RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World 2 improving her runway looks, returning stronger than ever. Shedding the stress, having fun, and making RuPaul laugh helped Tia become victorious in the end of the reality competition series. It must feel amazing with a crown on your head!
All the way back in Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Tia Kofi was the immediate voice of the season. She served as the comedic narrator throughout her journey, often bringing self-deprecating humor to her talking-head confessionals. Her quick wit and brilliant sense of humor kept her time on the show alive, but her runways were sadly the element of the program that let her down. Whether looking like a sad pigeon when trying to read as a prehistoric pterodactyl or bringing an ice cream cone costume to the main stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, without an elevated wardrobe, her first run on the program was not going to be as successful as she had hoped. Where she did succeed in that first run was cementing herself as a beloved prodigy of RuPaul’s. Ru had taken an immediate liking to Tia and wanted to see her shine, even telling her she could be a model if she had her team of 50 working with her. While she may have left the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK with the title of Baroness Basic and an infamous “adequate” dress that she wore on her body, Tia had full All Star potential. Her ability to glow up was all it would take for her to return to the program and become victorious. Tia’s now fully realized Drag Race package was exactly what was needed in order to crown her the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World 2.
Tia Kofi Used Critiques to Her Advantage
Getting a call for an All Star season or the recently crafted “Vs the World” format is a big deal for any Ru girl. No matter where they participated around the globe, it’s quite an honor to be asked back to participate in another season of Drag Race. Timing is everything, and for Tia Kofi, the second edition of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World was just the right moment. The first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World was a massive success. The fandom got their chance at seeing their international favorites compete against each other for the first time. Utilizing the infamous All Stars rules where the top two queens of the week gave the chop to the bottom contestant of their choice, the season was known for savage eliminations, including the premature departure of future RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner Jimbo and fan favorite Drag Race Thailand host Pangina Heals. Of course, the surefire way to ensure your safety from elimination is to win. And for Tia Kofi, she took her critiques from her original season and utilized them to her benefit.
Coming out of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK series 2, Tia knew that should a second appearance ever happen, she needed to improve her runway game up to the max. With an already winning personality, it was time to sell the garments to the judges. For the first runway of the season, Tia came out in a breathtaking gown that represented her mother and father and their culture. Her newfound confidence on the main stage was immediately noted by the judges’ panel. With a new sense of style coming to the stage, a new era of Tia Kofi was born. Week after week, Tia continued to improve on where she faltered originally, and pleasantly surprised Ru, Michelle Visage, and the rest of the panel. In a situation from her original season, her runway was usually the thing that held her back from a maxi challenge win. And this was not the case during this season. She even redeemed the adequate dress during the finale with a stunning reinterpretation.
Tia Kofi Rose to the Challenge
A huge part of winning a season of RuPaul’s Drag Race is to accumulate a series of wins throughout the season. During the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Tia Kofi was winless. She was never able to secure a RuPater Badge. Thankfully, she was able to turn that around on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World 2. Her first victory of the season came during the Drag Race World Immersive Experience advert challenge. Tia was already known as a comedy queen. She had an ease about her when it came to making people laugh. But what she did in this particular challenge was use her comedy chop, self-deprecation, and references to her original run on the show and use them to write a perfectly written advertisement. Her innate ability to know her brand and lack of fear to mock herself captured a top two placement for the week. Knowing yourself as an artist is essential to winning Drag Race, and she proved this was just one step closer to wearing that crown. The following week, trauma came to fruition as Snatch Game was the challenge that sent her home originally. Originally taking on Mel B, aka Scary Spice, on Season 2, Tia went historical this time around, portraying one of Henry VIII’s beheaded ex-wives, Anne Boelyn. With a hilarious costume with her beheaded head literally in her hands, combined with her quick wit and Drag Race references, Tia cracked RuPaul up enough to get her top two placement and the lip sync win.
With two more wins to her name as the season progressed, both of which fit in her artistic wheelhouse, Tia entered the finale exceptionally placed. Her track record was one of the strongest of the season. She showed improvement and displayed what she learned from her first appearance. Throughout the season, she served as a reliable narrator, as well as led many discussions during the mirror talk portion prior to the runway. She was able to open up to her fellow queens and the fans by sharing about how the loss of both her mother and her Season 2 sister Cherry Valentine affected her. Her moments of vulnerability were incredibly endearing, and allowed her to achieve a well-rounded character arc that was ripe for a crown. When it comes to returning queen seasons, it’s not always important to be the best of the best. Showing growth and development as a drag artist is almost as equally important. And for Tia, that was a huge reason why victory was hers. She displayed that hard work post show and dedication to her craft can and should be rewarded.
Tia Kofi’s ‘Drag Race UK vs the World 2’ Win Is Important for Visibility
Drag Race has become an international phenomenon. It has been a program that has given the queer community an immense platform to share their stories and art through a mainstream lens. By providing a voice to a community, many viewers have had a chance to see themselves through the contestants they see on their screens. When it comes to all the winners of the British franchise, they are all worthy of their crown, offering their own unique interpretation of the art of drag. Whether their journey focused on fashion, comedy, or all of the above, the previous winners did have a common theme. But with Tia Kofi’s victory, something had changed. Tia is the first artist of color to be crowned on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. To minimize this fact would be unfair. Tia’s win helps boost a lesser represented community in the drag scene, especially on the program itself. Her win is inspiring to other artists of color who can see themselves in her, a winner of the biggest drag competition on the planet.
For a franchise like RuPaul’s Drag Race with an international draw and series across the globe, representation is integral. Drag Race is such an important program that spotlights the voices of an already underrepresented community on television. When viewers are afforded the opportunity to see individuals like themselves, it has an incredible impact. Having a queen of color as the ultimate winner is powerful. Having a bearded queen as the ultimate winner is powerful. Having a transgender winner as the ultimate winner is powerful. The list continues, it goes on and on. As the franchise continues to grow and expand, there will be more and more firsts as far as presence and representation. It’s only time when fans may have their wish granted to see a drag king competing somewhere in the Drag Race Cinematic Universe.
International All-Stars Will Keep ‘Drag Race’ Alive
Tia Kofi had some stiff competition on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World 2. From queens from the flagship franchise to those who participated in non-English speaking global versions, this season was a celebration of high drag and beautiful visibility. And they ALL came to win. Fans were granted an opportunity to meet artists they may not have been familiar with prior to their appearance. For some, watching a show in another language is not a draw, even despite their love for the art form of drag. The beauty of a “vs the World” format is a new fan base is formed for the international queens that may inspire them to go back and watch their original seasons. The international franchises get their chance to shine. On the first edition of the series, Janey Jacke from Drag Race Holland was an unknown compared to many on her cast but ended up becoming a massive fan favorite, encouraging fans to want to see more, likely inspiring Drag Race Holland 2’s Keta Minaj’s appearance on the following season. Marina Summers from Drag Race Philippines and La Grande Dame from Drag Race France became front-runners during the season, making it all the way to the finale. Both queens walked away as fan favorites, with many begging to see them again somehow, somewhere! Arantxa Castilla-LaMancha may have only lasted two episodes, but the Drag Race España star was crowned Miss Congeniality, a major honor to be bestowed. And a title that usually is not given out on an All-Star style season. Drag Race UK vs the World inspired Canada’s Drag Race vs the World. With both programs’ massive success, surely other international franchises will follow suit. Can you imagine the brilliant cast that could be compiled for Drag Race España vs the World?! It would be a celebration of the amazing Spanish-speaking queens from around the globe. If you need a cast, I’ve got it ready!
Drag Race UK vs the World 2 has been one of the strongest seasons in the franchise. Even with a lack of brutal eliminations and cutthroat decisions, the season was a celebration of international drag and queer individuals coming together to speak the language of drag. Tia Kofi is a welcome addition to the winner’s circle. She will be a brilliant face of the franchise who is bound to use her victory to reach the next pinnacle. Already with an exceptional catalog of original music and making guest appearances on various programs, like dressing up as Ru herself on The Weakest Link, the next frontier for Tia is bound to be incredible. Perhaps a run as Anne Boeyln in Six the Musical in the West End, representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, or a stint as a companion on Doctor Who, the opportunities are endless for Tia Kofi. The future is bright, and we can’t wait to see what she does next! Congrats diva!
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World 2 is available to stream on WOW Presents Plus. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 airs Fridays at 8:00pm on MTV.