Jinkx Monsoon blows the roof off ‘Drag Race’ finale with ‘Chicago’ song

The season 5 and All Stars 7 winner wowed the season 15 finale crowd as she sang “When You’re Good to Mama” from her hit Broadway production.

When you’re good to Mama Ru, Mama Ru is good to you.

Upon joining the Chicago cast at the top of 2023, Jinkx became the first drag artist to play Mama Morton — a role inhabited by Queen Latifah in the Best Picture-winning 2002 movie adaptation — on the Great White Way. The Drag Race alum earned stellar reviews for her performance, and reportedly increased ticket sales exponentially during her tenure with the show.

Following the performance, RuPaul joined the two-time Drag Race champ onstage and presented a throwback clip of Jinkx’s Tic Tac lunch from season 5, which aired in 2013, that featured the queen being asked about her career goals. “It’s been my life dream, ever since I started doing drag, to do drag on Broadway,” past Jinkx shared in the clip.

“Well, dreams really do come true,” RuPaul said to an emotional Jinkx watching the clip at Friday’s finale.

“Ru, thank you for all that you have done for me and for drag queens everywhere and for the world of drag,” present-day Jinkx said. “It’s like drag gave me a path to make my dreams come true. … It’s amazing when you know what you’re supposed to be and you fight for the ability to be that, and then you be that, and it’s exactly who you’re supposed to be.”

“I’m so proud of you. It’s wonderful,” Ru could be heard whispering to Jinkx as they parted.

In addition to Jinkx’s her-storic starring role on the New York City stage, the entertainer will next appear on stage around the world on her Everything at Stake tour, before she makes her debut in a major role on the beloved BBC series Doctor Who.

“I’m going to find the parallels between the witch hunts that existed in the olden days, when women were persecuted for taking on the patriarchy, and the parallels happening right now with the queer, trans, and LGBTQIA community — the witch hunt we’re experiencing as we take on the patriarchy,” Jinkx recently told EW’s Quick Drag podcast of the upcoming tour.

“It’s [called] Everything at Stake because this is the most attention I’ve had on me in some time, and I want to show the world why I deserve that attention. That’s where it started, and since coming to this title, the world continues to be a f—ing s— show. And the title now has multiple meanings, of course, that will find its way into my work for this tour. I’m too loud-mouthed and opinionated for me not to bring what’s going on in the world into my work.”

Watch Jinkx’s performance above.

Subscribe to EW’s Quick Drag podcast for recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race, including reactions with the cast, special guests, and more.

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