"Absolute panic": RuPaul's Drag Race eliminated queen Plasma reflects on werk room experience on season 16

Queen Plasma was eliminated on episode 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race season 16, released on Friday, March 1. The maxi-challenge this week commanded the contestants to put their ace sewing game to full display in yet another design competition, but with a gothic twist. The queens were allowed to use only black, white and grey fabrics to create their new looks for the runway segment.

24-year-old Plasma found herself in the bottom two spots (her first time this season), and was ultimately sent home after the lip-sync face-off with Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige. Post her elimination, the New York City native sat down for an interview with judge Michelle Visage on the chat show Whatcha Packin’ to recall some of her memorable moments from RuPaul's Drag Race.

When asked about what went through her mind while walking inside the series’ werk room for the first time, Plasma made a ‘gagged’ expression before revealing:

“A whole lot of absolute panic, some light nausea, some feelings of accomplishment and also like what the f*ck did I just step in.”

Plasma also shared that she cleared the audition for RuPaul's Drag Race in her very first attempt.

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Plasma reflects on her victories on RuPaul's Drag Race season 16

The New York City queen played safe through most of her stint on the Emmy-winning reality show, garnering two victories under her belt. The reality TV star explained she waited for the right time to make her confident enough to accept the judges’ critiques before deciding to audition. She said:

“I did not want to audition until I felt ready. I wanted to be in a place of self-awareness to be able to receive criticism in a way that would make me stronger and not overwhelm me.”

In addition to this, Plasma credited her grandparents for the victory she achieved during the Sound of Rusic challenge which tested the queens’ abilities to perform musicals in episode 7. “I hate to sound redundant but everything was shrouded in the overwhelming presence of my grandparents,” said Plasma while describing that she grew up watching and loving the musical The Sound of Music.

She recalled:

“When I graduated high school my grandparents and my grandmother, who is no longer with us, wrote me a card that just had the lyrics to Climb Every Mountain in it. I just remember weeping. I wept with gratitude for them choosing a reference in such a pivotal moment in my life that meant so much to me and it was like very profound.”

Her fascination with the musical is what made Plasma not only fight for her role in the play but also win the maxi-challenge.

In episode 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race, after the judges' critiques, Q was announced to be the winner, while Mh'iya and Plasma fell to the bottom. They competed for survival in a lip-sync battle performing Lady Gaga's smash-hit number Bloody Mary. Mh'iya presented some surprising elements in her performance by unveiling a wig cap on stage, followed by executing a series of flips.

In the end, RuPaul announced her final decision by asking Plasma to sashay away, thereby leaving viewers shocked. After Plasma's exit, only seven queens are left behind in the competition series including Dawn, Mhi'ya Iman Le'Paige, Morphine Love Dion, Nymphia Wind, Plane Jane, Q and Sapphira Cristál.

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RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 will return with episode 11, titled Werq the World, next Friday, March 8, 2024, exclusively on MTV.