My 10 Essential RuPaul Songs

When it comes to music, I will give anything a go, but I am a pop-junkie. Pop often gets decried as disposable, but I love it and its power to make me smile and make me want to dance. RuPaul never fails to evoke those feelings in me.

For those of you that have been following a while, you know that I am a massive geek and track the music I listen to, so to celebrate the imminent premiere of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 11, here are My Top 10 Essential RuPaul songs:

Main Event

This is where it all truly started for me. With the launch of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2009 came the additional release of her fifth studio album and the very first RuPaul album I went on bought on iTunes. Main Event is the lead track and it is a fantastic opening. Ru has since said that the theme of the album was “stepping up to your throne, owning your power, and saying goodbye to playing small”. In all sincerity, this is a theme running through RuPaul’s whole career and a message she shares frequently. It is a high energy, positive and motivational track to get the day, night or anything else started!
From the album ‘Champion’ (2009)

Are You Man Enough?

Sticking out on this list like a terribly clockable wig-line, ‘Are You Man Enough?’ has a distinctly different sound to everything else here. I am a big fan of R&B and this has it in abundance. ‘Red Hot’ as an album was somewhat of a departure for Ru, going in a tad deeper (pardon the pun) in terms of subject matter than her previous releases.
From the album ‘Red Hot’ (2004)

Supermodel (You Better Work)

No essential list would be complete without the one that started it all – ok, so technically it was the third single, but it was the first with major label backing. It remains RuPaul’s most successful single in the US to date! Now, some might argue that the song may not have aged so well in the sense that it oozes early 90’s house and dance-pop vibes but, for me, it still holds up and I’ll never tire of hearing Ru’s most famous tag line “I have one thing to say, you better WERK!”. Anthemic!
From the album ‘Supermodel Of The World’ (1993)

The Realness

Realness has more of a ‘gay club on a Saturday night’ feel and the album opener ‘The Realness’ is no exception. Stripped of major lyrical content compared to Ru’s last few albums it has a 90’s house vibe but doesn’t come off as dated. It makes the list because it is all about just dancing and it always makes me want to.
From the album ‘Realness’ (2015)

Get Your Rebel On

“Fed up with this stupid world, where’s my dummy gun, shoot ‘em up, bang bang bang!”. With an opening line like that, I was immediately on board. This song is a statement piece and talks of making sure your voice is heard. In a world where we still see a lot of inequality, ‘Get Your Rebel On’ seeks to inspire the listener to stand up, light a fire up and fight. With its thumping bassline and perhaps aggressive lyrical tone, it certainly wakes up the rebel in me. For a real treat, check out the version of the song mashed with Billy Idols ‘Rebel Yell’ (from the ‘DJ ShyBoy presents the RuPaul Mixtape’ album)
From the album ‘Glamazon’ (2011)

Cover Girl

RuPaul has a knack for creating songs that make the listener feel like they can strut down a runway and ‘Cover Girl’ is no exception. Whether this was crafted purely as a soundbite for the ‘Main Stage’ of RuPaul's Drag Race or not could be debated but it does stand up and stand out as a killer track from the ‘Champion’ album. Let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be a Cover Girl from time to time.
From the album ‘Champion’ (2009)

U Wear It Well

I will be the first to admit that ‘Butch Queen’ wasn’t exactly my favourite RuPaul album but there are a couple of gems in there. Featuring a lot of Ru using ‘speaking’ voice this track tells the listener that you can wear whatever you want and wear it well. With its house-pop vibe and more inspirational lyrics, this is another great example of what RuPaul does so well and that is to give the listener the feeling that they too can strut the runway and be a queen.
From the album ‘Butch Queen’ (2016)

Superstar

Superstar has always appealed to me on a lyrical level because I love a song that encourages people to own their individuality and just be themselves. This track is a slice of pure pop and is more mid-tempo than we are used to with a RuPaul song. It may not be an out-and-out dancefloor filler (unless you also listen to the Matt Pop Amsterdam Remix), but it has an uplifting and inspirational quality encouraging the listener to love themselves for exactly who they are, and the rest of the world will join.
From the album ‘Glamazon’ (2011)

Glamazon

Another slice of sassy pop greatness, this song is perfect for a ‘ladies’ night out speaking up for all the ‘female’ phenomenon glamazons out there! Featuring those well-known RuPaul-isms like ‘Sashay! Shantay! Panther on the runway’ it will make you feel you are walking one for yourself. I feel like this track really illustrates who and what the public persona of RuPaul is: “Ladyboys and girls. And those who dream to rule the world! Smokey eyes! Cherry lips! Stilettos on! Now break it down…”
From the album ‘Glamazon’ (2011)

Sissy That Walk

This song has just the right amount of attitude, sass and a thumping bass line for doing just that when out for a walk. I challenge anyone not to develop a strut when this comes on! It is one of those songs that I rarely skip when it comes on and is regularly in my monthly chart. I can just imagine this dropping in a club and the crowd going completely bananas on the dancefloor.
From the album ‘Born Naked’ (2014)

There were many other tracks that could have made this list such as ‘Call Me Mother’ and 'Kitty Girl' from 2017s ‘American’ so what about you? Does this list sum it up for you or does it have some glaring omissions? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading x