Drag Race Season 17 Champion Reflects on Controversial Final Performance

Onya Nurvé crowned as season 17's superstar on RuPaul's Drag Race

Season 17 was a rollercoaster, wasn't it? And at its peak, Onya Nurvé emerged victorious, capturing our hearts and that coveted crown. The tension was thick during that finale as Onya squared off against Jewels Sparkles, Lexi Love, and Sam Star. Each brought their A-game, but in those final moments, it became a head-to-head showdown between Onya and Jewels, battling it out with a fiery lip-sync performance set against Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra."

Onya had already shown she meant business with four challenge wins under her belt. As we watched, Love and Star were sent packing, leaving us on edge as Onya and Jewels faced off in an unforgettable showdown.

Why Onya Nurvé's win was unforgettable

Onya took a risk that night, didn't she? Instead​ ​of going with flashy costume changes, she delivered a pure performance, putting all her chips on her dance moves. Jewels, on​ ​the other ​hand, ​went big with​ costumes, which some fans think stole a bit too much attention. The reactions online were instant and passionate. Some called out Nurvé's win as undermining, while others shouted, "Jewels was robbed!" But not everyone felt that drama. A good chunk praised ​Onya's​ no-frills, all-heart​ ​performance. One fan hit it on​ ​the head, saying, ​"Sometimes, less really ​is more."​

How Onya Nurvé responded​ ​to​ ​the critics

Instead​ ​of hiding, Onya Nurvé took center stage and shared her thoughts with Variety. She talked about how she always wanted her dance prowess and emotional connection with a song over flashy theatrics. "Lady Gaga said it was dance or die," Onya noted. "I wanted my performance​ ​to be all about​ ​the music." Fan reactions may be split, but Onya stuck with what felt true, showing us all her genuine style. "Revei​ls aren't my thing outside​ ​of Drag Race," she said. "Being true felt like a victory​ ​by itself.​" Following her win, she shared a sigh​ ​of relief, knowing she had stayed authentic​ ​to herself.

In a candid chat with Entertainment Weekly, she revealed that​ ​she briefly toyed with doing some reveals but opted​ ​against it. ​"I wanted​ ​to stay true​ ​to who I am​. If reveals weren't my thing before Drag Race, why start now?" she pondered. Her bet paid off, showcasing a raw talent that's garnered respect.

Onya Nurvé's dreams and what's on her horizon

Now crowned Queen ​of Season​ ​17, Onya Nurvé has big dreams. She's keen​ ​on working alongside legendary actresses like Viola Davis and Meryl Streep and has her eyes set on gracing​ ​the stage​ ​of Saturday Night Live. Ambitious? Absolutely!

If you want​ ​to relive all that season 17 magic, catch it on WOW Presents Plus worldwide.

What did you think​ ​of​ ​this season's finale? Were you Team Onya, or did you have another favorite? Share your thoughts, and ​let's ​keep it​ ​chill and fun.