Why Aja Thinks BenDeLaCreme Will Win ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’

Through five episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, only five queens remain. Episode 5 saw Aja eliminated by BeBe following challenges based on the legacy of Andy Warhol. Now, in a phone interview with Bustle, Aja reveals she thinks BenDeLaCreme will win Drag Race. In fact, she even says that, right now, BenDeLaCreme is already “the default winner” of this season.

To Aja, it’s not an opinion that BenDeLaCreme is the queen to beat in this competition: It’s a fact. The only evidence fans need to look to for confirmation is DeLa’s track record. She hasn’t been in the bottom or been at risk of going home even once. Conversely, through five weeks, she’s won nearly every challenge. “Statistically, if you’re thinking about who won the most, it would be BenDeLaCreme no matter what,” Aja says. “She has the best track record so far on All Stars [of] any Drag Race girl who’s ever walked through those doors. She won four challenges in a row, that is batsh*t crazy.”

While Aja doesn't necessarily want her drag to be more like DeLa's, DeLa does have an affect on her in other ways. Aja says she really appreciates and admires DeLa’s intelligence, confidence, and attitude. “DeLa is probably one of my favorite queens in the world. She inspires me, but not because of her drag, but because DeLa does not give two sh*ts,” Aja says. “That’s why she’s doing so good. All of the girls who were so concerned about everything are the ones who went home ... they were in their heads. DeLa is just the opposite.”

Conversely, while BenDeLaCreme inspires her, BeBe’s actions on the show disappointed Aja. Aja took the time to help BeBe with her look, sewing for her when BeBe revealed she didn’t know how. Despite that, when given the opportunity, BeBe sent Aja home. It was the lack of transparency from BeBe that bothered Aja the most. “It kinda sucks when someone doesn’t give you credit for something you helped them do. I just really believe in giving back to those who help you out,” she says. “A simple thank you, or a ‘I had help with this from Aja’ would have gone a long way. But, I’m not here searching for that. We’re adults and we can get past it and at this point.”

Just because Aja’s been booted from Drag Race doesn’t mean she’s stopping the hustle anytime soon, though. When asked if she would appear in another season of the show, her response was, “Abso-f*cking-lutely.” In fact, unlike other eliminated queens who have said that they may need some time before they would appear on the show again, like Thorgy Thor, Aja is ready now. “I’m done waiting for them to bring me back ,” she says. “I’m like girl, bring me in this episode and let me make it to the end. I don’t care if I win or not, I just want to make TV that’s it.”

Despite wanting to get back on Drag Race as soon as possible, Aja also has plans for the future of her career outside of TV. A large part of that career has to do with performance and, of course, her music. “Since the show I’ve been doing my gigs, touring … I may have been eliminated from All Stars but this is not the last you’ve seen of me,” she says. “Now I’m just working on music. In about a week I’m releasing a single, and then I’m releasing my EP in about two months, before the end of the year I have an album coming out.”

So, while Aja may not have won Drag Race, she makes a compelling case for why BenDeLaCreme has already earned the crown. There’s still plenty of drag still left to come though. Whether DeLa ends up winning is still uncertain. What is sure, though, is that DeLa has a fan, friend, and admirer for life in Aja.