Why You Should Have Seen A'Keria C. Davenport's 'Drag Race' Win Coming All Along

Drag queens and "down-to-earth" are two concepts that don't usually co-exist. No shade, no tea — it's just the truth. Most drag queens are extra as hell, which is fine, because that's their job. But A'Keria C. Davenport is different. It's not that she's not extra, but she has somehow transformed her Texas roots into something truly unique to her. She's a poised pageant queen through and through, but as Drag Race Season 11 comes closer to its end, we're learning that she's been hiding a secret weapon underneath all of that hair.

A'keria describes herself as the girl next door, "a queen that's going to be relatable," and "will shoot the sh*t with you and drink a couple of shots." At first, that laidback, approachable vibe in contrast with the sheer volume and stamina of her Season 11 sisters made it seem like she was intentionally flying under the radar. She never went as far as becoming the season villain, but she also didn't strive to be in the spotlight. (Silky had that covered.) It seemed like she was playing it safe, but it turns out, she was just laying low until her time to shine.

A'Keria has proven that she's a team player, which is another skill not all drag queens possess. Most seasons of Drag Race consist of multiple group challenges that are often a struggle for many. And instead of over- or under-performing during Episode 6's Draglympics team challenge, A'Keria stood out by making her team the best it could be, which is why she won.

She used that same strategy in the latest team challenge, a two-person improv skit, in which she and Yvie Oddly bounced off of one another with ease. They knew that if one attempted to overshadow the other, it would end in a loss for them both. Instead, they each played into their strengths and it paid off.

For the improv sketch, A'Keria and Yvie were cast as two twerking girls "caught in the act" by LADP: Los Angeles Drag Patrol. We've seen A'Keria get through acting challenges before, but she exchanged her poise for power this time around — the power to let loose while simultaneously keeping it together. Her middle-aged twerking momma role was extremely well prepared, her story had a beginning, middle, and end, and she was funny. It was a truly pitch-perfect performance that displayed the wise, experienced, and confident queen she is.

Of course, A'keria's confidence and success shouldn't have come as that much of a surprise. As the current reigning Miss Black Universe, she's already crowned royalty, and she hails from the iconic House of Davenport — the same house that brought us Drag Race favs Sahara Davenport, Kennedy Davenport, and Monét X Change.

So while you may have reared back with shock and amazement at her flawless performance, A'keria is shaking her head and smiling. Like she said in her Season 11 intro, she has the drive — she's hungry. She only just cleaned the plate of her main course, and at this point, dessert might just be another crown.