"Performer down to the soul"- RuPaul's Drag Race fans praise Onya's runway win

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17 aired Episode 4 on Friday, January 24, on MTV. The judges RuPaul, Michelle Visage, and Carson Kressley were joined by The Politician actress Julia Schlaepfer. For episode 4, the runway theme was "Quilted For Your Pleasure" and all thirteen queens portrayed their best-quilted outfits.

Onya Nurve decided to stick to her roots and chose to drape herself in a "rich history of African American quilting". Since the inception of Season 17, Onya Nurve has been talking about bringing her culture to the forefront and showing the world what she has got.

In episode 4, her charismatic runway outfit, along with her stage presence impressed the judges. Carson Kressley could not help but compliment Onya on her “masterclass in stage presentation”.

Onya was in the top three with Crystal, and Suzie, but grabbed the title of runway winner through her representation of “Put Your Lighters Up” originally performed by Laganja Estranja on Season 6.

The RuPaul's Drag Race fans were equally mesmerized by Onya's performance in episode 4, and could not keep calm while showering her with appreciation. The fans talked about how well represented her culture and stuck to shining her best abilities, rather than paying attention to any negativity. A fan (@Cam_Arttrunk) took to X and commented:

"I can tell Onya really is a performer down to the soul. She's shown from the first episode is if she can sell anything it's IT. #DragRace #rupaulsdragrace"

"I wish queens like Crystal Envy would realise that doing the most in challenges doesn’t equate to a win. Onya stood there with a microphone, a camera, and a dream and devoured the rest. End of#rupaulsdragrace" commented another fan (via @RayeJesy on X).

"ONYA NERVE ...i'm in love with this queen, she's funny, is delivering great looks and great moments for the show, also love how she lights up the stage with just her smile, she's 1000000% great vibes" wrote a fan (via @uestsyde on X).

"Preparing to see the drag race fandom’s racist takes about Onya’s runway + beating Crystal and Suzie. Block button on speed dial for the next week" wrote another fan (via @6ix3O_ on X).

"@RuPaulsDragRace One thing about Onya, she know how to serve and walk that runway:) the charisma is always there" commnted another RuPaul's Drag Race fan (via @trollzz32 on X).

"Think Onya pulled a Willow Pill with that entrance...if she ever lands in the bottom, that'll be a dunk for Michelle bc there's no way that queen isn't in the finale. #DragRace" commented a fan (via @sunny_Menagerie on X).

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Onya Nurve gets crowned as the runway winner during Episode 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17, Episode 4 went down memory lane and tasked the queens to revive the iconic moments from drag race history. The criteria put by RuPaul were simple, it had to be authentic, creative, and distinct from the original inspiration.

The challenge, therefore, focused on bringing out one's character and portraying it through legendary performances.

Onya decided to create and direct a video inspired by Season 6's Laganja Estranja stand-up routine and it seemed that she devoured the stage with her presence.

She won the judges' hearts with both her runway and quilted outfit challenge. She wore a black dress, with having multi-color design across the dress, with a similar head scarf.

RuPaul's Drag Race queen dedicated the dress to her community, and posted a few pictures on Instagram as well, informing her followers about the cultural importance of her dress. The caption of the post read:

" For over three centuries, African American women have utilized quilting to celebrate community, preserve history, fight oppression & gain financial freedom. It was such an honor to come up with a look inspired by the artistry of these women."

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RuPaul's Drag Race Season 17 airs on MTV.