Suzie Toot, the queen who was the frontrunner for a good amount of Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race early on, finally met her match during the season’s final, regular competitive episode before the finale.

She told Blavity’s Shadow and Act what went through her mind during that final lip sync, including the moment her plan to showcase a more elevated version of herself ended up working against her.

“It was so emotional. Drag Race is a marathon and you are running and you are fighting. And every idea you have, you have to follow it because there isn’t enough time to second guess yourself. And to feel like you stumble right at the end, it was so hard to grapple with,” she said.

“But watching it back, I understood. I got so much more perspective watching the episode back. But in the moment I could not believe it. Up until the judges started speaking, I thought I was clear on my way to the finale, no problem.”

How did Suzie Toot handle being labeled a threat by other queens?

Toot also described the challenges of being viewed as a major threat by her castmates—something she said was difficult to navigate.

“I feel like at a certain point, it was the roast where I was built up so much and I was trying to be confident for myself. But everybody else had built up this expectation for me after the reading challenge. And I felt like no matter what I did, there was no way that I could live up to what everybody thought I was gonna do,” she said.

“And at that point, the alarm bells went off… that’s when I was on the campaign of like, ‘Onya [Nurve]‘s the front-runner. Look at her, focus on her. I’m just here.'”

Did Lexi Love’s beef with Suzie Toot add pressure?

While she tried to shift attention to Onya Nurve’s performance record, Lexi Love’s ongoing, one-sided feud with Toot added another layer of intensity. Still, Toot said she found some peace in that situation.

“I didn’t realize that it was happening until a little later on in the competition. And it was more interesting to me than anything, ’cause I was there to do what I was gonna do regardless of anything,” she said.

“But realizing Lexi’s whole insecurity that builds up around me—that felt like it almost didn’t have anything to do with me, but I was just the face it was attached to. It was very interesting to watch play out and I’m so glad I was able to be a part of her overcoming that and believing in herself toward the end.”

Why Suzie Toot’s old-school glam didn’t always land

Toot’s performance and references often pulled from 1930s Hollywood, Broadway and Vaudeville. But as she noted, her peers weren’t always vibing with her aesthetic.

“It’s kind of funny because, I mean, in episode five, I realized that the girls really had such a different reference point than me. And that affected the way they perceived me and the challenges and on the runway,” she said.

“I held true to myself because, you know, you got no other choice when you’re there. And I’m from Florida, so I know how to fight. I was so happy and ready to defend myself, especially going into a challenge where I did well.”

“But then you fast forward to Snatch Game and the girls have valid points about my performance and what I did, but how could I accept that? When I knew how wrong they were about ‘RDR Live.’ So I think it set both of us—me and the [other queens]—up in a weird way, where I couldn’t trust any of their critiques or their criticism. I had to write it off.”

What’s next for Suzie Toot after ‘Drag Race’?

Now that her time on Drag Race has wrapped, Suzie Toot is ready to bring her vintage fantasy to an even bigger stage.

“Oh, I’ve got tons coming up. I’ve got a one-woman show. I’ve got a film in the works. Lots of performing and lots of touring—many, many things coming out,” she said.

“So I encourage everybody to follow me, keep up with me on YouTube and Instagram. Because there will be lots of content for Suzie Toot fans and Suzie Toot haters.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Fridays at 8 p.m on MTV.