A’yana Phillips Photo Credit: Miss World USVI
During the 69th Annual Miss World Competition at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom, Miss World USVI, 24-year-old A’yana Phillips wowed the audience with her talent as the competition’s first Disk Jockey Performer, according to a release the Miss World USVI organization recently issued.
Although Jamaica took home the coveted title as Miss World 2019 on Dec. 14, Ms. Phillips left a mark on the competition and advanced to the Top 27 out of 111 entrants for the talent segment. According to Ms. Phillips, her performance during the Semi-Final Talent show was her most special moment.
“I showcased a very personable talent that I enjoy back home. The feedback I received that day was remarkable. Everyone was on their feet as I transitioned through different genres of music during my set,” she said.
Her favorite part of the competition was traveling to a new country and the relationships she made.
“My favorite part of Miss World was traveling to London for the first time and being able to be myself amongst people of different countries or regions. I made a special bond with so many women that resulted in creating such a powerful network,” Ms. Phillips said.
As a pageant queen from St. Thomas and winning competitions in the British Virgin Islands, she stressed the importance of hometown support in a small region.
“As small as my community may be, support in these international pageants goes a long way,” she said. “We send off representatives to these international pageants and expect everything to be simple. No matter how much obstacles I’ve surpassed I still represented my country as if I owe it to them and I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish.”
For the next young lady to hit the stage for the Virgin Islands in the 2020 competition, Ms. Phillips shared that preparation is the key to success.
“Preparation is key. Research the ins and outs of these international pageants. Have a special talent that would make you stand out. Make sure you are fit and active to outwit the others in sports. Have a platform that is a part of you,” she said. “Please choose an impactful project that deals with kids and start in advance. Get as much sponsors as possible that will be able to help throughout the entire experience. Do not wait until the last minute and procrastinate. Be organized. Have a plan or goal. Have a great support team.”
Jaielean Jagrup, the owner of the franchise and a former pageant queen, noted that preparing for the competition was a stressful process and there were some issues along the way.
“I knew with the timing we would encounter some hiccups, but I’m making the necessary changes, so we’ll have a better experience for next year,” said Ms. Jagrup.
At the end of the day, Ms. Jagrup said she was happy to see Caribbean Culture on center stage.
“Seeing the impact Caribbean Culture has on international stages makes me know that we have a chance to win and have top placement as we have done in the past. Once our culture is showcased authentically it’s hard to be ignored,” she said.” A’yana represented with pride, and truly lights up in the spotlight. I’m grateful for the opportunity provided by the Miss World organization for our first year, and we look forward to great improvements, more territory wide support and wonderful competitions in the future.”
For contestants interested in competing or for more information on Miss World USVI, visit the website at missworldusvi.com.
