Aquaila Rupan wins Miss Mash crown in stiff competition
Aquaila Rupan, who went by the stage name ‘Miss Buxton Spice’, was crowned Miss Mash Queen Guyana 2017 on Sunday last in what played out to be a very competitive competition where she faced off with beauties who fought for the crown ‘tooth and nail.’
In the end she held her nerve and won the nod of the judges at the National Cultural Centre.
The pageant opened with an indigenous group performing a folk dance, followed by an Indian dance. This made way for the costume category where the contestants paraded onstage in their bright and glittering costumes made by local designers.
In the swimsuit segment, the six contestants enticed the crowd strutting their stuff on stage in their beach outfits accentuated with feathered fans. It was model, Ashanti Jasper in her blue Randy Madray twopiece who secured the Swimsuit Award.
In the next segment, talent, five of the six contestants chose to do solos beginning with Gabriella Chapman singing a Juke Ross song, Younette Stepheny followed with “Guyana” by Jackie Jaxx, Romichelle Brumell, who did Pamela Maynard’s “Lost, Lonely and Helpless” was one of the best singers and had the crowd murmuring, “she could sing,” Ashanti sang “Guyanese Wine”. But it was Aquaila who bagged this round, taking the Best Talent Award with her spoken word piece “I Live Within a Queen,” which she wrote.
After an intermission, came the glamour of the night where the contestants modelled their gowns, portraying grace, serenity, and poise. In this segment they worked their way onto the stage holding masquerade masks to their eyes before picking up champagne glasses.
Gabriella wore a shimmering peach fishtail designed by Randy Madray; Younette, a blue and white satin gown