BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IANTAVIAN QUEELY is definitely a National Carnival Queen the people of St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN) will never forget.
Her successful winnings during regional pageantry, having copped the Miss Carival title - a win SKN had not seen in 14 years – and her capturing all of the judged segments and crown at the 50th Caribbean Jaycees Pageant – all of these have undeniably earned her the title, ‘The Undisputed Queen of the Caribbean’.
Her reign as ‘Miss St. Kitts’ is almost over, as come December 27, she will pass on the crown to another young lady who will be eager to show the world what she can do.
Queeley took some time out of her preparations for her upcoming birthday party, hosted by Vivid! Media+Promo House Inc, to talk about her best moments during her reign, her upcoming event and she also extended advice to her successor and the six contestants vying for her crown.
First of all, the bubbly 23-year-old (soon to be 24), who is as beautiful as she is talented as she is intelligent, has had pageant experience from as far back as her teenage days.
She was once crowned Miss Washington Archibald High and won a regional teen pageant in Anguilla.
One of the main ingredients of her successes is hard work and that is exactly what she wants the new National Carnival Queen contestants to know.
“Understand that hard work is the mother of success. It is essential to work hard and put it all on the line,” she said. “There is only one crown but a person will find comfort in knowing that she worked hard regardless of the final results.”
Queeley’s splendid performance at December’s pageant left many speechless, especially during the Swimsuit segment where she not only modeled onstage but did a few dance movements-something never seen before in pageantry in St. Kitts.
SKNVibes inquired as to whether this performance was done during her regional pageants as well, and if this helped in capturing the judge’s attention there as it did here.
“My Pageant coaching team realized that the modeling style adopted in pageantry was evolving and they knew that this evolution was untapped in St. Kitts. Being risk takers, they wanted to ensure that I stood out in a segment that contestants should not be afraid to have fun with. I maintained my up-tempo modeling style throughout my regional pageants but each one had a different routine.
“With social media becoming prevalent, my team knew that my competitors probably were able to view my performances on YouTube and so I had to constantly re-invent my routine to avoid predictability,” she said.
She describes her wins at Miss Carival and Miss Jaycees as some of her best moments as National Carnival Queen and also described her trip to Taiwan as an ambassador for St. Kitts-Nevis as memorable.
“It was truly an amazing experience and the Taiwanese people are extremely hospitable. A camera crew came to my place of stay and conducted a television interview with me regarding my success in pageantry. After that interview aired nationally, I had people coming up to me to take pictures and just to express kind words. I felt like a celebrity.”
The current three-title-holder will crown her final successor during the Summer of 2012.
After that she plans to continue the advancement of her studies and pursue numerous business endeavours.
“I would also like to start a charity foundation for the youth and work on fulfilling my academic and professional goals,” she said.
In terms of her upcoming party, about which she is very excited, she said it will be held on Friday, November 11, at The Firehouse Diner and Grill formerly known as Morgan Heights.
She said the event is being hosted by her close friends at Vivid! Media +Promo Inc. and is being held to commemorate her 24th birthday.
“The affair is entitled 'Judgment Time: The All Inclusive Egyptian Thrill’. Tickets are EC $100 and this includes unlimited drinks all night long and cocktail delights from 9: 00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
“Patrons are encouraged to wear Egyptian costumes and togas or White and/or Gold. White and Khaki is also acceptable for the gentlemen. A portion of the proceeds will go towards a charity of my choice. It is very important for me to give back to my community,” she said.
Many have said that the new National Carnival Queen, will have tough shoes to fill but the 2010-2011 Queen extended an important piece of advice: “Stay true to yourself”.
“I would advise my successor to develop traits of a strong young woman. Wear your crown with dignity and pride,” she said.
