by Curlan Campbell
- First queen from St John in 73 years
- Won Best Interview, Best Evening Wear, Best Performed Talent and Best Pre-Interview
- Addressed coping with anxiety, self-doubt, and mental health issues, traditional perceptions of beauty
In a remarkable showcase of confidence, resilience, and self-love, Aaliyah Knight from St John made history at the Majestic Thursday National Carnival Queen Pageant 2025 by becoming the first queen from her parish in 73 years. She boldly challenged long-standing beauty standards.
Her talent performance featured a theatrical drama, which included elements of role improvisation, storytelling, and performance. Knight guided the audience on an emotional journey by using speech, gesture, music, and dance. Throughout her performance, she addressed important themes such as coping with anxiety, self-doubt, and mental health issues, while also challenging traditional perceptions of beauty. “This journey was about acceptance myself, accepting me for who I am, my figure, who I am as an individual, and also finding peace with what people think of me and accepting me. This is who I am. This is who I have always been, and I should be comfortable with being myself,” Knight said moments after being crowned.
During Knight’s closing act of her talent performance, she captivated the crowd by unveiling a wooden image of herself, which she hung from a prop featuring a map of Grenada. This stunning presentation perfectly complemented her performance, culminating in a crowning moment where she placed a crown on the image of herself, sealing her victory. “All of the hard work, it definitely paid off, and it was worth it,” she added. “The girls this year were truly amazing. We have such a connection, where we love each other dearly, we kept each other sane through hard times, and I know for sure the sisterhood will not end up here.”
Knight, who dominated the competition, won Best Interview, Best Evening Wear, Best Performed Talent, Best Pre-Interview, and the coveted National Carnival Queen 2025 title. She vowed to use her platform to highlight local potential. “I would like to continue my Beauty with a Purpose initiative platform, which is hidden gems and uncover the greatness that we have here in Grenada, in overlooked places, because we have a lot of talent here on our island, and we need to tap into that potential.”
First runner-up, Jelenah Mark of St David, walked away with Best in Costume, Best Costume, and Best Beauty With A Purpose titles. “I know that I had a couple of hiccups tonight, but I must say that I’m so proud of myself for being able to bounce back and capture this position,” she said. “Well, it was quite evident in the swimsuit segment. I had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction. And also in my talent, the mic, where it was clipped on, it fell off, so I had to improvise.”
Her award-winning costume, The Rebirth of a Nation, impressed judges and audience alike. “It was basically St David’s on fire, and the Phoenix bird at the top represented looking over St David, the rebirth… I really enjoyed that segment. I must say it was my favourite for the night.” Her message to aspiring contestants was direct: “If you want to do this, if you have a passion for pageantry, go there and do it. I was never interested in pageantry. So just being able to be called on and to come out here and execute like this, I am super proud of myself.”
Second runner-up, Germaine La Borde of St Patrick, earned Best in Swimwear, Best Swimwear, and the Miss Congeniality award. “My biggest challenge was probably not allowing myself… to manifest into fear, and that would have ultimately hindered my performance. But I continued. I relied on the support of my well-wishers, my family.”
Despite an anxiety episode backstage, La Borde returned to perform. “Be your authentic self. I think that is the best version of yourself that you can give… it’s just truly liberating to just come out and showcase who you are.”
Reflecting on the night, La Borde admitted, “To be very honest with you, I didn’t feel too happy about my performance… but [people] reassured me that it was good. And I eventually believed them and just let go of it all together.”
Other awardees included Princess Felix of St Andrew, who claimed Miss Photogenic and the People’s Choice Award.
This year’s pageant wasn’t just about beauty—it was about perseverance, solidarity, and proudly embracing one’s true self, both on and off the stage. Although they did not place in the top three, Miss Carriacou and Petite Martinique 2024, Khadeja Bristol, Miss St. George Kdianne Thomas, and Miss St. Mark Blossom George all performed excellently.
