Miss USA 2020, 69th edition of Miss USA, was held a few hours ago at the Exhibition Centre and the Soundstage at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee where Miss Mississippi USA 2020 Asya Branch was crowned the new queen and earned the opportunity to represent USA at Miss Universe 2020. Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst crowned her successor in a made-for-TV moment complete with plenty of tears and a Mouawad-designed crown decked out in diamonds and rubies.
Hailing from Booneville, Asya is 22 years old who attended Harvard University for summer school at the age of 17 and this experience transformed her life and allowed her to grow exponentially as an individual. She would describe herself as adventurous, compassionate, and a go-getter.
Miss USA 2020 Asya Branch’s court includes:
First runner-up: Miss Idaho USA 2020 Kim Layne
Second runner-up: Miss Oklahoma USA 2020 Mariah Jane Davis
Third runner-up: Miss Indiana USA 2020 Alexis Lete
Fourth runner-up: Miss Alabama USA 2020 Kelly Hutchinson
Asya was the first African-American to be crowned as Miss Mississippi USA and is very excited to take over the crown duties of Miss USA 2020. The diva had mentioned, "I told my mom if I win Miss USA, I would have made history twice," Branch said. "It's been 10 years since Mississippi made it to the top 15 at Miss USA. I'm hoping to revise that cycle and bring the crown back home to Mississippi."
A senior at the University of Mississippi, shared her take on gun laws in her final statement, "We should require people to pass training and safety classes" before attaining guns”, she said. Asya has accepted every challenge and opportunity thrown her way while encouraging others to do the same. She has her own cosmetic line called, ‘Branch Beauty’ and feels that anyone can be a role model as age does not determine one's ability to have positive impacts in the lives of others. She is very strong and focused towards winning the title of Miss Universe 2020 now.
The two-hour event began by culling the initial 51 competitors down to just 16 semi-finalists which included Miss Mississippi USA 2020 Asya Branch, Miss Idaho USA 2020 Kim Layne, Miss Oklahoma USA 2020 Mariah Jane Davis, Miss Indiana USA 2020 Kelly Hutchinson, Miss California USA 2020 Allyshia Gupta, Miss Hawaii USA 2020 Samantha Neyland, Miss Illinois USA 2020 Olivia Pura, Miss New Jersey USA 2020 Gina Mellish, Miss New York USA 2020 Andreia Gibau, Miss District of Columbia USA 2020 Cierra Jackson, Miss Georgia USA 2020 Alyssa Beasley, Miss Louisiana USA 2020 Mariah Clayton, Miss Missouri USA 2020 Megan Renee Kelly, Miss Nevada USA 2020 Victoria Olona, and Miss Ohio USA 2020 Sthephanie Miranda.
Following a swimsuit parade set to the tune of Elvis Presley’s 'Bossa Nova Baby', the top 10 were revealed which included Miss Mississippi USA 2020 Asya Branch, Miss Idaho USA 2020 Kim Layne, Miss Oklahoma USA 2020 Mariah Jane Davis, Miss Indiana USA 2020 Kelly Hutchinson, Miss California USA 2020 Allyshia Gupta, Miss Hawaii USA 2020 Samantha Neyland, Miss Illinois USA 2020 Olivia Pura, Miss New Jersey USA 2020 Gina Mellish, and Miss New York USA 2020 Andreia Gibau.
This year’s judges panel included businesswoman and hairstylist Carolyn Aronson, Miss USA 2000 Lynnette Cole, Fox News contributor Abby Hornacek, motivational speaker Gloria Mayfield Banks, Miss USA 1999 Kimberly Pressler, and businesswoman and YouTuber Susan Yara.
Congratulations to the newly crowned queen!