OUTLOOK: Miss Mississippi able to tackle the Miss America Competitors – The Vicksburg Put up

Miss Mississippi Emmie Perkins mentioned at a Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber luncheon that she has a playlist consultant of her life story.

This week, the 21-year-old Hattiesburg native will likely be including to that playlist as she competes for the 2023 Miss America title, and hopefully, the tune she provides to the playlist will likely be Bernie Wayne’s “There She Is, Miss America.”

Perkins, who represented Mississippi State College within the state competitors, was topped 2022 Miss Mississippi this previous June and since then has been getting ready for the Miss America Competitors, which is able to get underway with the primary spherical of preliminary competitions on Tuesday on the Mohegan Solar in Uncasville, Conn.

“I’ve been doing every thing beneath the solar to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime alternative,” Perkins mentioned. “I’ve carried out my expertise a thousand occasions within the storage and my household has requested me on-stage questions.”

Perkins mentioned she has additionally frolicked within the gymnasium exercising, collaborating in mock interviews and taking voice classes in preparation for the expertise part of the competitors.

“I’m excited to see all my onerous work repay,” Perkins mentioned. “My dad says it’s at all times simple to be good, nevertheless it takes that additional push to be nice, in order that’s what I’ve given it. And proper now, I really feel essentially the most peace I’ve had since this entire prep course of started as a result of the work’s over and it’s time to go dwell out the dream.”

Perkins will likely be performing a vocal quantity for the expertise part of the competitors on Dec. 13 in the course of the first spherical of preliminary competitions. She mentioned she shouldn’t be at liberty to expose the tune she will likely be singing, however she did say it was a tune she has carried out earlier than.

“I’ve carried out this tune many, many occasions, so I went again to what I knew I cherished and what message the nation wanted to listen to,” she mentioned.

Perkins is majoring in organic science and minoring in music. Throughout her research, she mentioned she acknowledged there was a connection between the 2, and because of this selected “Music is Drugs” as her Social Impression Initiative.

“I’m a giant believer in storytelling and overcoming battles which are in your approach so after I selected my tune, I knew I had to decide on one thing I may talk as a message to the world,” she mentioned. “As a result of I actually really feel like everybody deserves the chance to make use of music as a way of storytelling and as an empathetic instrument to attach us all in a world that’s so darkish and divisive.”

And whereas Perkins will likely be performing vocally in the course of the expertise part of the Miss America Competitors, she mentioned she additionally hopes to share with the judges an unique tune she wrote in regards to the Miss America Group and defining Miss America.

“That was numerous enjoyable. I wrote, recorded and revealed it (the tune) in six weeks,” she mentioned. “I received’t be performing it (the tune), however I undoubtedly wish to make sure the judges know the way a lot which means to me and what my goal was in writing that tune. I’m hoping I get to share about it there, and in the event that they ask me to sing it, I’ll.”

As for the night robe Perkins will likely be sporting in the course of the Pink Carpet part of the competitors, as along with her tune selection, she was not at liberty to say a lot. Nevertheless, she did share that the robe had not been what she had initially envisioned.

“I had one thing very particular in thoughts,” Perkins mentioned.

However when she tried on the robe, which was outdoors her “rule ebook,” as she referred to as it, she modified her thoughts.

“It exceeded all my expectations. After I placed on the robe, my mother and I knew it was the one,” she mentioned.

A few different hints Perkins divulged in regards to the customized couture Sherri Hill was that it was “basic, timeless, but edgy all on the similar time.” The robe additionally has crystals that emulate a waterfall.

“My household immigrated from a metropolis referred to as Jezzine, Lebanon, which interprets to ‘The Metropolis of Waterfalls,’ so it’s like there’s a little piece of my household heritage within the night robe,” she mentioned.

Perkins, together with Miss Louisiana, boarded a airplane this previous Thursday headed to New York Metropolis, the place all 51 candidates from throughout the nation participated in a media tour. From there the group traveled by bus to Connecticut, the place rehearsals for the upcoming competitors will ensue.

“I’m so excited to share my story and characterize Mississippi,” Perkins mentioned in regards to the Miss America Competitors. “That’s the coronary heart of why I do what I do for the folks of our state and nation.”

The Miss America Competitors preliminaries and closing evening of competitors will likely be accessible to view at PageantsLive.com and the PageantsLive apps. Preliminaries start at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 12 and Tuesday, De. 13. The ultimate competitors and crowning will start at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec.15. A pre-show will start at 7 p.m. and can characteristic Emma Broyles, Miss America 2022, Morgan Greco, Miss America’s Excellent Teen 2023, and musical prodigy and Kawai Younger Artist, Ethan Olaes.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the household moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Put up and is the editor of the Vicksburg Dwelling Journal, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Affiliation. She has additionally been the recipient of a First Place award within the MPA’s Higher Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Greatest Characteristic Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central Excessive College and Mississippi State College the place she obtained a bachelor’s diploma in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Previous to coming to work at The Put up a bit of greater than 10 years in the past, she did some freelancing on the Jackson Free Press. However for many of her life, she loved being a full-time keep at house mother.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Road United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a previous member of the Sampler Vintage Membership and City and Nation Backyard Membership. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying knowledgeable with native governmental points to listening to the tales of its folks, a hometown newspaper is significant to a neighborhood. I’ve felt privileged to be a part of a devoted crew at The Put up all through my tenure and hope that with theirs and with native assist, I can proceed to develop and hone in on my abilities as I assist share the tales in Vicksburg. When requested what I like most about my job, my reply is at all times ‘the folks.’

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