MISS Kingston and St Andrew, Anjell Bryan, was crowned Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Festival Queen 2014 at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre in St Andrew on Saturday.

The 25-year-old won ahead of Miss St Ann, Sharlene Codner, who was first runner-up, and second runner-up Miss Trelawny, Honica Brown.

“The contest has empowered me both as a young woman and as a Jamaican, because it taught me so much about myself and my culture,” Bryan told the Jamaica Observer.

Bryan also collected awards for being Most Culturally Aware and Most Active in the Community. With home-court advantage, she was a clear crowd favourite, having received rousing applause from the audience with her dub poem, A Nuh Bleach Mi a Bleach.

Winning the contest was the culmination of a journey that began four years ago.

“I had thought about entering the Festival Queen contest about four years ago, but didn’t. However, this year my friends and family encouraged me to do so,” she said.

For her efforts, Bryan received a $500,000 cash prize, along with other gift items and packages.

Most Congenial went to Miss St James, Trudy-Ann Hylton, and Most Poised to Honica Brown.

Miss Portland Tahera Brown won Best Performer for Jamaica Song but was closely matched by Hylton. Dubbed Super Kitty, Hylton gave Super Cat’s Under Pressure a cultural twist which went over well with the crowd.

Other standouts were Brown’s hilarious assessment of the Goat Island saga, and Miss St Mary Daneille Clarke’s A St Mary Bus A Run.

As the 13 entrants were whittled to five, singer Romain Virgo gave an engaging show sprinkled with his hit songs.