Miss New York Kira Kazantsev takes title for third year in a row

Miss New York Kira Kazantsev, right, walks the runway after she was named Miss America 2015 during the Miss America 2015 pageant, Sunday in Atlantic City

Kira Kazantsev was crowned Miss America 2015 Sunday night at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. 

The graduate of Hofstra University beat the competition with her unusual talent singing Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’ while banging a plastic cup on the stage and her answer to the question of what issue women in the U.S. Senate should press upon their male colleagues.

Miss New York was crowned Miss America 2015 Sunday night, marking the third year in a row that the nation’s pageant winner hails from the Empire State.


Outgoing Miss America Nina Davuluri sealed the New York three-peat by passing on her jeweled crown to the emotional Kazantsev, who strutted the stage to the iconic tune, “There she is, Miss America.”

Kazantsev scored the victory with brains, beauty and her unusual talent.

In the all-important question category, which counted for 30% of the total score, Kazantsev was asked what issue women in the U.S. Senate should press upon their male colleagues.

“I really believe that sexual assault in our military is an issue these women have got to fight for,” answered Kazantsev, whose platform is raising awareness of domestic violence.

She beat out Miss Virginia Courtney Paige Garrett for the crown and a $50,000 scholarship.


Miss Virginia Courtney Paige Garrett

The pageant was broadcast live on ABC from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.

Kazantsev may be the first contestant to win the contest by playing a plastic cup on stage, topping rivals who sang, dance, played the piano, and even one, Miss Ohio, who performed ventriloquism while singing.

This year’s outcome was a replay of last year’s, when Davuluri was presented the crown from Miss America 2013, the former Miss New York Mallory Hagan.

Hagan, who was raised in Alabama, was living in Brooklyn when she won.

Prior to Hagan’s victory, a Miss New York hadn’t won the contest since Vanessa Williams was crowned in 1984. But Williams was forced to give up her title when Penthouse magazine published nude photos of her.

Rounding out the final five contestants Sunday night were Miss Arkansas Jo Campbell, Miss Florida Victoria Cowen and Miss Massachusetts Lauren Kuhn.

Originally from California, Kazantsev moved to New York to attend Hofstra, where she majored in political science, global studies and geography.

She’s already been accepted to attend Fordham University Law School.

In addition to playing a cup, she speaks three languages fluently- Russian, Spanish and English.

Kazantsev may be the first contestant to win the contest by playing a plastic cup on stage, topping rivals who sang, dance, played the piano, and even one, Miss Ohio, who performed ventriloquism while singing

A survivor of abuse, Kazantsev recently spoke out in support of Janay Rice for marrying former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice after he punched her out in an Atlantic City casino elevator.

“I want people to stop asking, ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’” she told NPR. “Every woman is an expert in her own case, and there are so many extenuating circumstances that lead to a woman staying with her abuser.”