Miss Gibraltar 2022: Faith Torres Crowned Miss Gibraltar 2022

When presenting a show of any type at the Alameda Open Air Theatre, the first thing you hope for – really, really hope for – is a calm night…and that, it was! Not even a breeze could be felt and the show kicked off bang on time at 9.30 pm on the dot!

However, the breeze picked up a little during the second half but that didn’t deter the producers from putting on a very good show – a first for, No 1 Models Gibraltar. A great opening sequence I thought, with the Mediterranean Dance School quickly joined by the 12 pageant ladies offering a well rehearsed routine. The girls disappeared whist the dance routine continued and, as if by magic, the contestants re-appeared after a quick costume change (they did that in just 45 seconds with two helpers assisting each contestant).

Continuity through most of the first half was slick: it’s always good and professional when an announcement is made by the presenters and on their last syllable, and in a split second, the next item continues seamlessly – it’s pressure on the individual in charge of the music to hit the ‘key’ at the right moment and whoever’s next, to be ready backstage and make their entrance on cue – as the night wore on it wasn’t always so. However, I suppose that wasn’t a concern of major importance for the audience there or at home watching the show on GBC.

Presenting the show on the night we had two relatively newcomers to the scene…Former Miss Gibraltar, Kayley Mifsud and Louis Perry, who you may have seen on GBC Television programmes from time to time. They cruised through the proceedings confidently, as the night progressed. The girls presented themselves to the judges one by one in a pleasant fashion (no need for the thank you from them at the end of each interview) to enthusiastic applause from family and friends – celebrity judges were all well known in their own line of work.

The swimwear round was re-introduced to the pageant this year and needless to say the girls looked amazing. The usual Miss Gibraltar routines followed through the evening to great applause and shouts of ‘Guapa’ from family members and friends, each time their favourites took their turn on stage. All were well applauded in a packed theatre with not a single empty seat in sight…Extra effort was evident when I spotted, ‘another Richard’ – a sign language interpreter assisting a deaf family member/friend sitting in the front row watching her favourite performing on stage and enjoying the show – a warm touch, to the evening’s proceedings!

On the night, a commendable innovation I thought, was having four young local singers performing a medley of well known songs – always important – singing solo and as a quartet in well constructed harmonies seamlessly through the routine…10 out of 10 for that! Ella Vinet, Andria Olivares, Lucia Wood and Danny Moreno, gave us a great performance….

Interviews next, and the contestants generally gave a good account of themselves, having chatted to the judges the night before. The thing about interviews is, the way they are conducted nowadays at our Miss Gibraltar shows in order not to get the ladies off guard – they tend to come across a little contrived in most cases: some of them rushing through what they have rehearsed at home word for word not to forget anything.

By all means be prepared, but just by jotting down two or three salient points of what you want to put across in your own words and rehearse THAT, in your bedroom, without trying to memorise the whole response of what you’ve written word for word… It’ll come across casually, relaxed and not staged, unnatural or artificial.

After the break, the big announcements were soon to come but not before more entertainment, whilst the judges put their heads together as the night wore on to choose the recipients of a variety of awards and, of course, the three top girls…

The Danza Academy performers were good on the night too. Dance groups and routines are getting better and better and more professional I’ve noticed: I think there’s been a big improvement.

Then the lovely ladies came on stage one final time in their evening wear and Danny Moreno was back…What a singer!! He was great as he cheekily wandered around the 12 lovely contestants giving a great vocal performance (he’s off to university now to take a music or performance degree, I understand)…Danny Moreno, is one to watch! Meanwhile, the judges were hard at it and the special guest for the evening was an Israeli born Gibraltarian singer… ‘Kerria’. She hit the stage with her two dancers performing her routine of self penned numbers.

Kerria is a good singer of the present genre of performers ending with a lovely ballad. She was well received by the audience in the park…And so the moment of crowning arrived with the presenters calling up the award winners to receive recognition of their achievements, ending with the announcements of the three favourite pageant winners.

As planned, the show came to a finish at exactly 12 midnight with last year’s Reigning Queen, Janice Sampere, placing the crown atop the chosen 2022 Queen’s nicely styled hairdo…!It was a good show. Well done Kelvin Hewitt and the rest of his, No1 Models Gibraltar team!

Text By Richard Cartwright
Photographs By Josie Barceló