Miss USA to Miss USA and Miss Universe beginning with Miss Universe 2015. The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition held a week before the pageant when all contestants are judged in swimsuit, gown, and interview competitions. Every year, each state holds a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant. In some states (such as Texas and Florida), local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss State USA" for the year of their reign. The most successful state is Texas, which has had the most semi-finalists
Mary-Jean O'Doherty Mary-Jean O'Doherty Mary-Jean Anaïs O'Doherty is an American coloratura soprano. She was the first prize winner in the 2013 Paris Opera Awards. O'Doherty was born in Houston, Texas, to an Australian father and an Armenian mother, Eliza Basmadjian, from Greece. She was educated at North Carolina School of the Arts and East Carolina University from which she received her Bachelor of Music degree in voice and flute performance as well as Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2005. She was one of the 20 finalists in the 2006 Operatunity Oz talent search. O'Doherty won the ABC Symphony Australia Young Vocalist