From Pageants to Pop Star: How Cassandra Turned Her Crown into a Career

In the world of pageantry, we often talk about how competitions shape leaders, elevate passions, and create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. For Cassandra, those opportunities were more than symbolic—they helped shape her future as a rising pop artist with operatic roots and a fierce sense of direction.

Crowned Miss Boston 2022, Cassandra never imagined herself stepping into pageantry until her college vocal teacher encouraged her to compete. “I had never considered doing them,” she shares, “but in my senior year of college, I was encouraged to go for it because of the scholarships available through the Miss America organization.” After just two months of intense preparation, Cassandra walked away with the title—and an experience that would shape her future in more ways than one.

“It was some of the most formative time of my adult life,” she says. “The interview portion forced me to understand my deepest morals and values and be able to speak on them within seconds. It was like an exercise of self-exploration!”

When her year as Miss Boston ended, Cassandra moved to Nashville and quickly became involved with the Miss Music City board, going on to become Miss Music City 2023. But as her music career began to gain traction, it became clear that it was time to shift her focus fully to her first love—music.

A Voice That Never Left

From a young age, Cassandra knew she was born to sing. “As soon as I could speak, melodies began to flow,” she recalls. With encouragement from her mom, Cassandra trained in piano, violin, dance, and voice. While her teenage years were spent excelling as a nationally ranked tennis player, singing remained constant. Later, she trained in opera and was accepted into the prestigious New England Conservatory for classical voice.

At NEC, she deepened her classical training but began exploring other genres. When the pandemic hit, she had a revelation: “I wanted to write my own songs.” That moment sparked a journey of musical rediscovery, one that would ultimately lead to the genre-bending, operatic-pop sound she creates today.

“It took me a long time to find the blend of opera and pop that I do now, and I’m so grateful for every step of the journey that led me to it.”

Music as a Mission

As a titleholder, Cassandra brought opera to new audiences. She visited schools to perform for students—many hearing opera for the first time—and won talent awards at both Miss Massachusetts and Miss Tennessee, captivating audiences with “Doll’s Aria” from The Tales of Hoffmann and “Glitter and Be Gay” from Candide.

“It was amazing to see kids that had never heard opera before absolutely love the style and stories. It was motivating for me to see how inspiring music can be for young minds.”

Her unique talent didn’t just win hearts; it also helped fund her future. Thanks to the Miss America Organization, Cassandra was able to pay off a third of her undergraduate student loans—an enormous gift in the world of music education.

What’s Next for Cassandra?

Now fully immersed in her music career, Cassandra is preparing to release her next single, “PrimaDonna,” along with an electrifying music video. “I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a project in a while,” she says. She’s also preparing to launch an album in 2026 and hit the road for a tour, with upcoming shows in Nashville, Boston, and California.

You can catch Cassandra performing with her dynamic backup dancers from Milele Academy, and follow all her latest work at www.cassandraofficialmusic.com or on social media @youknowcassandra.

From singing arias in hand-crafted costumes to headlining shows with pop anthems, Cassandra is living proof that pageantry can launch dreams—and shape artists. Her journey from crown to curtain call is only just beginning.