Frankie Zulferino, a prominent New York-based pop singer and Tik-Tok star, made a surprise appearance at the 2023 Miss America Pageant. Frankie was the surprise musical guest during the Miss America pageant’s finals evening on December 15, 2022. In front of 51 participants, he sang three of his own compositions, including Dripping in Love, his new single. His performance had the crowd cheering and shouting for him on stage. Frankie started singing in school and launched his career when he joined the boyband WOW.
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Frankie Zulferino, a surprise musical guest at Miss America 2023, composed his first song when he was 21 years old.
Zulferino grew raised on New York’s Staten Island. His father is a firefighter, while his mother is a nurse. Frankie was often teased at school because of his love of dancing and because he was “chubby.” He attempted a lot of musical auditions to obtain a head start in the music business, but he was often turned down. Frankie went solo after his initial performance with the boyband WOW and multiple tours around Europe and Canada. I Found You, his debut song, was written when he was 21 years old. He has worked with a number of agents, producers, and managers throughout the years, including Johnny Wright and Eif Rivera. Frankie also tried out for The NEXT and The X Factor and made it through numerous rounds on both programs.
Joe Jonas coached Frankie on The NEXT, which he describes as a “terrific experience.” Zulferino now mentors and teaches numerous kids to sing. Struck Boyz, one of his kids’ bands, made it to the semi-finals of America’s Got Talent, and five of his pupils have been on the Knicks City Kids TV show. Zultuteeso’s tutee joined the Brooklyn Nets Kids.
Frankie has appeared in several web publications, including Oceanup, Popstar!, Twist, Popwrapped, and Examiner. In 2021, he received almost 11 million Tik Tok likes. His collaboration with rap artist Melii, Hit That, peaked at number three on the Apple Music charts, while his dance hit Die For You peaked at number ten on the UK Dance charts. Zulferino has performed at major events such as New York Fashion Week, and his work has been appreciated by celebrities such as Ne-Yo and Paula Abdul.
What occurred at the Miss America 2023 Finals?
Only 11 of the 51 Miss America competitors were granted the opportunity to walk the red carpet. The judges picked the top ten performers (Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). Meanwhile, Miss Illinois was voted America’s favorite candidate in an online poll. Following an introduction video, only seven competitors advanced to the following stage, including Miss Hawaii, Miss Ohio, Miss Oregon, and Miss Wisconsin. The seven semi-finalists were asked about their charitable ambitions. The Miss America contestants from Hawaii and Oregon were then eliminated.
The top five contenders responded to some difficult questions about how to deal with media pressure. Miss New York Taryn Delanie was named first runner-up and received a $25,000 scholarship. Meanwhile, Miss Texas Averie Bishop was named second runner-up and received a $20,000 scholarship. Elizabeth Lynch of West Virginia finished third and received a $15,000 scholarship, while fourth-place finisher Kelsey Hollis of Georgia received a $10,000 scholarship. Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke was named Miss America 95, and she received a $50,000 scholarship.
