Miss World Chile stunned as contestant delivers death metal performance on stage

Miss World Chile contestant stunned judges with a death metal performance that sparked shock, memes and fierce debate

A Miss World Chile semifinalist has caused one of the most dramatic moments in recent pageant memory after delivering a full death metal performance during the talent round. Twenty-seven-year-old Ignacia Fernández, a model and vocalist from Santiago, took the stage in an elegant gown only to unleash guttural metal vocals that left the audience frozen in disbelief before erupting into loud cheers. Clips of the performance spread across social media within hours, creating a mix of praise, confusion and intense argument across pageant and metal communities.

Fernández, who fronts the progressive death metal band Decessus, performed an original track alongside guitarist Carlos Palma. Viewers reacted with a blend of shock and fascination at the collision of pageant glamour and extreme music. Some users celebrated the moment as refreshing and rebellious while others argued that the performance felt jarring in a traditionally polished format. Comment sections filled with memes, jokes and criticism from those who claimed the stunt was more attention seeking than artistic. Fernández, however, secured a place in the top twenty and moved on to the final scheduled for Sunday.

In interviews with Chilean media, Fernández admitted she feared she would become the target of ridicule. She said she knew that television and social media can turn unusual moments into jokes. Despite the anxiety, she insisted she wanted to present her real self rather than tone down her identity for the pageant world. She explained that the song was her own work and represented her life, her discipline and her years of training. She also emphasised that she works closely with medical professionals to protect her vocal health and that the technique behind her performance demands practice and precision.

Online commentary has continued to intensify as pageant followers debate whether heavy music belongs on such a stage. Metal fans, meanwhile, have defended Fernández as an authentic artist who refused to compromise. Her band Decessus has already gained new attention as clips circulate, and many users have applauded her commitment to showing that women in metal can be both glamorous and powerful.

The performance has placed Fernández at the centre of a cultural crossover moment, one that has blended the spectacle of beauty pageants with the raw energy of death metal in a way few expected.