You don’t usually expect to hear death metal at a beauty pageant, but Chile’s Ignacia Fernandez changed that recently, performing her own death metal song at the competition. 

The 27-year-old model and metalhead took the Miss World Chile 2025 semifinals by storm on Sunday (Nov 2), when she performed a song from her own death metal band, Decessus.

Fernandez hit the stage in a black gown alongside guitarist Carlos Palma, kicking things off with dark, slow-burning riffs and a haunting whisper. Then she went full throttle, letting loose some guttural roars. At the end of the performance, the judges gave her a standing ovation. 

The performance scored Fernandez an advance to the Miss World Chile finals and earned herself a global round of applause from metal fans who couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

“This makes me so happy!! 🖤 very inspiring seeing a metal girlie in the pageant world!” one person wrote on social media.

Others praised Fernandez for being an example of “versatility and brilliance.”

Taking to Instagram, Fernández wrote, “Metal has been a fundamental part of who I am as a person and in my life: a refuge, a source of strength and purpose.

 “It was a great experience to break down barriers on open television, inspire, be real with it and show that you don't have to fear the prejudices of others.”

She admitted she was nervous about how it might be received, telling Chilean newspaper Las Ultimas Noticias, “Television lends itself to people making memes and making fun of you. The song I sang is by my band. It's my job, my life.”

Decessus have opened for  Ukrainian heavy metal band Jinjer and Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, toured Europe, and are gearing up to release their debut album. It’s safe to say, Fernandez isn’t just dabbling - she and her band are the real deal.

It’s not every day a pageant turns into a metal gig, but we’re absolutely here for it.