Quiana Lynell, department of popular and commercial music vocal instructor, was the overall winner in the SASSY awards.

Lynell was among five of the contestants selected for the finals of the competition, including Tiffany, Christine Fawson, Fabio Giacalone, Tatiana “LadyMay” Mayfield.

The finalist performed before a panel of judge searching for “vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance individuality, artistic interpretation and the ability to swing,” according to competition rules.

Lynell received $5,000 and an offer for record deal with Concord Music Group.

The SASSY awards, known as the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, is an international jazz competition that offers its winner a platform to launch a career from.

The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition gains its namesake from Newark teenager Sarah Vaughan who won a competition in a 1942 Apollo Theater Singing Competition that launched her career.