America's Next Top Model crowned Kyla Coleman its Season 24 winner, with Jeana Turner finishing as the runner-up, during Tuesday night's finale episode on VH1.

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America's Next Top Model judges Tyra Banks, supermodel Ashley Graham, Chief Creative Officer of Paper magazine Drew Elliott, and celebrity stylist Law Roach determined Kyla had won the competition following a high-fashion runway show for Philipp Plein and a photo-shoot spread for Paper. The judges also took into account her entire body of work throughout the season.

"I am a new Kyla. I graduated and had no idea what I was doing. I was working jobs I hated, and I'm here now and I won! It just goes to show, just keep trying!" Kyla, a 20-year-old biracial beauty from Lacey, WA, said after her victory was announced.

"I was literally making coffee two months ago and now I can put my energy into something I love! I can model and I can use this platform to help other people. This competition doesn't end today just because I won. I'm going to keep pushing myself and I'm always going to want more for myself beyond modeling. I am going to try to change the world. I am America's Next Top Model!" 

As the winner of America's Next Top Model, Kyla will receive a fashion spread in Paper magazine, a modeling contract with Next management, an avatar in the new ANTM mobile game, and a $100,000 cash prize.

Jeana, a 24-year-old bald beauty from Minneapolis, MN -- who got a second chance in the competition when she was previously eliminated but won her way back onto the show -- finished in second place.

"Always first runner-up. I wanted to win America's Next Top Model. I thought I could do it. I don't want to talk about it anymore," Jeana said.

Khrystyana Kazakova, a 32-year-old curvy model from New York, NY, claimed third place on Season 24.

"It was an amazing experience. I learned everything I could about myself, about my fashion abilities, and I had won so many challenges too... I'm 32, so I'm very happy Tyra opened up the age limit. I'm hoping to see a lot more age diversity [in the industry]," Khrystyana said in her final words, adding that she's proud to have walked a couple major runways as a curvy woman.

And finally, Shanice Carroll, a 25-year-old from Murfreesboro, TN, was eliminated in fourth place right before Philipp Plein's fashion show.

Philip had noticed during the women's fitting for the photo shoot that she appeared very nervous and had "so much work to do" before she was ready for something like this.

Drew explained to Shanice, however, she was sent home based on the judges' feedback and her overall body of work in addition to Philipp's criticism and her performance at the fitting for his brand.

"It sucks to make it this far and to have to go home, but I was that girl living in motels and living in hotels, not knowing what I'm going to eat today. And now I do have the capability of actually being a model," Shanice explained.

"I want to tell my brother that I thought about him the entire time when I was doing good, when I was doing bad. I just thought about him and he's watching me saying, 'I'm proud of you, sis.' He wanted me to make it and I did this for him."

The America's Next Top Model finale began with Shanice's surprising elimination.

The Final 3 models were then instructed to pose for their Paper magazine spread, as the winner of the show will actually be featured in the magazine. The photo shoot featured the girls posing in big, blonde wigs with oversized props.

As for Philipp's runway show, the Final 3 were joined by previously-eliminated models from this season -- including Liberty, Rio, Erin and Christina.

The models were required to walk with children who represented all different types of beautiful that America's Next Top Model as a franchise has embraced through the years. There was even a sweet bald girl whom Jeana walked with.

Based on the Paper photo shoot alone, Khrystyana was eliminated from the competition, which determined the Final 2. While Kyla was told she absolutely nailed her shot and looked stunning, the judges had mixed opinions on both Khrystyana and Jeana's best photos.

Khrystyana's photo was fun and bubbly, but Law thought she looked like Kyla's "crazy older sister."

Drew then flat out said he didn't like Jeana's photo at all and she had let him down with her performance on the set. Tyra, on the other hand, called Jeana's photo "genius," saying she looked like a doll that had just come to life.

On Khrystyana's way out of the competition, Tyra told her that she's beautiful "inside and out."

The judges then discussed and deliberated whether Jeana or Kyla should be crowned the next Top Model. Kyla was told her walk in the runway show "wasn't terrible," but it wasn't refined either. However, Drew wanted to buy her clothes and she has improved drastically throughout the competition.

Meanwhile, Jeana's walk was "fierce" and "fantastic." She owned the runway and didn't look short, but Drew was shocked Jeana let go of her little girl's during the show, showing she "was in it only for herself."

The judges decided Jeana never looked human in her photos and is the new kind of model -- both bold and beautiful -- but Kyla had an amazing progression and complete transformation on America's Next Top Model. Kyla had a lot of potential and would be like "a blank canvas" for the modeling industry.

Kyla then learned she had won the show, seemingly in big thanks to Drew, who fought hard for her to take the title over Jeana.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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