She wasn't supposed to win. Honestly, if you look at the track record of pageant winners from Georgia back then, the odds were stacked against a girl who grew up on a 700-acre farm driving John Deere tractors. But Betty Maxwell (then known as Betty Cantrell) didn't just win; she kind of redefined what a "pageant girl" looked like for a new generation.
Winning Miss America 2016 wasn't just about a crown or a sash. For Betty, it was about proving that a "farm girl" could belt out a Puccini opera aria like "Tu? tu? Piccolo iddio!" and make a room of thousands go silent. It was a weird, beautiful mix of high-culture talent and dirt-under-the-fingernails reality.
The Miss America Journey Nobody Tells You About
People think being Miss America is all parades and sparkling dresses. It’s not. It is basically a grueling, 365-day marathon of living out of a suitcase. Betty has been incredibly vocal about the "unglamorous" side of her reign. She’s talked about waking up in hotel rooms and literally forgetting what city she was in.
Imagine being 21 years old and suddenly becoming the National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. You're visiting kids in intensive care one day and performing for troops on a USO tour the next. It's heavy stuff.
She also had to deal with some pretty outdated rules. During her year as Miss America, Betty was actually in a serious relationship with her now-husband, Spencer Maxwell. The catch? The organization basically wanted her to play the part of "America's bachelorette." She couldn't post photos with him or even really talk about him publicly. She felt isolated. She felt like she was hiding a huge part of her life just to fit an old-school mold of "perfection."
Breaking the "Pageant Girl" Stereotype
When Betty showed up on American Idol in 2022, the judges were skeptical. Luke Bryan famously told her that "pageant girls" usually sing a certain way—rehearsed, stiff, maybe a bit soul-less.
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Betty didn't care.
She walked in with her crown (mostly for the bit) and then proceeded to prove them wrong. She showed off her Disney princess impressions—because she’s actually a huge nerd for voice acting—and then pivoted into a country-rock vibe that caught them off guard. It was a pivotal moment. It showed that she wasn't just "Miss America 2016" anymore; she was an artist trying to find her own lane in Nashville.
Why She Left the "Cantrell" Name Behind
After her reign ended, Betty married Spencer and took his name. Some fans were confused. In the world of branding, keeping your "winning" name is usually the smart move. But for Betty, it was a fresh start.
She wanted to be known as Betty Maxwell, the singer and author, not just the girl who wore the crown in Atlantic City. She moved to Nashville to pursue country music, released an album called Nicotine, and wrote a memoir titled Miss Unlikely.
The title says it all. She views herself as the underdog. She wasn't the polished, legacy pageant contestant who had been training since she was three. She was a girl from Warner Robins, Georgia, who entered her first pageant because her mom suggested it for the scholarship money.
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Real Talk on Mental Health and Resilience
Life hasn't been all "happily ever after." Betty and Spencer have been very open about their struggles, particularly regarding mental health. They've used their platform to advocate for suicide awareness after facing personal family tragedies.
This is where the real value of her "influence" comes in. It’s not in the makeup tutorials—though she does those too, and they're pretty good—it’s in the vulnerability. She’s talked about the cyberbullying she faced after winning. People on the internet can be monsters, especially to women in the spotlight. She was criticized for her hair, her face, her personality.
How do you handle that? You lean into your faith. Betty has been clear that her Greek Orthodox roots and her personal faith are what kept her from spiraling when the "Miss America" pressure got too intense.
What Betty Maxwell is Doing in 2026
If you follow her today, you'll see a woman who has completely embraced the "multi-hyphenate" lifestyle. She’s not just one thing.
- Voice Acting: She’s still chasing that dream of being a Disney princess voice.
- Motivational Speaking: She travels the country talking to young women about self-esteem.
- Social Media: She’s built a massive following by being... well, normal. She posts about her life on the farm, her marriage, and the realities of being a former "it girl" trying to make it in a new industry.
Actionable Insights from Betty’s Story
You don't have to be a beauty queen to take something away from Betty Maxwell's trajectory. Her life is a bit of a blueprint for anyone trying to pivot their career or deal with public expectations.
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1. Don't let your "title" define your ceiling. Betty could have spent her whole life just being "Former Miss America." Instead, she used that as a springboard to do things that actually scared her, like auditioning for American Idol as a "nobody" again.
2. Authenticity over perfection.
The Miss America Organization wanted a bachelorette; she wanted her boyfriend. She followed the rules when she had to, but the second she was free, she told her truth. People connect with the truth, not the facade.
3. Embrace the "Unlikely" label. If people say you don't fit the mold, great. That usually means you're the only one who can do what you're about to do.
If you're looking for someone to follow who actually keeps it real about the highs and lows of fame, keep an eye on Betty. She's proved that even after the crown is put in a box, the real work—and the real story—is just beginning.
To get the most out of her journey, check out her book Miss Unlikely. It’s a fast read, but it digs way deeper into the Nashville struggles and the farm-life roots than any Instagram post ever could. Focus on her chapters regarding "rebranding"—it’s a masterclass in staying true to yourself when the world wants you to stay the same.