Williams first received public recognition for her musical abilities when she won the preliminary talent portion of the Miss America pageant with her rendition of " Happy Days Are Here Again " ( Williams would later be crowned Miss America 1984 ) . Four years later in 1988 , Williams released her debut album , '' The Right Stuff '' . The first single , " The Right Stuff " , found success on the R&B chart , while the second single , " He 's Got the Look " , found similar success on the same chart . The third single , " Dreamin ' " , was a pop hit , becoming Williams ' first top 10 hit on the '' Billboard '' Hot 100 , peaking at No. 8 , and her first number one single on the Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs chart . The album reached platinum status in the U.S. and earned her a NAACP Image Award and three Grammy Award nominations , including one for Best New Artist
Miss America 1984
Miss America 1984
Vanessa Williams