Chantel 'Tash' Lamont raises her replica cheque for $1 million after overcoming stiff competition to win last night's Digicel Rising Stars 2011 competition at The Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston. - Colin Hamilton

There was sheer excitement last night when Chantel 'Tash' Lamont was announced as season eight winner of Digicel Rising Stars at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston.

The singer was a crowd favourite very early in the show but had been getting stiff competition from Latoya Jackson, more popularly called 'Latty J', who returned to the contest as the producer's pick after she was eliminated earlier. The competition was fierce and the public loved them both, but it was Lamont who claimed the title.

After the long drum roll and Tash was announced as winner, there was complete pandemonium in the venue with confetti filling the air. There were loud screams, jumping and dancing. There were even some very exuberant members of the audience who the production team had tried very hard to keep from going on to and in front of the stage.

Latty J was presented with her cheque of $600,000. As she was about to be presented with her million-dollar cash prize, Tash shed tears of joy. While doing her victory song, she was joined by Latty J. Afterwards, she sang a heartfelt and joyous Lion Paw with Tarrus Riley who had performed earlier.

Speaking with THE STAR at the end of the two-hour final show, Tash said she is elated with the win but she was worried that she would not have been victorious.

"I feel great. Working this hard to be number one, it's a wonderful feeling, an excellent feeling. There are no words to express this," she said.

"I was fretting because I felt like I wouldn't win. The training was getting hard, rumours were spreading about me, people were saying bad things. I was very nervous."