Hello everyone! Firstly, let me start this blogpost off by wishing all mothers a blessed Mothers Day! I hope your children and loved ones were able to spend time with you and shower you with love. Just a few days ago, new queens were crowned, and the Mrs & Classic Mrs Singapore Pageant 2019 has officially come to an end! As I've mentioned in the previous Mrs Singapore blogposts, this is the very first pageant in the new blog and it's just such an exciting feeling! My vlog will be out this Thursday, so keep your eyes peeled!
Got my beautiful gown from Alelux Luxury Gown Rental once again! I've never been disappointed by their range and designs. This pageant, the theme was feather and florals, so I decided to go to the floral route and decided on this off-shoulder number! This would be one of those pieces which you aren't 100% sure about it until you wear it. I wasn't too attracted to it at first because I'm not used to prints like this, but when Adeline asked me to try it on, I fell in LOVE. There were so many more that I tried but I decided on this one. Honestly, it was 50% because of the pockets. It made my job so much easier because I could chuck my phone/camera in the pockets when I needed to run around. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!! Thank you for always showering me with love, care and flawless dresses Alelux! I will be posting more photos in a collective lookbook with all the outfits I wore during the Mrs Singapore events soon, so you can keep a lookout for that! Let's talk more about the pageant, shall we?
I came a little earlier to snap photos for the lookbook, and rehearsals were going on as well, so I decided to just watch them prepare for. the night while I was there!
And the night begins with the opening number!
As always, the contestants got the change to walk to the front to introduce themselves to the audience and judges!
The ballroom was so filled this year, it was absolutely crazy! There were more tables than in previous years and the entire ballroom was filled with cheers from the supporters. I remembered that a specific contestant had amazing support during the fringe activities, and of course, her supporters did not disappoint during the grand finals too!
Opening addresses by Organising Chairperson, Racheal Olivero (left) and ERM's Managing Director, Ms Angela Tay (Right)
And the top 5 from the talent around performed once again!
If you missed the talent round, you can watch/read snippets of it via the following social media platforms:
Just to recap, the top 5 contestants from the talent round will perform once again during the grand finals!
The top 5 that performed during the grand finals are (from top row to bottom): Contestant No. 2 Lilian Lee
Contestant No. 4 Ajita Bisht
Contestant No. 9 Yuko Ashizawa
Contestant No. 12 Eztelle Roche Kaye
Contestant No. C2 Melissa Lim
It was definitely nice to see them perform again! However, I think this year was interesting since the items were exactly the same as they were during the talent round. Usually one or two would have at least done a new item, but their items were the same. Of course Eztella and Melissa both had a wardrobe upgrade, so there was still some element of surprise, for sure. I'll admit I kept singing alone when Melissa was performing, and I might have to edit the audio out of the vlog because you can totally hear me singing.
After the performances, the contestants came out dressed in apparel from Kaftan Closet! Apart from modelling the beautiful and colourful outfits, the ladies also presented various skincare products from the sponsors. These products were from the following sponsors: Oudao Perlane, Labo Nutrition, Zell-V and Mirage Aesthetics. I thought the outfits from Kaftan Closet were so pretty, and perfect for a beach holiday!
Time to give away some subsidiary awards! Yes, if you're wondering, Wallace Ang and Patricia Mok have both graced us with their presence at the grand finals!
Most Elegance Award: Contestant No, 6 Naazrina Kokholm Eloquence Award: Contestant No, 4 Ajita Bisht Personality Queen: Contestant No, C1 Windaline Lew Inspiration Award: Contestant No, C10 Chitra Devi Goveindasamy Optimist Award: Contestant No, C5 Sumiko Teo Most Progressive Award: Contestant No, 7 Josephine Lee Body Beautiful: Contestant No, 11 Sharine Wong Most Confidence: Contestant No, 12 Eztelle Roche Kaye Contestant of the Year: Contestant No, C6 Aminah Bte Abdul Rahman (Mimi) Mother of the Year: Contestant No, C11 Teoh Hooi Leng Most Supportive Family: Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee Most Supportive Husband: Contestant No, C9 Mary Miao Popularity Queen: Contestant No, 4 Ajita Bisht Congeniality Queen: Contestant No, 8 Loy Shien Ling
Ms Angela Tay (Managing Director of ERM Singapore) presenting a token of appreciation to the sponsors!
3k Positive: http://3positive.com
Oudao Perlane: http://www.oudao13.com
Zell-V Cellular Therapy: http://www.zell-v.com
Mirage Aesthetics: http://www.mirageaesthetic.com
Labo Nutrition: http://lifestreamgroup.com/about-labo-nutrition Glam Palm: http://glampalm.com.sg
Saigon Star: http://www.facebook.com/saigonstarss
Nutrition Depot: http://nutritiondepot.com.sg
FABLife: http://www.fablife.style Isabella Aesthetics: http://www.isabellaesthetics.com DrHair: http://drgl.com/drhair Shunji Matsuo: http://shunjimatsuo.com.sg
Dream Dance Yoga: https://dreamdanceyoga.com
Mayer Marketing: http://www.mayer.sg
The Makeover Inc: http://www.themakeoverinc.com.sg
RicciNo Singapore: http://riccino.com.sg
Beautiful Love Wedding: http://www.beautifullovewedding.com
The School of Make Up: http://www.theschoolofmakeup.com
Lee Wei Song School of Music: http://www.leeweisong.com.sg
Kaftan Closet: http://www.facebook.com/Kaftan.Closet.SG
Anani Villa: http://www.ananivilla.com
Our Tampines Hub: http://www.facebook.com/OurTampinesHub Adopted Charity: Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore
After presenting the tokens of appreciation, the contestants joined us back on stage in their evening gowns!
Of course, this is where their husbands/partners walk them up to the stage. It's always my favourite part!
Gowns are all from Beautiful Love Wedding.
Ahh, look at all that sparkle! Maybe I should wear a full on glittery gown for the next pageant that I blog for! heehee
Giving away more subsidiary awards!
Mrs Mirage Aesthetics: Contestant No, 1 Lee Minhua Most Photogenic: Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee Mrs 3k Positive: Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee Mrs Gorgeous Nails: Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee Mrs Zell V: Contestant No,13 Laura Lee Mrs Snow Radiance: Contestant No, 9 Yuko Ashizawa Mrs Star Chef: Contestant No, 9 Yuko Ashizawa Best in Talent: Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee Beauty with a Heart: Contestant No, 5 Seraph8ina Genesis Goodwill Ambassador: Contestant No, C3 Rain Goh Charity Queen: Contestant No, C7 Amelia Lim Community Ambassador: Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee
This year's donations was the highest amount so far! Amazing job, ladies!
And now, it was time to announce the top 7 for both the Mrs and the Classic Mrs Categories.
Classic Mrs Top 7 (left to right):
Contestant No, C8 Jessee Lim
Contestant No, C7 Amelia Lim
Contestant No, C9 Mary Miao Contestant No, C2 Melissa Lim Contestant No, C10 Chitra Devi Govindasamy Contestant No, C11 Teoh Hooi Leng Contestant No, C3 Rain Goh
Mrs Singapore Top 7 (left to right):
Contestant No, 6 Naazrina Kokholm
Contestant No, 1 Li Minhua
Contestant No, 9 Yuko Ashizawa
Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee Contestant No, 5 Seraphina Genisis Contestant No, 3 Jacinta Chan
Congratulations, ladies! Everyone has grown one way or another during their journey and no matter what the outcome is, There's every reason to be proud of where you've reached in your pageant journey! With that being said, it's time for the dreaded Q&A! Let's start with the Classic Mrs category!
Contestant No, C8 Jessee Lim
Jessee is currently a volunteer at the Society of the Aged Sick. Having lost her mother at a young age, she has learnt the importance of giving love to the elderly. As a volunteer, she keeps the elderly company and wants to create awareness, encourage people to volunteer along with her, as well as raise funds for the cause.
For her question, she was asked if she could change something about her younger self, what would it be, and why. Her initial answer was that she would have taken more risks, and shared that she didn't have many financial resources when she was younger and also shared that she didn't have much guts either. However, now at age 52, she can proudly say that she has grown wiser and took the chance to join Mrs Singapore. Kudos to you, Jessee!
Contestant No, C7 Amelia Lim
Her adopted platform is the Association of Women for Action and Research, which I think is AWARE Singapore, they address issues such that single or unmarried mothers face, and also tackle gender inequality. She hopes to be able to work with AWARE to organise activities and workshops to help educate women and remind them that they aren't alone in the world.
Her question was if she had a superpower, what would it be, and why. She answered that she'd give a heart to everybody (not going to lie, I'm sure some of us heard it as 'hug', that'd make total sense too), in hope that everyone would love each other unconditionally.
Contestant No, C9 Mary Miao
Mary's platform is the Singapore Cancer Society. 15 years ago, she was a cancer patient and she had a lot of help from the people around her. Now that she is healthy and filled with energy, she would like to raise funds and support fellow cancer patients through their battle with cancer.
She was asked what would define a 'woman of influence' and if she felt she was one, and why. Personally, I thought this question was relatively difficult, then again, I think she answered it very well. She mentioned that confidence is key, and in that aspect, she herself is an influencer, as she is able to influence the people around her with her own actions and doings. She felt that it didn't matter how big or small the influence is, a simple could also be commended. Many years ago, she set up her own office at home in order to take care of her family, just by doing that, she was able to achieve a work life balance. This achievement has also influenced her friends to set up their office at home.
Contestant No, C2 Melissa Lim
Her adopted charity is the Society for the Aged Sick. She shared that she used to look after her uncle and mother-in-law, and wanted to inspire people to join her in the befriender programme as well. She hopes to be able to organise more outings for the old folks, set up performances for them, as well as raise funds for the charity.
I thought her question was interesting (and quite similar to Amelia's). "If you were to wake up tomorrow and found that you've gained a new quality, what would it be?'. She shared that she would like to have supernatural wisdom, in hope that she would be able to give great advice to those around her.
One of my favourite things that she said "A woman with wisdom will always be beautiful in the eyes of their husband". This might end up in a @T.withqueens quote sooner or later haha. I love it!
Contestant No, C10 Chitra Devi Govindasamy
She shared that her platform was actually promoting what had saved her when she was suffering from cancer. She claimed that western medication had not helped her, but she found something that has (unfortunately, I'm not able to find it for now so I can't share with you guys). Having survived through cancer, she decided to write a book about her experience and shared it in the book she just published a few months back.
Her question was about preserving and protecting our environment, and how we can help to achieve it. Her answer was to reduce waste products and to increase usage of more environmentally friendly options such as solar energy and electric cars.
Contestant No, C11 Teoh Hooi Leng
CHEMISTRY IS FUN!!! I think it's safe to say that she definitely was my favourite contestant this year. I rarely have a definite favourite, but I found her personality infectious. She's so cheerful and I imagine that if I had a chemistry teacher like her, I'd pay a lot more attention because I'd actually want to do well.
Her adopted charity is the Society for the Aged Sick. Having taken care of her mother, she understood the importance of showering the elderly with love and care. She hopes to raise awareness and to encourage more people to join her in spending quality time with the elderly.
Her question was about balancing her family and career successfully. Judging by her friendliness and radiating positivity, I'd personally think she was a living embodiment of said balance. She still works 4 days a week (at 65, that's pretty damn cool), and on Saturdays, she dragon boats (everyone is SHAKING) and she's also a member of the Singapore Cancer Society. Just to add on more activities, she does zumba, she dances, she also mentioned she loved participating in runs. She's confident that her children are happy that she's such an active lifestyle, and I'd definitely agree! I'm not being crazy, but I think I'd like to be her when I'm 65. Or like 50% of her is pretty cool already. Such an inspiration!
Contestant No, C3 Rain Goh
Rain has been participating in charity events supporting homeless children. She admitted that she had a bad childhood, and that contributed to her wanting to ensure that other homeless children are cared for and loved.
Her questions was on her views of technology in modern society, and whether it was a good or bad thing. She answered that the advancement of technology isn't a bad thing, as it allows us to connect with people who are in different parts of the world. However, it also causes a lack of human interaction (I assume she's talking about us being glued to our phones instead of actually socialising with the people around us). She feels that if we were able to make use of technology properly, we would be able to pay more attention to those around us and cherish our loved ones more.
Contestant No, 6 Naazrina Kokholm
Naazrina would like to support the mild intellectually disabled adults, by providing styling and make up services to boost their confidence.
Her question was about where would she want to be in 10 years time. She shared that her goal was just to be happy (which she is) and 10 years down the road, she would ask for the same thing again: to be happy - happy with the person that she is, happy with her decisions in life, happy with her career choice and lastly, happy with being a good mum and wife.
Contestant No, 1 Li Minhua
She's an advocate for Angel Hearts, who create burial gowns for babies who unfortunately, have passed before coming home from the hospital. She shared that she had gone through a similar traumatic experience as a mother, and hoped to be able to gather more awareness, and to support other mothers who have experienced the same thing.
She was asked what would she do if she was crowned Mrs Singapore. She answered that her first reaction would be getting her husband to pinch her so she'd know it wasn't a dream (she then quickly added in that she wasn't advocating any form of violence), followed by coming up with a thank you speech. She then thanked the organises and sponsors for everything, no spoilers here (though you can just totally scroll down), but it was like she was totally ready to win!
Contestant No, 9 Yuko Ashizawa
Yuko's platform is to fight against domestic violence. She shared that she herself was abused in her previous relationship, and that there are many unreported cases of domestic violence, which has lead her to where she is now: hoping to raise funds and awareness for these abused women. She also mentioned that she has done similar outreach programmes and charity events in japan for almost 10 years. On top of that, she also volunteered in children's homes in japan and she hopes to be able to do these events in Singapore as well.
Her question was about what were the important qualities for a women to have to be successful. "Strength, A Sense of Humour and Beauty Inside and Out" she first quoted these 3 qualities in Japanese and then translated them to english. She felt that a strong mind and a sense of humour would help you get through tough times and being able to be beautiful inside and out is her success.
Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee
Her platform is the Gladiolus Place, which is a christian residential refuge for teenage girls. She shared that if she were crowned Mrs Singapore, she'd like to tap on her resources and the relationships that she has built during her pageant journey to create a series of events and activities for these teenage girls in hope of helping these girls to realise their self worth.
Her question was about how would she hope to execute her duties as a queen, if she were crowned tonight (thought it was so apt since she had JUST mentioned what she had hoped to do for her platform if she was to be crowned). She first gave credit to all the other contestants, which I thought was nice of her! She then shared that she'd like to get her colleagues, friends and family involved so they can not only help a good cause, but to spend quality time together as well.
Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee
Laura's platform was this year's adopted charity: Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore. As a mother and grandmother (yes, she's a GRANDMOTHER at 44, not a typo.) she would like to encourage her kids and everyone else to show love and care towards children born with disabilities. As CPAS's ambassador, she wants to continue to support and raise funds for them.
Her question was what she felt was her advantage over the other contestants. Her answer was simple and I think it was highly logical: she was the oldest among them.
Contestant No, 5 Seraphina Genisis
Seraphina wants to reach out to young mothers who struggle with their journey in motherhood, providing them emotional support and sharing her experiences with them as well. She shared that she had suffered from depression and anxiety attacks, and having to take care of her children, she admitted that she hasn't left the house in a long time. She hopes to encourage mothers to be brave and to perhaps join a pageant, just like she did! She wishes to continue to raise funds for CPAS, and has already started a new campagin to raise fund for the next 365 days.
Although she sort of had a mini anxiety attack on stage (which I didn't realise until she mentioned it), I think she did so well, she calmed herself down and continued with her Q&A. Anxiety hits you anytime and anywhere, the fact that she had the courage to step out of her house and join the pageant, is a huge inspiration for fellow anxiety sufferers to take that leap of faith, and to do something that will boost their self-confidence. It's never easy, but it's never too late!
Her question was about breaking the negative stereotype of beauty pageants (this is my kinda question HAHA), and of course, she's literally the best example. She made use of the pageant's opportunity to get herself back on her feet. She has evolved into someone more confident, who is able to get up on stage and present herself to the public. To her, this is the true empowerment that women should be able to take away from their pageant journeys, and I 100% agree!
Contestant No, 3 Jacinta Chan
She's a spokesperson for Actions For AIDS Singapore, and hopes to break the stigma against it. She shared that she had seen her aunt suffer and pass from AIDS, and noticed that not only did she have to experience a lot of physical and emotional pain, but she also had to suffer in silence. She hopes to encourage people to embrace those who are suffering from HIV, as these sufferers are also humans who need love as much as the rest of us do.
She was asked about her biggest disappointment, and how she had bounced back from it. Her answer was that her biggest disappointment would be the day that she decided to name one for herself. The took me a while to digest, but I thought it was pretty brilliant. She said she wore her battle scars as a medal, and a reminder of the learning processes of life, to be grateful, as well as to live in the moment.
With that, the Q&A section has come to an end! Well done ladies!
Before we continue with the rest of the post. I'd like to give a massive shoutout to Christina and Joyce for helping me with translating the mandarin Q&As. This section of the blogpost will literally not exist without the two of you!! Thank you so much babes!
Guest Performance by Sophia Meng from Dream Dance Yoga!
I've started to appreciate belly dancing a lot more since I've started attending all the Talent Segments in pageants. It does make me want to learn it, or just have a sort of 'taster' experience of the genre!
Right after her amazing performance, it was the moment of that everyone has been waiting for: The coronation of the Mrs and Classic Mrs Singapore winners!
Classic Mrs Singapore Category Classic Mrs Singapore 2019 Second Runner Up: Contestant No, C3 Rain Goh Classic Mrs Singapore 2019 First Runner Up: Contestant No, C8 Jessee Lim Classic Mrs Singapore Planet 2019: Contestant No, C9 Mary Miao Classic Mrs Singapore Globe 2019: Contestant No, C7 Amelia Lim Classic Mrs Singapore Universe 2019: Contestant No, C2 Melissa Lim
Mrs Singapore Category
Mrs Singapore 2019 Second Runner Up: Contestant No, 3 Jacinta Chan Mrs Singapore 2019 First Runner Up: Contestant No, 13 Laura Lee Mrs Singapore Planet 2019: Contestant No, 2 Lilian Lee Mrs Singapore Globe 2019: Contestant No, 9 Yuko Ashizawa Mrs Singapore Universe 2019: Contestant No, 1 Li Minhua
Classic Mrs Singapore Universe 2019: Melissa Lim (top left)
Mrs Singapore Universe 2019: Li Minhua (top right)
Didn't I tell you Minhua was super ready to win? ;)
Congratulations, Queens!
I'm not going to post the photo I took with them this time because my heels had broke in the midst of the pageant (much to my dismay and embarrassment) so I had been walking about barefoot. Of course, that meant that I looked INCREDIBLY short next to the queens, mind you, the Universe winners were both so tall and they were wearing heels too! I'm not going to dwell on that since it's a happy occasion.
A massive thank you to ERM for having me at this glorious event once again, and to Alelux for making sure that I looked and felt great! I've received nothing but love from you guys, and I'm incredibly grateful! I'll see you guys in my next blogpost!
xx
Shayne