Led by Lim along with creative fashion director Daniel Boey, the competition will feature photoshoots and fashion films showcasing Singapore design labels—like Max Tan, Tria The Label and Design Orchard—and cultural monuments such as Raffles Hotel, The Intan and Genting Dream.

Like previous years, viewers can expect to see competition rounds that include a swim wear showcase, a evening wear showcase and a Q&A segment. This year’s panel of judges include Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes, Miss Universe Japan 2008 Hiroko Mima and national director of Miss Universe Brazil, Winston Ling.

Without further ado, let’s get to know the finalists in the running to become the next Miss Universe Singapore who will then go on to represent the country at the international finals in Eilat, Israel this December.

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Cate Lin is passionate about healthcare access to all in her pursuit of a degree in medicine after learning of her mother’s rare genetic disorder. This 19-year-old medical student was also a competitive rhythmic gymnast who has obtained gold and silver medals in national events. She also comes from a family of pageant queens with her mother as Miss World Singapore 1994 and her sister being a finalist in Miss Universe Singapore 2018.

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This NUS Sociology scholar is the first in her family to attend university; as an advocate of equal pay and gender equality, she wishes for a future where young women can live and be themselves without fear, unlike how she previously felt as a child of a minority race. She is also an animal lover who has adopted cats and hopes that her adaptability will give her an edge in the competition.

This French-Singaporean Chinese finalist is a football player on the national team and has been awarded most valuable player several times. Tan is also fluent in English, Mandarin and French and previously lived abroad in Shanghai. Having suffered from body dysmorphia, she hopes to be an inspiration to young girls to feel active, empowered and comfortable in their bodies.

As a Green Building and Sustainability graduate, Mardhiah is passionate about building design for sustainability and she works closely with clients to implement a more effective design that incorporates technology to benefit the building’s energy use. She aspires to further her studies in architecture and be a certified architect so that she can design efficient and sustainable buildings. She also volunteers at green organisations like Clean and Green Singapore to advocate the importance of sustainability.

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Having a double degree in Business Management and Information Systems, Nandita is zealous about leveraging technology to create a more sustainable future. She is also an active volunteer at Care Corner Singapore where she mentors primary school students to develop interpersonal communication and life skills. She loves to learn new skills like coding and hopes to bring awareness of social issues to the competition.

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Alexander is a biochemistry student and competitive swimmer for more than 10 years now. She is also captain of her university’s swim team and had a wide cultural exposure growing up having lived in many different countries like Turkmenistan, and considers herself to have gained resilience through this experience. Her aim is to empower women by creating a safe and supportive space.

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Armed with a diploma in accounting, McNeill (who is of mixed parentage) is also passionate about mindful consumption and humane treatment of animals. As an animal lover, she has been vegan for four years and has volunteered at the SPCA. She also volunteered at Pink Dot in 2019 and considers one of her strengths to have empathy for others.

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Auxilia is an advocate for children’s equal rights to education and is currently studying for a degree in Biomedical Science. Before the pandemic, she conducted free tutoring sessions regularly for children from underprivileged homes, which have now evolved into online sessions. In five years, she wishes to start a tuition centre and offer programmes to those in need. She is also actively involved in church activities and dabbles in acting including a prominent role in a Vasantham drama.

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The competition will be livestreamed on September 17, 2021 from 9pm via The Front Row