National youth footballer, tutor, swimmer among contenders for Miss Universe Singapore 2021

Eight finalists for the Miss Universe Singapore 2021 were unveiled on Thursday (Aug 5).

The finalists, aged between 18 and 24, will vie for the coveted crown on Sep 17. They were chosen from over 60 women. 

This year’s Miss Universe Singapore finals will be livestreamed as part of the virtual fashion festival The Front Row. It also aims to highlight women’s empowerment, inclusivity and sustainability issues, while also spotlighting Singaporean designers and artists.  

“We are proud to present eight confident and captivating young women with aspirations and ambitions, whom we will be training and grooming for the Singapore finals competition next month,” said Valerie Lim, National Director of Miss Universe Singapore Organization. 

“We are excited for their journey ahead and hope that Singaporeans will come together to support them as we continue to bring empowered Singaporean voices to a global stage.” 

This year’s finalists are: 

A passionate advocate for equal access to healthcare, Cate Lin is currently a medical student. The 19-year-old chose to pursue this path after learning about a rare genetic disorder that her mother suffered from. 

While Cate Lin is new to the pageant competition circuit, she comes from a family of titleholders. Her mother was Miss World Singapore 1994, while her sister was a finalist in the Miss Universe Singapore 2018. 

A footballer with the Lion City Sailor Women’s team, Lila has presented Singapore at youth levels. 

The 18-year-old, who was born to a French Mother and Singaporean Chinese father, is fluent in English, Mandarin and French. She joined Miss Universe Singapore 2021 to be an inspiration to other girls to feel empowered and be comfortable in their own bodies. 

She had body dysmorphic disorder, a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearances, and overcame it by eating healthily and actively participating in sports. 

The 22-year-old Environmental Sustainable Design Consultant is passionate about building design for sustainability and helps her clients to implement designs or incorporate technology to benefit the building’s energy use. She also aspires to be a certified architect to design efficient and sustainable buildings. 

In her spare time, she volunteers at various organisations (initiatives) such as WELLS, Food from the Heart, and Clean and Green Singapore. She’s competing to be Miss Universe Singapore 2021 in the hopes of being a spokesperson for sustainability and diversity.

A current third-year university student pursuing a double degree in business management and information systems (business analytics), Nandita is also passionate about leveraging technology to create a more sustainable future. 

In her spare time, she enjoys learning coding and is an active volunteer at Care Corner Singapore, where she mentors primary school students in life skills such as interpersonal communication. 

She hopes to bring awareness to the social issues in Singapore and work on improving them. 

An avid advocate for gender equality and equal pay, the 21-year-old hopes for a future in which young women can live and be unapologetically themselves without fear, unlike her experience growing up as a minority. 

The sociology student at National University of Singapore is a scholarship recipient for her degree and is the first in her family to go to university. 

She’s also an animal lover and hopes her adaptability will give her the advantage of being the next Miss Universe Singapore.

The biochemistry student is the captain of her university’s swim team who has been competing in the sport for seven years. Having lived in many different cities growing up, she considers herself resilient. 

The 21-year-old hopes to be Miss Universe Singapore 2021 and hopes to use this platform to empower women by creating a supportive and safe environment. 

The model, who holds an accounting diploma, was born to a Singaporean Malay mother and a Caucasian father. 

She ardently advocates for mindful consumption and humane treatment of animals and has volunteered with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and at Pink Dot 2019. 

She considers empathy as one of her strength, and has the aim of spreading kindness in all areas.

The biomedical science student and tutor is a vocal advocate for children’s equal rights to education and regularly conducts free tutoring sessions with children from low-income families, pre-pandemic. 

The 24-year-old has transitioned to online sessions and hopes to start a tuition centre in the future that offers programmes to the less fortunate. Sharon also volunteers at her church and also held a prominent acting role in a drama on Vasantham. 

In the lead up to the finals, a series of fashion films produced by local talents will showcase the finalists in collaboration with homegrown designers Maxx Tan, ITT Swim and Marilyn Tan Jewellery. 

The films will premiere from Aug 27, until the finals on Sep 17. 

This year’s winner will present Singapore in the international finals in December 2021 at Eilat Israel. She will also receive a makeover by Orchard Scotts Dental, treatments by BH Medical Aesthetics, Beaute Hub and Shunji Matsuo, as well as products from M.A.C Cosmetics Singapore. 

The judging panel for the Miss Universe Singapore 2021 consist of Miss Universe Japan 2008 Hiroko Mima, Miss Universe Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup and Winston Ling, National Director of Miss Universe Brazil.