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Carissa Yap, 22, is this year's Miss Universe Singapore.
Getting down to business
A finance and economics major, Yap is currently reading business at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
She's also a Raffles Institution alumna who scored five distinctions for her A levels, reported AsiaOne.
Beating out nine other finalists in her yellow sequined evening gown, Yap was crowned on Oct. 17 at the grand finals of the Miss Universe Singapore 2022.
During the event's Q&A segment, she spoke about "being beautifully confident".
"Well, I would say that I'm beautifully confident because I'm not afraid to use beauty to my power. I'm not afraid to combine beauty with my intellect because I don't think it's a binary choice."
"I think there's power in beauty, power in intelligence, and it's not for women to make a binary choice — but to combine both to be able to fully express yourself and bring yourself to the greatest heights you can."
In response to another question on her favourite memory in Singapore, she replied: "Going to the wet markets with my mum... in the mornings."
Singapore's food "is enough to represent us on the international stage," she added.
The young pageant queen walked away with a four-night staycation, dental makeover, diamond jewellery set and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Miss Universe 2022 grand finals in the United States.
With runners-up Yvonne Sashirekha, 27 (right) and Denissia Delange, 21. Photo from Miss Universe Singapore's Instagram.
She succeeds 2021's winner, Nandita Banna, who broke Singapore's 34-year-long dry spell by making it to the semi-finals for the first time since 1987.
Singapore has sent representatives to the contest as early as 1954.
Top image from Miss Universe Singapore and @bubblesgel/Instagram.