Media Room

New Straits Times | 6 May 2008

Do you have what it takes?

by: Dennis Chua

(From left) Hanis, Cindy and Adeline are the top three.

The second season of Malaysian Dreamgirl will return later this year, writes DENNIS CHUA.

MALAYSIAN Dreamgirl, the country’s first online model search programme, will return later this year.

According to producer Capxion Media Sdn Bhd, auditions for the second season will be held at several cities nationwide.

“We will take the girls to location shoots outside the Klang Valley,” said its chief executive officer, Jerad Solomon.

Auditions for the first season were conducted only in Kuala Lumpur and was attended by more than 200 hopefuls.

The first season ended on April 29 with the crowning of Labis-born Tey Cindy, 21, as its champion.

The show’s grand finals was held at 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

The Johor lass won a Nissan Latio 1.8 Ti(A) car, RM10,000 AmBank NexG PrePaid MasterCard, RM3,000 Wella Professionals hamper, RM1,000-worth of Escada fragrances, RM1,000-worth of Bebe apparel, RM500-worth of Nose footwear and an exclusive cover spread in NewMan magazine.

The second place went to Adeline Lee Ying Ying, 21, from Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan. She won RM8,000 AmBank NexG PrePaid MasterCard, RM3,000 Wella Professionals hamper, RM1,000- worth of Escada fragrances and RM300- worth of Nose footwear.

The youngest contestant, Hanis Zalikha Zainal Rashid, 18, of Shah Alam, finished third. She took home an RM6,000 AmBank NexG PrePaid MasterCard, RM3,000 Wella Professionals hamper, RM1,000-worth of Escada fragrances and RM200-worth of Nose footwear.

The other contestants were Alison Victor, 27, Wan Haszalina, 25, Nur Afiqah Liyana Hazrin Chong, 18, Jaishana Loganathan, 25, Fong Siew Jean, 21, Nurul Nadiah Johary, 20, Natasha Rosa Boudville, 18, Ringo Tan Hui Ling, 23, and Valerie Vanessa Ebal, 21.

Fong withdrew from the competition two weeks after it began on March 6, citing personal reasons.

According to Solomon, “minor hiccups” occurred when the girls lodged together but they parted company as “sisters”.

Tears too flowed freely when a contestant was eliminated after obtaining the least number of SMS votes from viewers each week.

“While not all 12 of them learnt the basics of modelling fast enough, they all became stronger and more mature in the process,” he said.

The contestants, he said, were exceptionally fond of two judges — actress and former beauty queen Elaine Daly, whom they regarded as a “big sister”, and fashion stylist Lim Jimmy, whom they trusted in guiding them as models.

They also adored bubbly host Sazzy Falak, of the television series Gol & Gincu.

Cindy, a Contemporary Arts graduate from Tasmania, Australia, said she had always wanted to be a model, as well as a television host and actress.

“This is my first competition, and it was tough."

"I’m happy to have worked hard for it, and I realise that it takes far more than looks and grace at the catwalk to make it in showbusiness.

“To be successful, one has to be knowledgeable, confident, and have good people’s skills,” she said.

Adeline and Hanis are also first-timers in a modelling contest.

Adeline said: “Malaysian Dreamgirl has opened my eyes to the realities of becoming a successful model. It is all about hard work and perseverance.”

Hanis said: “I’m thankful to Elaine, Sazzy and Jimmy for being wonderful friends and guides. I’ll miss them, and my fellow contestants.”

Malaysian Dreamgirl was aired for 10 weeks for 30 minutes on www.malaysiandreamgirl.tv on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The contestants aged between 18 and 28 were given the chance to experience the life of a model and were groomed by professionals in the fashion and modelling industry.

The girls, who were required to speak in English, were exposed to different challenges throughout the contest, including photo shoots, acting in videos and commercials, public speaking, hosting and the compulsory catwalk.