A national footballer was among the top three winners of Miss Universe Singapore last year, which few would have expected. Add to that, second runner-up Lila Tan was a pageant rookie, and at the age of 18, was one of the youngest finalists in the competition.
It was Lila’s uncle who encouraged her to take part in the pageant. “I’m a very messy person. I’m very all over the place,” confesses Lila, a final-year student at international school Hillside World Academy. “The competition didn’t feel like it was something I would fit in, but I thought I’d just give it a try. I had to come face-to-face with my anxiety at times, learn to speak my mind, and overcome my stage fright.”
The past two years have been a whirlwind for Lila,
