She waited five long years to take part in The New Paper New Face competition.
And when she finally did, she won it in style.
New Face 2015 winner Selynna Norhisham, 22, also bagged subsidiary titles Subaru Miss Dynamic and New Look Miss Fashionista last night.
She had wanted to join New Face back in 2010 when she was a student in Singapore Polytechnic but decided against it to focus on her studies.
Now an administrative manager, Selynna pushed herself and concentrated on the competition.
She said: “I’ve always been postponing registering for New Face but it was totally worth the wait because I always wanted to win.”
TNP New Face 2015 was held at Takashimaya Square, Ngee Ann City, where 20 finalists competed to win the top three spots and six subsidiary titles.
After about two months of training, the girls strutted down the runway in three outfits from Levi’s®, Depression and New Look in front of a cheering crowd of 800.
Rapper-actor Shigga Shay then performed a 15-minute medley, which included his latest hit songs Shigga Morning and Everybody.
After the ceremony, Selynna’s mother Zuriah Ismail was spotted in a big group of 10 relatives and 12 friends.
Madam Zuriah, a single mother in her 50s, said her whole family supports Selynna’s modelling career.
PROUD
The self-employed woman said: “I am very proud of her and I expected her to win because she has been practising every day without fail.
“Last night (the day before the competition), she practised until 2.30am.”
Cousin Nur Filzah Rohaidi, a 27-year-old writer, specially made a banner which said “#selynnaforpresident” and prepared a “Selynna Post New Face Kit” which contained her favourite food such as Kinder Bueno and Maggi.
She said: “We prepared this kit to surprise her because she loves food and we knew she would be hungry after the competition.”
And true to form, the first thing that came to Selynna’s mind after her win was food.
She said: “I am going to take these guys (her relatives) out for a good seafood treat.”
Selynna, her mother and cousins are practically inseparable.
Madam Zuriah said: “We will always have each other no matter what she goes through.”
First runner-up R Nametha, 17, a St Hilda’s Secondary School student, sacrificed studying for her O levels, which will take place in about 20 days, for the contest.
She said: “I am definitely going to mug right after the competition but the time spent was definitely worth it.”
Second runner-up and Nanyang Technological University graduate Lee Qian Hui, 23, was surprised as she did not think she would make it to the top three.
After winning $3,000, she said: “I will give my friends a big treat because they’ve been supporting me a lot through the voting period and I am very grateful for that.”
Mr Dominic Nathan, editor of TNP, said: “It’s great to uncover fresh new faces every year and see that the alumni have been successful, be it as a model, actress or businesswoman.”
