A week ago Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray was crowned Miss Universe 2018. She gave the country their fourth crown three years after Pia Wurtzbach in 2015 and continued the top 20 streak. The pageant-crazed country rejoiced for the win. However, despite her successful run in the pageant, a number of people lamented online on her opening statement and answers in the Q&A portion during the coronation.
Despite this, I see an admirable person. I am not really a big fan of beauty pageants. However, when I heard that she is among the top picks to win the crown, I got curious and checked information about her. Seeing how she takes part in advocacies that addresses education for the poor as well as how she promotes the country as a whole, I couldn’t help but to see how she will perform on the pageant’s big night.
I joked in my twitter account that we can safely go to the salon because the beauticians will be a happier mood because of the win.
When i decided to make a digital portrait of her, I tried painting her all glammed up and crown ready. But when I saw her music video for Young Focus, I thought that it is also good to depict her as the bare faced advocate.
Eventually, I couldn’t pick which to post. So, I decide to post both – to see two sides of the beauty queen.
Extra:
Besides Catriona Gray, the Filipinos have also been rooting for another contestant.
Miss Vietnam 2018 H’Hen Nie was also among the top picks for the crown and she ended up in the Top 5.
She was from an ethnic minority in Vietnam. But instead of following customs and getting married, she persevered to put herself to college. After earning a degree in economics, she was discovered by a Vietnamese designer which led to her modelling career. And eventually, she won Miss Vietnam Universe 2017.
The Eclectic Miss 