M I S S V I RT UA L WOR
CANDIDATE INTERVI Yhishara Cerise
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very year, many in Second Life submit their names to the MVW selection committee, hoping to be selected as a candidate. Some are familiar faces in the Second Life pageant world. For others, this is their very first time competing. The aspiring contestants all have different reasons for doing it, but they all start off with one thing in common: the dream of becoming the next “Miss Virtual World”.
Perhaps it is Vortice (MV♛ ITALY 2022) who said it best: “One day I saw a contest notice. A wonderful image of the winner of the year before, and I simply dreamed of being her. But you know, dreams are dreams. Something has to be done to make them happen, and so I decided to participate.” Once they are selected to be candidates, the first step towards achieving that dream is choosing which country they wish to represent. Most choose to represent their home country as it represents the people and places they love and has meaning for them. For AngelinkaNega (MV♛ RUSSIA 2022) it goes even deeper than that. For her, it’s about representing the “people, cultural values, and achievements in development.” The selection of country plays a role, as it is one of the many elements the various Misses must incorporate into the work they do in the competition, which takes the form of challenges. There are two significant ones: The Runway Challenge and the Branding Challenge. For Martina Fiertze (MV♛ AUSTRIA 2022), “the Runway Challenge was the most important and valuable, because you had to implement the given topics in styling and presentation.” However, for Christia Galicia (MV♛ PUERTO RICO 2022), it was the Branding Challenge that MVW CANDIDATE INTERVIEW 2022
she found most significant: “It required things I didn’t know how to do, such as building— creating an idea and to be able to bring it together to present it to the judges. That was a very rewarding feeling I didn’t expect in the beginning but walked away with. I used to say, ‘I have no interest in building!’ I don’t say that anymore after that challenge, in fact it piqued my interest to learn more.” Mzzsapphire (MV♛ USA 2022) also felt this challenge was significant because it “allowed me to understand who and what BOSL is and stands for, not just fashion but values and standards.” And that has been the whole point of the Miss Virtual World pageant since it’s inception. It’s not about the winner as much as what she can bring to the role. Annough Lykin (MV♛ GERMANY 2022) summed it up in this way: “As Miss Virtual World, you not only represent yourself but also BOSL. Therefore, I think the most important qualities are being kind to everyone, helping people with your knowledge and experience, and being true to yourself and loyal to what you have committed to.” So, while having a beautiful avatar, impeccable styling skills, ‘on point’ posing while on the runway, and a polished appearance are very important, they are not the only qualities for which the judges of this competition are looking. Many in the Second Life modeling world are in possession of such abilities. Yet it’s the general personality of the candidate: how she treats others around her and how she treats her role within the pageant are equally important. The reality is that only one candidate will have their name read out at the finale. So having a good attitude is important for all involved, not just the winner. When asked what their reaction would be if the contestant who they didn’t think would win is called on to be the next Miss Virtual World, they
