It has been a whirlwind few years for 20-year-old Estate Agent Mia Williams, who is the top Welsh competitor in the prestigious event after coming first in a modelling competition in November.
Having achieved success in her teenage years in pageantry competitions such as Miss Wales and Miss Intercontinental Great Britain whilst a student at Gower College Swansea, Mia, now working as an Estate Agent at No.86 Estate Agency in Pontarddulais, thought she would give the competition a go after being invited to a casting day.
The casting then took place in Manchester at the Haus of Sean Maloney, where a group of contestants from across Britain competed in a series of rounds, including runway walks, professional photoshoots, and content creation challenges, all designed to showcase the participating girls’ versatility and presence as models.
In a private evening ceremony, Mia was then crowned as the winner of Top Model of the World UK.
“It was such an incredible experience, I came top 20 out of the whole competition and top six in Europe, which at 18 was such a big achievement for me, it ignited a flame in me to keep on going,” explained Mia on her previous pageantry experiences.
“I then heard about the Top Model of the World competition, which is run by the same organisation, and I went to the UK casting day in November last year.
“I thought, right I’ll go for it and see what happens. It was an incredible experience; there were so many lovely girls that were a part of it, and I was lucky enough to win.”
Next up, starting in the next few days, the annual final will take place, this year held in the African city of Sahl Hasheesh, Egypt.
The competition will bring together over 40 contestants from around the globe for an intensive two-week program, culminating in the crowning of the next Top Model of the World.
“It is a two-week competition where I will fly out with my family and friends this weekend, with the finals taking place on the 8th of June,” continued Mia.
“You are judged the entire time you are there where you take part in photoshoots for the organisation and sponsors.
“There will also be various rounds such as a bikini competition, fashion shows and interviews across the process. The live final people can tune in or watch live.
“On the night, you have the main show, then the top candidates will get called to go through to the evening wear round, where they will announce a winner, so it is a two-week process.”
Mia previously competed in pageantry competitions, where contestants campaign for various charitable causes and serve as positive role models for young girls.
The youngster chose mental health as her cause after her own struggles and has since set up her own Instagram account @Mentalhealth_withmia to help other youngsters going through similar tough times.
“Growing up, I never had a role model my age to offer guidance about the different emotions you face,” she said.
“I discovered I was struggling with anxiety and was unsure of what routes to go in order to help myself.
“For this reason, I decided to take it upon myself to create my own mental health account to help advocate for mental health whilst teaching that it’s okay to feel different emotions.
“The younger generation needs more support. That is what my account is for – it is like a big sister that you can talk to casually.
“We’ve done interviews with people from all across the world, and I have been into schools to talk about it as well, so it has taken off a bit.”
Mia’s passion to get into the modelling industry came from her enjoyment of Performing Arts as a youngster. She was always encouraged by her late grandmother who gave her confidence in her ability to succeed.
“My ambitions sparked from a young age, little girls like to dress up and do runway shows, and I was always very much like that,” continued Mia.
“My nan, who passed away last year, had always encouraged me since I was young and say, ‘when you grow up your going to be a model.’ – She was my number one fan.
“From when it started with Miss Wales at 15/16, she would be at every photoshoot I went to, she would be with me, and every runway show, she would be cheering me on.
“It drove me on and gave me the passion for modelling, having her by my side. Her support sparked my love for it.
“I have always been into musical theatre since I was young so preparing for long days and shows doesn’t really bother me.
“When you go into a photoshoot it can be very long, but I enjoy it and thrive in that environment. It’s something I’m so passionate about.
“For me, it’s all about the end show, the performance, I look forward to it so much and get the buzz off that.
So what’s next for Swansea’s potential next superstar, I asked.
“After the competition, I will carry on focusing on my modelling career. I may go back to pageantry if the time was right, but I think it will be important to re-evaluate what is important at the time.
“If I am lucky enough to win, it will open so many opportunities for gaining global recognition as a model to work with brands and sponsors.
“Longer term, after being in so many plays, and that when I was younger, acting is something I would also like to do. The dream would be modelling and acting.”
Good luck, Mia!
If you think you can follow in Mia’s footsteps, applications are open here.
[Lead image: Mia Williams]
