"When they mentioned my name, I did not move... I was in some sort of trance. The girl next to me nudged me and that was when it hit me that I had won the contest," says Michelo Malambo, affectionately known as Michie, 'Zambia's Sweetheart' as she re-lives her crowning moment. The final gala night of the Miss Zambia 2014 pageant held at the Mika Convention Centre in Lusaka on 29th October the same year was a defining moment for Michie.
Before being crowned Miss Zambia 2014, Michie says she was on the verge of surrender. "I wanted to give up and go home," she says. "Mum encouraged me and told me to go with the flow and just have fun, which I did," says Michie. She was privileged to represent her country in the Miss World 2014 pageant held in London.
The beauty queen confesses that modelling is her first love while law is her second love. "I was captivated by the TV series, 'Boston Legal' and longed to practise like they did on television," confesses Michie. She, however, pursued a degree in marketing and graduated a week before she was crowned as Miss Zambia.
Michie has made a name for herself in the Zambian entertainment industry having been both on radio and TV. She currently works at Phoenix FM one of the biggest FM stations in Zambia. Before that, she had worked as a breakfast show host at Power FM for more than two years where she also doubled up as a PR and Marketing executive. Michie's first TV show was the 'Journey of a traditional wedding' and later Zambezi Magic on DSTV.
"I love kids and kids love me," says Michie. Together with her friends, Michelo founded an NGO dubbed, 'Michie and Friends Foundation for Children'. The foundation had an education programme that caters for financially challenged kids and also reaches out to children by helping in talent building. "Every child is vulnerable," says Michie. "We hold annual talent shows to appreciate and encourage children to own their talents. Michie and her team also takes time to have mind-building conversations with the children in schools.
In addition, Michelo is also involved in projects that promote mental health in her society. "I remember at some point someone pointed out that I was 'moody' and for a while, I thought I get sad for no reason," she shares. "That was when I realised that I had certain things that I needed to deal with," she says. Michelo stresses on the need to be aware of one's mental health.
Michie confesses to being an 'overthinker'. "For a long time, I was trying to resolve and balance the pressures that come with being in the beauty industry," she says. She was concerned about how people would receive her and says it was a journey of learning how to understand herself.
Michie has a flawless skin and she admits that she follows a beauty regimen. "I never sleep with make-up on," she says. "I let my skin breath when I can," says Michie who says that she exfoliates, cleanses, tones, moisturises her skin every day. "Your skin is the first thing people notice. Take good care of your skin and drink lots of water," she advises. To maintain a well-toned body, Michie also works out though she says that she does not limit her diet.
Michie is, however, perturbed by the 'flat tummy' and 'light skin' craze that has hit many young women. "I wish the beauty industry would be more inclusive and redefine beauty by including various body types so that no woman feels left out," she says. "If only we would have a more diverse representation. We are all different people and cannot all be the same," the beauty queen notes.
She also let us in on her future plans. "Five years from now, I would like to own my own production company," says Michie, who deeply admires Oprah Winfrey, who they share birthdays with. But who inspires her, one wonders. "My mum is my greatest inspiration because she's actively involved in every decision I make. She is also forward thinking," she says. "The modelling world is still a big part of my life and I would still like to be involved in the pageant world in future," she says in conclusion.
Michie has made a name for herself in the Zambian entertainment industry having been both on radio and TV. She currently works at Phoenix FM one of the biggest FM stations in Zambia. Before that, she had worked as a breakfast show host at Power FM for more than two years where she also doubled up as a PR and Marketing executive. Michie's first TV show was the 'Journey of a traditional wedding' and later Zambezi Magic on DSTV.
"I love kids and kids love me," says Michie. Together with her friends, Michelo founded an NGO dubbed, 'Michie and Friends Foundation for Children'. The foundation had an education programme that caters for financially challenged kids and also reaches out to children by helping in talent building. "Every child is vulnerable," says Michie. "We hold annual talent shows to appreciate and encourage children to own their talents. Michie and her team also takes time to have mind-building conversations with the children in schools.
In addition, Michelo is also involved in projects that promote mental health in her society. "I remember at some point someone pointed out that I was 'moody' and for a while, I thought I get sad for no reason," she shares. "That was when I realised that I had certain things that I needed to deal with," she says. Michelo stresses on the need to be aware of one's mental health.
Michie confesses to being an 'overthinker'. "For a long time, I was trying to resolve and balance the pressures that come with being in the beauty industry," she says. She was concerned about how people would receive her and says it was a journey of learning how to understand herself.
Michie has a flawless skin and she admits that she follows a beauty regimen. "I never sleep with make-up on," she says. "I let my skin breath when I can," says Michie who says that she exfoliates, cleanses, tones, moisturises her skin every day. "Your skin is the first thing people notice. Take good care of your skin and drink lots of water," she advises. To maintain a well-toned body, Michie also works out though she says that she does not limit her diet.
Michie is, however, perturbed by the 'flat tummy' and 'light skin' craze that has hit many young women. "I wish the beauty industry would be more inclusive and redefine beauty by including various body types so that no woman feels left out," she says. "If only we would have a more diverse representation. We are all different people and cannot all be the same," the beauty queen notes.
She also let us in on her future plans. "Five years from now, I would like to own my own production company," says Michie, who deeply admires Oprah Winfrey, who they share birthdays with. But who inspires her, one wonders. "My mum is my greatest inspiration because she's actively involved in every decision I make. She is also forward thinking," she says. "The modelling world is still a big part of my life and I would still like to be involved in the pageant world in future," she says in conclusion.