Turning her dream into reality
In a world of make believe, little girls can be what they want to be – a princess, a wizard, a fairy godmother, even a warrior like Mulan. They don’t need a magic carpet to transport them to an enchanted place to live their dreams. They only need to imagine and believe.
Alyssa Alanna Tan imagined herself as a disc jockey when she was growing up. She frolicked in her make-believe world filled with microphones, headsets and music – rocking ‘n bopping as she spun pop hits and ‘talking’ to an imaginary audience. Little did she know that she would be living her dream one day.
"I was always pretending to be a DJ. It all began when I was a kid doing impressions of DJs over the radio, VJs and hosts on TV. It beats me as to why I came to enjoy such silly impersonations of their slogans,” says Tan.
She remembers sitting in the backseat of her parents' car, mimicking the way DJs pronounced catchphrases. The defining moment came when she conducted her first interview in campus while pursuing her Diploma in Media Studies and Management in Nanyang Polytechnic.
“The moment I held up the microphone and started to interview talents, I knew for sure this was something I wanted to do in the future.”
The 22-year-old Singaporean bested over 100 applicants in Acuvue and MTV Asia’s Dare to Be contest, winning a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fulfill her dream: a presenting stint – next to MTV Asia's resident VJs Hanli Hoefer and Alan Wong – at the MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 in August.
To prepare for the gig, she (with fellow winners from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand) had to undergo four days of intensive “empowerment workshops” that took Tan through an exhilarating experience that included makeovers, VJ bootcamp and rehearsals.
“It gave me such a confidence boost and urged me to challenge and improve myself, especially when it comes to public perception and image,” says the self-confessed academic geek. “Not many people know this but I am actually rather self-conscious of my every move, especially when in front of a camera. Through these intensive trainings, I have discovered my imperfections and embraced the changes needed to improve myself.”
Tan willed herself to overcome her two greatest fears – stuttering on stage and failing to engage the audience. She describes her “transformational journey” towards becoming a presenter at the MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 as a roller-coaster ride. Her fears started creeping in long before she stepped on stage. The lessons and tips she learned from the empowerment workshops came in handy. The instant she was in the spotlight, the crowd’s overwhelming energy gave her such an adrenalin rush.
“It felt so surreal (hosting in front of 15,000 incredible fans)… I love the rush being on camera,” admits the SIM-RMIT University graduate, who started wearing eyeglasses at 10 and switched to contact lenses at 13.
The makeovers were the most fun, she recounts. “All of us wore glasses and part of our transformation was getting fitted with Acuvue contact lenses. It really does give you that confidence boost. We got to be treated like stars, from getting our hair styled to being fitted for wardrobe.”
Tan thinks her eyes are her biggest assets. She advocates maintaining good eyesight should be on top of any aspiring VJ’s health priorities.
“Rehearsals (for MTV World Stage Malaysia) were easily 10 hours each day, and we had to be at our best performance all the time. Wearing Acuvue Moist for Astigmatism lenses really helped me stay fresh and focused despite feeling tired from the long hours. I am all about comfort when it comes to wearing contact lenses,” says Tan. “Believe it or not, clear vision does invigorate your senses and gives you the energy boost you need on stage. I am very much grateful to have discovered these lenses that cater to my needs and enable me to feel absolutely fabulous at the same time.”
Tan’s fairytale-like journey from her make-believe world of impersonating deejays to actually being one entertaining an adrenalin-charged audience at the MTV World Stage Malaysia 2014 has been most extraordinary. It has fuelled her passion to make it a lifetime vocation.
“It is not all just about fun and fame. While charisma and the X-factor can get you far in the business, building a strong sense of character is even more important,” says Tan, who is currently doing freelance work as a host and presenter at various events. “If you are passionate about something, pursue it no matter what anyone else thinks. Let nothing stand in your way. Believe in yourself.”
