Star Search 2024 runner-up Gladys Bay hopes to host the National Day Parade one day

The last time 8days.sg spoke to Gladys Bay, she excitedly talked about how if she made the top three for Star Search 2024, she would “scream for three days in [her] BYD car”. 

Well, we know how that story played out.

The 28-year-old placed second behind winner Tiffany Ho and got to bring home one of the coveted vehicles.

And yes, Bay assured us that she had “screamed and sung in her new ride already”.

During the finals, the NTU Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information alum received high praise from judges Raymond Lam and Sandra Ng for being the most outstanding during the dance talent rounds.

Not surprising, considering her background as a competitive breakdancer who tried to qualify for the Paris Olympics.

In fact, with two of the three talent challenges being dance-based, there were whispers that the finals were skewed in her favour and that she had an unfair advantage.

“Not at all!” Bay said defensively when we asked if she felt that way. For starters, she was unfamiliar with the dance styles she performed on stage. 

“If my dancing looked good enough to be considered an ‘unfair advantage,’ I’ll take that as a compliment,” she laughed.

“As a breakdancer, it was extremely challenging, and I always ask people how they walk in heels without looking like a klutz,” she added.

But surely with her dance background she must have felt confident compared to the other finalists.

Bay admitted the only advantage she probably had was being able to count the beats of the song.

“But it would be the same for anyone who has learned music,” she said. “I would also say my body was more comfortable with movement since I’ve explored other genres like Chinese dance, contemporary and hip hop."

However, she doubled down, saying she didn’t make it easier for herself and insisted that her mindset at the time was focused on how she could have done better.

During a conversation about her formative years studying in Clementi Primary and Clementi Town Secondary, she mentioned she never attended enrichment classes or tuition.

“My parents believed that if you study the right way, you can become an independent learner,” she shared.  “If I really needed help, I’d just go find my teachers and friends."

Looking back, Gladys Bay said her family wasn’t the most well-off, but she never felt it growing up.

“I was too busy enjoying everything my parents provided for,” she said.

Her mum was previously in sales and is now semi-retired, while her dad works as a prime mover transporting fruits and vegetables. Both are in their 50s.

After graduating from NTU, she took on several jobs as a talent, dabbling in dance, commercial modeling, and hosting.

“I think I became more rebellious as I grew older because I just didn’t want a typical full-time job,” she laughed.

However, when the pandemic hit, Gladys Bay pivoted towards multimedia hosting, and found her niche in virtual events hosted on platforms such as Zoom and TikTok.

She further honed her hosting skills when the hybrid format started, learning how to engage both physical and online audiences at the same time.

“I would say the toughest and most memorable was presenting on a recorded video while presenting to a live audience. That took some multitasking,” she laughed.

Jobs soon poured in, and she was even invited to teach her own course with a co-trainer on how to be a multimedia host.

Sharing that she coached more than 200 people, the curriculum ran over two weeks and covered how to prepare content and scripts.

Though she declined to share how much she earned from being a coach, she let on that it was good enough to “allow her to eat lunch out every day”.

As if she wasn’t busy enough, Bay, along with her husband and fellow Star Search finalist, Marcus Sim, 27, and a few business partners, started Oddity Cafe at Upper Serangoon Road earlier this year.

She declined to share how much she and her husband invested into the business but said she always wanted to start an F&B venture.

“I always loved how the experience of food brought people together, so when I was asked, I just jumped right in. I didn’t need any convincing,” she said.

“It’s just how I use ikigai in many parts of my life. Doing what I love, what I’m good at, and of course being paid for it,” she said.

Ikigai is a Japanese concept of discovering one’s purpose by exploring what you love.

She admitted that her biggest fear is whether the cafe will be sustainable in the long run, and said she doesn’t have an answer to that now.

“Ask me again in five years,” she quipped.

YOU'RE ONLY GETTING STARTED IN SHOWBIZ AT 28. DO YOU FEEL YOUR AGE WILL WORK AGAINST YOU?

I feel that only people online remind me more about my age. But no, I never thought it was a disadvantage. I have always wanted to be an actress and did shyly tell a few teachers from primary and secondary school. All I got was a quick “Good luck”. I don’t think they took me seriously.

SO WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO GIVE IT A GO?

I always thought being an actress was a job that anyone could pursue. It also didn’t help that I knew no one from the industry who could help me out. So I decided to focus on other things like hosting. The childhood dream of becoming an actress was left at the corner of my brain, gathering dust with the tag “not possible”.

WELL YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE IN THE END.

After winning runner-up, I felt like this dream of mine is settling into reality. Coming back to my age, I think I am in the right place at the right time. I have more life experiences, and I think my screen age is younger too. Also, I have the heart of a young person, okay?

WITH YOUR BACKGROUND AS A HOST, IS THERE A DREAM GIG ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

Hosting the National Day Parade would be quite big for me. I think it’s special to be able to celebrate Singapore’s birthday in such a way.

THAT’S A BIG DREAM. WHY IS HOSTING NDP SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

For me, I feel any Singaporean would be proud to host the country’s birthday if they can. The songs, everyone singing together, has always been special. Of course, my favourite segment is the fireworks. Even if I didn’t catch them at the parade, simply going to different spots in Singapore to catch them gives a sense of unity.

YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND MARCUS SIM MADE QUITE AN IMPRESSION MAKING IT INTO THE TOP 12 TOGETHER. HOW DID BOTH OF YOU MEET?

We were introduced via a mutual friend at a dance practise spot and were just friends for about a year or two.

It’s hard to really put it into words, but there was that spark and chemistry when we started dating and did so for five years before getting married in 2023.

DURING OUR LAST CONVERSATION, YOU MENTIONED YOUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WAS AFTER THE STAR SEARCH FINALS. HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE?

I am going to be cheesy, but every day feels like an anniversary with Marcus. In fact, we actually forgot about it, so there wasn’t any big celebration.

YIKES! BOTH OF YOU FORGOT?

It’s just our personalities, and we somehow don’t really focus on specific dates. Every time together feels special, and we are both all about appreciating those moments.

YOU GUYS MUST STILL BE IN YOUR HONEYMOON PHASE.

That is why it is so hard to pick just one sweet thing about him. If I really had to choose, he really loves cooking for me. It’s the thought and effort that counts, and that never fails to make me feel loved.

This story was originally published in 8Days.