Written by: Ch’ng Si Qi Shermaine, Victoria Cheah, Ng Qian Yu, Miriam Victoria Wei Jia Qi
Georgina, tp's own 987 star
Georgina, a third-year psychology student from Temasek Polytechnic, has emerged victorious as the winner of this year’s 987 Star – a talent search competition held by Mediacorp to scout the next big media personality. With the help of her lively and captivating personality, she climbed her way to the top and clinched the title on the live finale on 31st May.
987 Star is more than just a competition, it’s a rigorous and gruelling 4-week bootcamp teeming with challenges for contestants to showcase their charm, creativity and hosting skills. Georgina evidently stood out from the start. She effortlessly made her way to the top 10, then the final 4 as she impressed the judges and audiences with her authenticity and wit on air.
PHOTO: Miriam Victoria Wei Jia Qi
being crowned 987 star
For Georgina, being crowned the 987 Star of 2025 was a huge step towards her childhood dreams. When she played video games as a kid, she would pay special attention to the voiceovers for each character, the way they spoke or composed themselves. She would find herself wondering how radio show hosts managed to broadcast themselves over the car radio – and this curiosity blossomed into an eventual desire longing to do the same.
Initially, she was not clear on how to become a radio show host – or if the route towards that was available for her currently. Those doubts were dispelled when the 987 Star competition was announced, rekindling her love for talking to people and music, presenting her with an opportunity to chase those wistful thoughts she had as a child sitting in the backseat.
Even though Georgina was uncertain of the odds that lay before her, she gave her all, wielding every skill in her arsenal. Flexibility and adaptability were one of them. Georgina was known to make clever use of her surroundings to tackle tough challenges tossed her way.
During the top ten elimination round, they had 20 minutes to film, edit and showcase a Tiktok video promoting the event. Despite the constrained frame of time and the terrifying revelation that a few of them would be eliminated after this round, Georgina remained level headed and assessed what she could creatively utilise at the moment.
“I remember there was a guy driving a golf cart around – that’s how people usually get by in the resort. I was like, can I sit in your golf cart? And can I point there? And then we just used that as part of our challenge.”
Other than her creative solutions to every challenge she faced advancing to the finale, Georgina was noted to be an individual who amassed a huge amount of ‘aura’. Her charismatic, outgoing personality captivated the hearts of those around her, even her judges. Justin Ang and Vernon A., a radio DJ duo from Class 95FM hosting muttons in the morning, complimented Georgina and mentioned that she had ‘aura’.
“I was jumping. That’s the biggest compliment ever. It was especially flattering coming from people that I really admired, being iconic figures in the radio industry.” Georgina commented when she recounted the memory with a big smile on her face.
PHOTO: Miriam Victoria Wei Jia Qi
rooted in realness and self-belief
One of Georgina’s greatest strengths was her ability to stay composed, draw on her instincts and be comfortable with discomfort for the sake of growth. Notably, what set her apart from others was her quiet confidence and her refusal to succumb to social comparisons.
“I think number one is just believing in your abilities and creativity. Don’t waste precious time worrying or dwelling on what others are doing. If you stay composed and carry yourself well, you’ll go far,” she shared.
Throughout the competition, Georgina chose to draw strength from being genuine. Even in a competitive environment, she could have tried mimicking what others were doing but instead she doubled down on being true to herself. She also reframed fear as progress, and these were the elements of her mindset that she carried from the start, which paved the way for her big win.
What’s more, Georgina carried a tiny, quirky accessory which later became her iconic stress reliever – a dachshund keychain left by her childhood friend who had moved overseas. This trusty sausage dog was her silent companion she had clipped on her pants or bangles.
“I would squish it whenever I’m nervous, it really helped me calm down and made me realise that things are not as deep as I thought they were,” she laughed.
PHOTO: Miriam Victoria Wei Jia Qi
the dark horse in the spotlight
Throughout the competition, Georgina describes herself as a bit of a dark horse. Someone who did not necessarily stand out in loud, flashy ways, but stayed consistent and authentic.
“I wasn’t really lacking, but I didn’t stand out too much either,” she shares. “I’m actually not as confident in my abilities as I may portray myself to be, but I feel I’ve gotten to a point where I’ve been able to express myself and be who I am because of my growth throughout 987 Star and challenging myself in uncomfortable situations.”
It was this quiet confidence, sincerity, and natural charm that ultimately won hearts, and eventually, the 987 Star crown.
Georgina decided to cast away her initial anxieties and focus on being the person she wanted to present herself as. She wanted to be someone who is relatable, down to earth, topping it off with a bit of “wholesome realness energy”. This meant that she had to make herself known and take leaps of faith in doing so.
At first, her instagram account was private. Now, it’s public. Apart from doing emcee events, which she was used to being the president of TP emcees in Temasek Polytechnic, she pushed herself further by being more active online and reaching out to make new connections by being friendly and approachable.
“Take more photos, post more social media content, get familiar with who you are as a person and what kind of person you want other people to see in you. Showcase your strengths, showcase what you’re good at, and that’s one way to put yourself out there more.”
This was reinforced in the lead-up to the finale, where Georgina was determined to push past her comfort zone. “In order to win, I really need to put myself out there more, whether it’s building my confidence, revamping my look, or just working on myself this next week.”
She even described it as her “Barbie to Baddie” moment, a transformation where she stepped fully into the spotlight and led her to victory.
PHOTO: Miriam Victoria Wei Jia Qi
MEET YOUR winner
Georgina’s journey has been anything but ordinary and it all led to this unforgettable moment. On 31 May at 313 Somerset, she took the stage with confidence, heart, and emerged victorious as Mediacorp’s 987 Star in 2025.
From being a self-described dark horse to standing in the spotlight, Georgina showed that being yourself, taking chances, and growing along the way can lead to something incredible.
As she takes her first steps into the 987 world, exciting opportunities await. Having earned her contract to become a 987 DJ, with brands contacting her for requests to promote their products, and even a blast to the past with her secondary school wanting her to be a judge for their school’s talent competition, we are looking forward to her journey in the radio DJ world and will be cheering her on.
