I expected to go further in Miss Universe, admits Natasha Joubert

Gone are the days when beauty queens were like dolls from Barbie's Dreamhouse come to life taking turns to glide up to a microphone and wish for world peace.

Today's pageant contestants are strong, powerful and intelligent women, who aren't afraid to show their true selves on social media.

SA's Miss Universe hopeful Natasha Joubert said that she struggled with the idea of “putting herself out there” and showing her vulnerable side. It's something she's been working on since competing in Miss SA 2020.

Now she's comfortable showing the world that “everything doesn't [always] go as perfectly as you planned” and that it's normal to be emotional when that happens.

That was the goal of hosting a candid Q&A session with her fans on Instagram Live to talk about her recent performance at Miss Universe.

Though Joubert was hoping to inherit the crown from outgoing queen Zozibini Tunzi, she was knocked out of the competition when the Top 21 were announced during the pageant's finale in the US on Sunday.

It was extremely hard standing on the stage, knowing SA did so well for the last three years [producing two winners, Tunzi and Demi-Leigh Tebow, and a first runner-up, Tamryn Green] and not have them call her name, admitted Joubert during her talk on Instagram.

As the Pretoria-born beauty queen felt things had gone well leading up to the finale, she expected to progress further in the competition. 

“Yes, I cried. Yes, I was disappointed,” confessed Joubert. “But yet I was also inspired just to know there's a different plan and path for my life.”

She's a firm believer that everything happens for a reason — even if it's hard to understand what that reason may be at the time.

This is something that was proved to her when she was named second runner-up in the 2020 Miss SA pageant; Shudufhadzo Musida took the title with Thato Mosehle as first runner-up.

“It was hard for me when I didn't win, it had been my dream since I was 12 years old, but then I got to be the first second runner-up to ever compete in Miss Universe for SA. That showed me that there's always going to be the next thing that excites me”.

At the moment she's excited to grow her fashion brand, Natalia Jefferys, which specialises in couture for big occasions like weddings. She's planning to start work on a ready-to-wear collection as soon as she gets back to SA.

Her passion for fashion is something she shares with Werner Wessels, the creative director of the Miss SA organisation.

Wessels, who joined her on Instagram, said: “we have no control over the results. [You didn't win Miss Universe], but you won people's hearts and you won the love of the whole world.”

Joubert got tearful when talking about the outpouring of love and support she'd received on social media after the pageant.

She explained that going into the international competition her goal was to be the best version of herself, and that she showed up 110% and did everything that she could to clinch the crown.

She added that she's thankful and grateful to have been able to represent SA, and that if she's made people proud, then she's done what she should have.