Despite retiring from showbusiness in 2012, Michelle Chia never really quite left the public consciousness. Perhaps, this is due to her extensive period in the industry and her deft business moves that included the co-founding of a successful live-streaming business. Regardless, Michelle Chia looks happier and more at peace than ever. Find out why with the beliefs she lives by, as well as facts about the host and former actress.
Michelle Chia’s showbiz career began when she was just six-year-old. She was talent-spotted by a family friend who was producing a television commercial and later went on to star in children and television shows alike. Click here to see young Michelle.
In 2012, Michelle Chia made news when she announced her retirement from full-time showbiz to enjoy life and be a freelance host. She shared in an interview with Jade Seah that she had “experienced working for every single day, seven days a week for seven months” and that it had reached a point where she “can’t live my life” much less take a “three-day trip”. Michelle added in an interview with The New Paper that the move “has always been on my agenda”.
Life only seemed to pick up for Michelle Chia since departing Mediacorp. She started the live-streaming company Mdada with celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee and host Pornsak in 2020 and the company was reported to earn an unaudited revenue of $15 million in its first year. With Mdada, Michelle would host live-streams selling products such as brands like Moschino and Alexander McQueen.
Michelle Chia has also been financially savvy and currently owns other businesses besides Mdada. She is a partner of the Monsoon hair salon with Addy Lee and actor Mark Lee and she also owns an investment firm. She also owned a kids’ language school called YOU Station before it closed down.
We know Michelle Chia as a bubbly host and actress but she revealed that she “was very introverted”. She, however, decided to take up the challenge of hosting after the opportunity was offered and that decision changed her entire career.
In the same interview with Jade Seah, Michelle Chia reflected on the fact that hosting has allowed her to travel and “see a lot of things you don’t normally get to see when you travel alone.” She also gets to meet and interview new and diverse people because of it. Consequently, Michelle summarised her life experience as “pretty exciting”.
Live-streaming has also allowed her to fulfil all her travelling dreams.
Michelle Chia has openly shared that she would have frozen her eggs if she could. “Singapore should allow women to freeze their eggs, it’s not allowed here… It’s my eggs, why can’t I freeze them? I think it should be allowed because these days, women enter the workforce at a young age. They are independent, unlike in the past.”
Michelle went on to encourage women to freeze their eggs if they are able to. “You can then concentrate on whatever career you want to, find your best ideal man and when the time you want [a child], it is there.”
In March 2022, it was announced that women between the ages of 21 to 35 can undergo elective egg freezing from early 2023.
Born in 1975, Michelle Chia shared in a 2022 CNA Lifestyle interview that she loves her age and the wisdom she has accumulated.
“When you’re in your 40s, you feel very comfortable with yourself. You’ve seen and gone through so much, so you owe it to yourself to be okay with yourself. You know who you are, and you don’t give a shit about other people giving you shit. In the past, I’d try to please everybody, but now I can say no. But I’m still a nice person lah – I like everyone to be happy!”
“I’ve tried HIFU, Thermage and Ultherapy – I’m a true believer in aesthetic treatments. But I won’t alter or try to go against what’s natural, because I believe in ageing gracefully. I don’t mind having signs of ageing on my face, but I still want to look good, like people would say, ‘She’s not young, but she looks fantastic.”
“I think a lot of what shows on your face comes from inside. If you are someone who worries a lot or gets angry easily, or complains a lot and sees things negatively, naturally your facial expression will look angry and negative. Gravity is already pulling your face down. If you’re going to be grouchy and complaining all the time, you’re training your muscles to be a certain way, And over the years, you will look that way. So your attitude towards life is important.
Of course, I have to say I’m very lucky and I have a great family. Since I was young, I’ve had nothing much to worry about. And I feel I am built in such a way that even if I were facing challenges, I can get past them quite quickly. I’d be upset for a while, but I’d bounce back fast. It boils down to my character. Naturally, I will look at the positive side of things, whether it’s about work or my personal life.”
“I think the main thing is that you really cannot be angry all the time. Be happy. Be gracious. I think it all comes from inside. This is self-adjustment and a conscious effort. I think that maybe I’m more of a happy-go-lucky person, and maybe it’s ’cos of my upbringing, ’cos my parents are like that too. I’m also quite a forgetful person. Anything that makes me unhappy, I forget easily. I’d be angry with someone, and the next day I’d forget and be like, “Oh hello!” to that person and then I’d be like, “Aiyah, sh**, I’m supposed to be angry!” I get stressed easily with work, but it also goes away very easily. I worry before that and then it’s gone. I don’t bring it with me and I don’t get upset easily or keep it for long.”
“There’s so much to life. Why get upset for so long and let it bring you down? Some people might say, “But I’m going through many challenges”, but I think it’s still about the mindset. I’ve met people who are less fortunate — I’ve travelled with mums with disabled kids for my travel shows and they are so positive and so happy. People say, “Don’t compare” but you should compare, with people who are less fortunate. They have their problems, so are mine so big?”
“I don’t wanna say until like life is so easy for everyone, but I believe it’s your mindset. Most of the time, when you meet someone who is so beautiful with glowy skin, they usually exude positive vibes. So, happy people are beautiful people.”