From “boomz” to Best Actress: Former Singapore beauty queen Ris Low makes a comeback

Like it or not, 2009 was the year “boomz” splashed into Singapore’s pop-culture lexicon – coined by none other than Ris Low, the former Miss Singapore World and one-time actress who has since stepped out of the spotlight.

At 19, she was widely mocked after an August 2009 interview on The Straits Times’ RazorTV (now defunct): “bikini” became “bigini”, “leopard prints” turned into “leopard preens”, and “red” into “rad” – and she introduced “boomz” to describe her fashion sense.

It later emerged that she had been convicted of credit-card fraud and placed on two years’ probation in May 2009 – two months before she was crowned Miss Singapore World. She relinquished the title that September.

Twelve years on, who would have thought Ris Low would be back in the headlines – this time for winning Best Actress at the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival for her lead role in Justice Devil, a Chinese horror film shot in 2013?

After years of production delays, the film – directed by Singaporean Harva Raj – finally saw release and has since collected Best Feature honours at several international festivals, including the World Film Festival in Cannes, the Miami International Gold Awards, and the Champs-Elysees Film Awards. 

Justice Devil is also nominated for Best Original Score at the International Sound & Film Music Festival, to be held in Croatia from 3-6 October.

In a recent interview with The Straits Times, Ris said her wins were “a shock” and that, while the recognition is rewarding, the job was “one and done”. Now 35 and mother to a four-year-old son, she works as a clinic manager at an aesthetics clinic. 

“My bosses are so supportive and encouraging. They don’t judge, and they acknowledge that people make mistakes,” she told The Straits Times.

She shared that her strongest motivator for continual self-development is her desire to be a good role model for her son. She hopes he will always feel comfortable speaking openly with her and is mindful of the way she communicates around him.

At home, her steady anchor is her 51-year-old husband. When painful memories from the past threatened to resurface, his first response was simply: “Okay – what can I do for you?”

With support like that, Ris says she no longer feels she has to face anything alone.

Here’s a quick lowdown on the highs and lows so far:

Miss Singapore World 2009 – Ris Low was crowned on 31 July 2009; the organiser later said she won multiple special awards that night.

The viral moment – A RazorTV interview rocketed her to meme status; “boomz”, “rad”, “leopard preens” and “bigini” are still referenced today.

Credit-card fraud case – In May 2009 she was convicted of using seven stolen cards (about S$8,000) and placed on probation; the news broke publicly in late September 2009.

Stepped down from the crown – Amid public pressure after the conviction was revealed, she gave up her title in September 2009.

Bipolar disorder disclosure – She told The Straits Times in September 2009 she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was receiving treatment.

Faced with stigma in the job market – Ris struggled to find steady work. Determined not to be defined by her past, the tourism and hospitality graduate pivoted to healthcare, using SkillsFuture credits in 2023 to take WSQ psychology courses and pursue psychotherapy and counselling at The School of Positive Psychology.

Film work: Justice Devil – Shot in 2013 and finally released to festivals in 2025, the film has picked up multiple awards; Ris won Best Actress at the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival. She plays an avenging mother; the director wrote the part to mirror her life, praising her “emotional honesty”.