Jovane is one of the first to arrive on set at our cover shoot, and she greets us with a warm smile. Having followed her content over the years, it's a pleasure to finally meet her in person. She radiates the same friendly demeanour that makes her videos so engaging, whether it’s on her socials or her YouTube channel.

When asked if the early call time was a challenge for her schedule, Jovane laughs. “I’m a morning person, so it’s no problem,” she says. “I usually start my day with a workout at 8am anyway.” It’s a routine she often shares on her social media. "Sometimes two to three workouts a day, actually," she adds casually.

To Jovane, her image is crucial; it has been central to her career from her pageantry days to her current role as a content creator. She shares every aspect of her life. From her everyday routines and solo travels to beauty rituals and cooking videos, she explains, “I don’t mind showing everyone what I usually do, I just hope that at least someone out there watching learns something valuable from the content that I make”.

Coming from the small town of Segamat, Johor, Jovane moved to Kuala Lumpur with one goal: To make life happen. Though she’s pursuing a different path from her accounting and finance studies, the 28-year-old has effectively leveraged her business skills into a successful entertainment career. After winning the pageant, she ventured into acting, joining the local production scene and eventually landing a role in The Impossible 3 . However, Jovane is now focused on expanding her online presence. Despite her impressive combined following of over one million across all platforms, she’s driven to achieve even more. As she sits in the glam chair for hair and makeup, we delve into the various phases of her life.

“… Jovane Phang!”. At just 22 years old, Jovane was crowned the winner of the prestigious Miss Astro International Pageant in 2018. She also bagged three additional awards: “Most Beautiful Body”, “Miss Photogenic”, and “Miss Popular”. Shortly after, she went on to land an influx of deals, sponsorships, and ambassadorships. “I got propelled straight into the spotlight and suddenly became a ‘public figure’. Everyone was very happy. I was happy, but deep down I was also terrified of what was coming next for me,” she reflects. “Initially, I lacked confidence but winning helped me regain some. However, that has also led to me setting high expectations for myself.”

As we all know, not all days are bright and cheery. “I cried so much backstage. Out of fear, nervousness, overthinking,” she elaborates. “I’ve always wondered what or how people would think of me as this person who came from such a small town.” All the tears and hard work are indeed part of her success story.

AND THE WINNER IS…

After winning the pageant, it was only natural that she would pursue a new passion. Her acting career began with small roles in local TV and film projects, including a notable part in the six-episode action drama The Impossible 3. Unfortunately, she would come to find that breaking into the entertainment business would prove challenging, with opportunities being few and far between. “I was still quite lost,” she admits. “After winning the title, I found myself still without a job. Those high expectations that I had set for myself since the beginning? Immediately crushed. I just wanted to do more but the doors weren’t as wide open as I thought they would be.”

And that’s when everything came to a grinding halt—because COVID-19 hit, hard.

The COVID-19 pandemic rocked the entertainment industry, leaving Jovane grappling with uncertainty about her next move. During the lockdown, while many of us were confined at home, Jovane was inspired to make her next move.

Like many, Jovane had gone down the rabbit hole of food and recipe content, soon discovering a YouTuber specialising in healthy, easy-to-make recipes. Inspired, she launched her own YouTube channel and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. With an impressive 300,000 followers on this platform to date, Jovane has built a new identity as a social media sensation.

RESET, RELEARN, REINVENT

The next question comes naturally: Why the interest in healthy meals? She hesitates, considering her answer before she replies, "I've gained and lost weight a few times, even before joining the pageant. It’s an ongoing battle to find the perfect balance. I am in an industry where appearance matters and it took me a while to realise how deeply that had affected me.”

"My food intake gradually decreased, and I continued to lose weight. I worked out intensely, sometimes twice or even three times a day,” she says. “My meal patterns became irregular, ranging from three meals a day to just one. As a result, I became even thinner."

"I still didn’t think much of it until I returned to my hometown and stayed with family. They noticed and, at that moment, so did I. I’d developed an eating disorder,” she reveals.

As Jovane continued to establish herself in the social media realm, she was also struggling behind the screens. Miraculously, it didn’t take too long for Jovane to overcome her eating disorder. “In the beginning, I just didn’t know how to get out of this black hole. My body was under a lot of stress and it just shut down because I wasn’t getting enough nutrition,” she explains.

“I spent a lot of time searching for advice online and learning from others who were also struggling with the same issues and had overcome them. Gradually, I began to make changes in my lifestyle until one day, I felt normal again.”

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

“The sense of relief was incredible. Seeing everyone around me happy made me even happier. After nearly two years of battling it, I’m deeply grateful for how I feel right now.” The mood in the studio shifted noticeably as she spoke. "Mindset is crucial. I aim to encourage others like my coach does for me at the gym. His support helps me push through, and I hope my audience can spread that same positivity to those around them. It’s about believing in yourself and not overthinking things."

As she recovered, travel restrictions were easing up and Jovane was able to start taking on opportunities once more—but not in film. “As I began to expand beyond home content and travel restrictions eased, my channel naturally evolved into a travel-focused platform,” she explains. That’s when her channel really grew.

Jovane continues to share her perspective with the world, whether solo, together with friends or with a team. Equipped with her radiant smile and bubbly personality, her authenticity and passion for exploring new places and experiencing new cultures comes through the screen, sparking her sense of natural curiosity within ourselves (and her followers). Eagerly, we wait to see where she’ll end up next.

SEEING THE WORLD ONCE AGAIN

“I find a lot of joy in filming content while travelling. It’s never a chore for me because I love exploring and trying out new things and I want my followers to see it as well. This is one of the reasons I started my solo series—coordinating with friends and aligning everyone’s schedules can be really challenging,” she explained. Many would find solo travelling daunting, but not her. “It’s not for everyone, especially when you’re juggling content creation and handling equipment by yourself. But, the upside is that you get to explore at your own pace, enjoy the process, and set your own schedule. That kind of freedom is invaluable.”

“When you are so focused on shooting content, how do you stay present?” I ask. After a thoughtful pause, she shares “My top priority is taking my audience on a journey with me. I’ve always focused on ensuring they can experience what I’m seeing because I feel a strong responsibility to share that perspective. To be honest, filming doesn’t take me long—just a few seconds. After that, I make sure to take my time to fully immerse myself and be present in the moment.”

At just 28, Jovane has already accomplished much more than many others her age. She still has big plans for the future, though. “I’m truly happy with where I am right now and wouldn’t change a thing,” she smiles. I’m just going to keep pushing forward with what I have.”

When asked if she has any advice for those looking to follow in her footsteps, she’s ready with an answer. “Sometimes, you just have to start without overthinking,” she says, simply. “It takes courage to try new things, and whether the result is good or bad, it’s an experience. Even if things don’t go as planned, you can adapt and find a positive side. Don’t worry about others’ opinions; believe in yourself and pursue what you want. I used to lack confidence due to my more traditional upbringing, but I’ve learned to encourage myself when others don’t.”

PAST VS PRESENT