Queenly Interview with Madison Kvaltin, Miss Universe Canada 2023

This Queenly Tea Talk interview features Madison Kvaltin, the current Miss Universe Canada! Madison is set to compete in the Miss Universe pageant this November in El Salvador. Her pageantry journey is a beacon of hope, stemming from personal struggles with an eating disorder. Now, she advocates for body positivity and mental wellness, leaving a lasting impact on the world. Madison embodies the belief that true beauty transcends titles, and “your body is the least interesting thing about you!”

Kimberly: We're excited that we now get to have a one-on-one conversation with our new Miss Universe, Canada, who'll be heading to Miss Universe pretty soon in November. Madison, why don't you give yourself an introduction for everyone watching?

Madison: Absolutely. My name is Madison. I'm from Northern Ontario and now I live on a quaint little place called Lilliput Island. I'm a Canadian, born and raised. I'm so excited. Thank you for having me and thank you for providing an incredible app for us, pageant girls. I have a wealth of pageant wear that only gets worn a couple of times, so it's amazing to have a platform like this coming about. It's so important.

Kimberly: Yeah, well, Queenly is a platform that was founded by pageant women. So now it’s really exciting that we'll get to have your closet on our app!
So now let's go back to talking about pageantry and start from the very beginning. How did you get involved in competing at pageants?

Madison: Yeah. I come from a very small little country town, so never in a million years would I have thought that I'd become a pageant girl. The way I grew up, it was in the mud. I was a very camo, sports girly through and through. I had this wonderful woman named Cheryl reach out to me and she was like, “Hey, I run this cute little local pageant, this scholarship pageant, would you be joining?” I was like, “You're crazy. I'm a sports person. I'm big in my philanthropy, volunteering, but pageants. I've never worn makeup. I've never been in a gown before. You're crazy!” And it took a couple of weeks of convincing, but she convinced me to join. Holy moly, the amount of personal skills that I developed from it, the amount of growth that I got from it, and then it just spurred a love for it. The first one I did, that one, that local one, I think I was around 17 years old when I did. Then I did a lot of fun little pageants. When I turned 18, I ended up winning Miss Intercontinental Canada, so I got to go to Sri Lanka for a month, which was crazy.

I was in my first semester of university and I was like, “Sorry, guys, I got to leave for a month. I have to go to a pageant!” What the heck? This is so not normal. But yeah, I loved it. Then I took a break to school with my priority and then wanted to get my career started and settled. Then last year I was like, You know what? Why not? Let's do another pageant again. That Miss Universe and Miss Universe Canada, and I was the first runner up last year. Then I went to Miss International. I ended up doing really well for Canada at Miss International. I ended up placing in the top eight, which was actually record breaking for Canada. It's the highest that we've placed since the '60s, which is pretty amazing. So, I'm super proud and then I was like, “You know what? I have to give it one last shot.” So now here we are now as Miss Universe Canada!

Kimberly: Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is your third time representing Canada internationally?

Madison: Yes it is!

Kimberly: That’s amazing! How many pageants total have you competed in, would you say?

Madison: Oh, goodness. Probably about 10, I think. I think it's been about 10 because I did the local one close to me, I did that one twice. New Age Canada, twice. I've done quite a few now, but yeah, I think it's just under 10 now, and I think seven or eight of them now. It's been a minute. It's been a minute. A bit of a veteran, I'd like to say.

Kimberly: Love it! I could definitely tell watching you on stage that you were a veteran, you knew what you were doing. But earlier you mentioned that when you first were approached to compete, you had those hesitations and that resistance. I want to ask you, how do you think pageantry has changed?

Madison: Yeah, I mean, of course, there's always this notion that, Oh, it's just beautiful women prancing on stage. They don't really offer anything, but it's not like that at all. It's so much more about what you're doing in your community, how you're using this platform to highlight greater good. Are you actually involved in your philanthropy? Are you making a difference? It's no longer just beautiful women. Now, granted, a lot of the women are stunning and beautiful for sure, but there's so much more than that. They're highly intellectual, they're professionals, they're super successful, and they're so driven in their philanthropy to give back. At first I did have that hesitation because I just didn't know. I feel like anyone that has those guards about pageantry, they just don't know. It's a willingness to have that conversation that allows them to be like, Hey, pageantry is actually highly empowering to women. It's actually making a world of difference in the world around us. I think just having that conversation, informing them, then they're able to be like, Wow, this is amazing.

Kimberly: That is so true. All right, let's talk more about this, Miss Universe Canada. What did your preparation going into the competition look like?

Madison: The last two years, when I competed at Miss Universe Canada last year, I just haven't stopped prepping. For the last two years, it's just been continuous prep because after Miss Universe Canada last year was straight into prep for Miss International. Then I was like, You know what? I'm going to give it one more shot, so we're just going to get prepped. Working on all things, making sure that my mental, physical, spiritual wellness was totally in check, working on my interview skills and working on being highly informed in all things that are happening in the world. You want to be able to eloquently answer anything that could be asked. I'm just really focusing on my philanthropy and all my humanitarian work. The big reason I got into pageantry is my work in the eating disorder and self-confidence realm. I really struggled with that as a young girl. Through pageantry, one, it helped me heal in my journey to self-love and really respect myself and my body. But it also just created this beautiful platform where I could help so many more people. So yeah, pageantry has been amazing. For me, it's connected me to my life's mission, my life's project, which is my eating disorder awareness work.I wouldn't change it for the world.

Kimberly: Yes. Talking about that, I remember watching the competition. I'll be honest, you stood up throughout the competition, but it was the moment you did your on-stage speech and you talked about your experience of recovering from an eating disorder. I remember you saying you had to heal yourself in order to heal the world. Let's talk more about that and also tell me more about your Body Love Club.

Madison: Yes, absolutely. Often we think that worrying about ourselves is the least important thing. There's such big, way bigger problems in the world. Why should I care about myself? That's the last thought thing, but that's not the case. You really need to prioritize yourself because if you can't love yourself, how can you love anyone else? You know what I mean? We have to reframe the question as how do we develop our foundation as a person so that we can heal those bigger problems in play? We're just spinning in circles if we can't heal ourselves, if we're trying to make the world a better place, you got to start with you and then we can healthily and properly address any problems that we're facing in the world.

Through pageantry, I've been doing workshops and seminars for mostly at-risk youth girls, but really anybody that's looking to get educated on developing those really crucial skills to develop self-confidence, love their bodies, how to practice in safe ways with social media when it comes to struggling with body image and learning how to respect your body. I created the Body Love Club to bring those lessons into the real world, so into social spaces and back online. I really want everyone to have access to these really meaningful messages and tools and ways to take control of loving their bodies and understanding maybe why they're feeling a little bit insecure about themselves or maybe see if they can make connections or develop skills or tools to help deal when you're feeling a little bit low. I just wanted to use the power of social media to really continue my effect and impact. Also I love posting fun, just reminder quotes. Say you're having a bad day and you're stuck in a little low, scroll through the page and you'll find some beautiful quotes, things that will trick you, happiness in you. I really want to create a positive community where anyone can go and feel encouraged and loved and reminded that their body is the least interesting thing about themselves.

Kimberly: I love that! And again, I remember you speaking about that on stage and that was the moment where I could see you. I was like, Yeah, this woman could be our next Miss Universe Canada. Then you were! You're doing really incredible and impactful work in your community.

Going back to Canada, let's talk more about the week and the competition. If you had to describe that week in one word, what would you describe it as?

Madison: There's so many emotions that come in pageant week. It's exhausting. You barely sleep, but it's so much fun. You're with incredible girls. I've met some of my best friends in the entire world through pageantry. I think being exhausted and going through this crazy process, you bond a lot more with these incredible girls and you learn so much about yourself, what you're able to put yourself through and how you're able to, even though you maybe had hours of sleep, you could still get glam and no one could tell that you're so exhausted on the inside. But the pageant week is so fun and it was super exciting being in Vancouver this year. It was my first time ever in Vancouver. I know that was likewise for a lot of the other girls. It was really cool because it's always been in Toronto, Miss Universe Canada. It was really nice to explore a new side of the country. The production was just absolutely incredible this year. Every facet of the competition between sponsored dinners to events to the show production itself, everything was astronomical this year.

Kimberly: Yes, they had a recap video of all the things that you guys did in a week. That's why I had to ask, Were you there for just a week? Because you did a lot and it looks like you ate a lot of really good-looking food, I was honestly quite jealous of that! What was your favorite moment during the week?

Kimberly: No, I think we could definitely see in the videos and see you all on stage and see that sisterhood there. I'm glad to hear that it actually was there too and you had a really good time with the women. We have a question from the comments. What does an average day look like when training or now preparing for Miss Universe?

Madison: Things are crazy. Things are crazy busy, crazy hectic because I still am working full-time. Right now, I'm in a practical MBA program with one of Canada's leading transportation companies. It's interesting. I'm a pageant girl, but I work in trucking. I call it a Hannah Montana-Life almost. It's very different. I'm busy pretty much like my 8:00-4:00 job, working and then my evenings are pretty much all prep. Prep with photo shoots, interview prep, getting everything with my gowns and national costumes. Lots and lots of work, but I love it. I'm so proud of everything that we're doing. My team is so incredibly supportive this year. I'm just really, really excited. I feel like Amelia really paved the way for Canada this year and people are finally paying attention to Canada again. I'm so thankful for her and the support that I've been getting in this journey. I'm just really, really excited to showcase how incredible Canada is awesome.

Kimberly: You talked a little bit about your wardrobe. You don't have to give away too much because I know we always love a surprise on stage. But what outfit are you most looking for that you have collected so far that you're excited to wear for Miss Universe?

Madison: I'm always a sucker for evening gowns. Evening gown is my favorite thing ever. My inner girly girl just comes right out and the glitz, the glam, I love it all. I'm very excited for that for sure. I'm excited to really bring forth my true self in the evening gown portion. I'm really excited to bring that class and elegance that I really wanted to convey this year and final. I want to continue showcasing my true self throughout my wardrobe while I'm in El Salvador. So, very exciting.

Kimberly: That's great. What are you most looking forward to for Miss Universe?

Madison: Again, I think I'm just most excited about meeting the girls. This year, the caliber of women is astronomical at Miss Universe. Every single national delegate is so intelligent. They're professionals. They've been awarded in other pageants. They've done very successfully there. It's so exciting to be a part of this incredible class of really, really empowering women. It makes me so excited to see where the future pageantry can really go. If it's so incredible now, how much more incredible can it get in the future? I'm just really, really excited to meet the girls.

Kimberly: I'm really excited to see you compete in this universe. I have a feeling you're going to do really well. We're going to shift gears and go into a lightning round of our interview. I'm going to ask you either this or that or a one-word question, and then we'll just have your answer. Are you ready?

Madison:
Yes, of course.

Kimberly:
Awesome. So, sunrise or sunset?

Madison:
Sunset.

Kimberly:
What is your go-to karaoke song?

Madison:
Hey, Mickey.

Kimberly:
What is the first thing you do in the morning?

Madison:
Coffee.

Kimberly:
Chocolate or Ice cream?

Madison:
Ice cream, for sure.

Kimberly:
What is your favorite Disney movie?

Madison:
I really like Moana, it's super underrated.

Kimberly:
Where’s your favorite place in Canada?

Madison: That’s a tough one. It probably has to be Mayne Island. It’s my home now. I just moved there recently, but it's truly paradise on earth. It's like an outdoor lover's dream. If you like anything, hiking or waterfalls or fishing and hunting, very much my upbringing and my roots. It's like cottage country on a million steroids. It's absolutely incredible. I'm a big outdoorsy girl, so I'm just so happy all the time being at home.

Kimberly:
All right, I have a feeling I know the answer to this one, but heels or sneakers?

Madison:
I feel like the pageant girl has to say heels, but I'm definitely a sneakers girl. I do have a massive collection of sneakers.

Kimberly:
On-stage question or interview?

Madison: Interview. I feel like interviews are one chance where you really get to have dialogue with the judges. On-stage question, you can prep all you want. You present it in a way, but it's really hard for you to convey your true self through your on-stage question. You can try as hard as you want, but you have no idea what you're going to be asked at the end of the day. Whereas an interview, it's really tailored to expressing and communicating with the judges why you deserve it. They get to know you a little bit more. They get to understand why you're there. I feel like that dialog is so important. I'd love to just be able to express all the incredible things that I've been doing in my life and let them get to know me a little bit more. Being a pageantry, I feel like I don't ever want to put myself on a pedestal, that I'm an unrealistic expectation, that I'm an unachievable goal. I never want people to view me like that. I want them to be like, Wow, she's incredible, and I can be like that too. I want to be highly empowering and inspirational that other people can also achieve these goals that I'm achieving.

Kimberly: All right, next one. Swimsuit or national costume?

Madison: Probably swimsuit. I love to just show all my confidence and just rock stage for sure.

Kimberly: Now my last question is, if you had to describe one word about how you feel about going to Miss Universe in just a few short months, what would that word be?

Madison: Just excited. That's all I can really think of is I'm just so excited. I've been working so hard for this. This has been a dream of almost a decade in the making and it still feels crazy to me that I'm actually going to Miss Universe. I'm just so excited for the opportunity. I'm excited to see the woman that ends up going to Miss Universe. All the progress, all the growth, all the development that comes for a pageant. I'm just so excited for every facet of competition.

Kimberly: We’re excited for you to! All right, that pretty much wraps everything up. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Madison: I think I just really appreciate the support and love I’ve been getting is amazing. Please continue to follow along in my journey and Body Love Club, it’s really empowering people and these are messages people really need to hear. Your body is the least interesting thing about you, it’s your mind, your drive, your intelligence, and there are so many more things about you that are incredible. So please follow along in my journey and I’m so excited to showcase how incredible Canada is!

We loved having Madison as a guest on our instagram live series, Queenly Tea Talks. At Queenly, we’ve committed ourselves to promoting sustainable fashion while making it affordable for everyone. Join our community of Queens who have listed outfits in their online closet. It’s as easy as signing up for a free account, snapping some pics, and uploading the details- that’s it!