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Multi-talented teen Lujane Yacoub, who was first runner-up in the Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 contest, is contending for the crown yet again with a spring in her step and hope in her heart of it opening new doors to continue her philanthropic work.
The 18-year-old Bahraini-American has recently graduated from high school and will be flying out next year to the UK to attend the University for Creative Arts in Farnham, leaving her ‘a small window to go after being a title holder in the world’s most prestigious beauty pageant’.
“Many actors I admire, such as Michelle Yeoh and Halle Berry, have started their careers participating in world class pageants,” said the model, actress and advocate for empowering children through art and helping the less fortunate. “Josh Yugen, Miss Universe Bahrain national director and council head, has assembled quite the dream team for this year’s competition too and I’m truly excited to meet and work with them.
“Heading to the Miss Universe competition, I hope that I not only do my best and get the crown but also create lifelong connections and open new doors.”
Lujane, from Hamala, didn’t know much about the global pageant when she first took on the challenge last year but says that the experience was a life-changing event.
She had received a message on Instagram to sign up after she completed auditions for Simon Fuller, the British creator of Pop Idol and American Idol. At first she declined but then took a leap of faith. She became a finalist and flew to Dubai for the competition.
“The production was top notch and the whole experience was just exciting,” said Lujane who has modelled for several big clothing, jewellery and car brands and been a part of many campaigns.
She left Dubai feeling like she had a life-changing week and returned to lots of messages of support.
“There was a lot of buzz with many articles, bloggers commenting on our performance and direct messages flooding in,” she said. “It was incredible to see firsthand how robust the pageant community is. I was getting personal messages of support from faraway places like Venezuela, the Philippines and more.
“I didn’t expect to do as well as I did and it gave me the confidence to put myself out there even more. Getting that invitation to join from Yugen PR was one of those life-changing events that I look back on and am grateful for.
“You never know what you’re truly capable of, until you try. Also, failing to win things I went after taught me to fear failure less. I now know I’m only going to grow by going through these trials too.”
Lujane also believes that the pageant is a powerful platform for doing good … something that is near and dear to her heart.
“Coming in as runner-up gave me higher visibility and empowered me to start working on what mattered to me which is empowering children through art and expression,” she explained. “I’m grateful to be doing this work and I’ve connected with more communities in Bahrain.
“I grew up with a processing disorder and was failing most subjects before being properly diagnosed in fourth grade. My dance and my drawings got me through those dark times and made me realise that if I could succeed creatively, maybe I could succeed in life. I’m hoping to pass this idea on to other children who might be going through the same thing.”
Every week she voluntarily teaches art classes to children at The Adel Salman Kanoo ‘Space’ led by the Bahrain Trust Foundation.
She has also worked with unregistered charities such as A Box of Goodness and We Care, and even helps support the animals at the Bahrain Animal Rescue Centre.
“I feel fortunate to be able to spread awareness for all of these initiatives and also to use my platform to champion heroes in Bahrain,” said the Dubai’s Smile Train ambassador, an organisation dedicated to ‘supporting families worldwide by creating, connecting and sharing resources about cleft care’. She will be spreading awareness about the organisation in Bahrain too.
She is inspired by Bahrain Trust head Dr Fatima Albalooshi as well as athlete and advocate Dana Zubari.
Lujane is also grateful to her mum, Christy Burton, for passing on her creativity and father, Yasser Yacoub, a civil engineer and managing director of a multinational architectural and engineering consulting firm, for his ‘worldly wisdom and support’.
She will continue modelling and has been involved in several short films, including the soon-to-be-released Hope by Ahmed Zayani.
She has some more exciting film projects this year and should be eligible for her own IMDb page soon; giving her a shot at getting a proper agent while studying in England next year.
She is also involved with visual arts and loves to draw and create digital pieces. She and her fellow artists will have a collaborative art show in the Safeya Ali Kanoo Hub for Artists in September.
For details, follow
@luyacoub on Instagram.
