#AsNTM3 Who will rise to the top? #TeamAmanda or #TeamBarbara

The latest episode ended unexpectedly with a cliffhanger. We were left with Amanda and Barbara, two beautiful girls standing before Georgina without knowing who was actually sent home. We hear your debates in our comment section and to quote our dear bestie Georgina: “We need to think about the bigger picture – not only the motion editorial but also their place in the competition because one of these girls will become Asia’s Next Top Model.”

We need to look back on how both girls performed throughout the competition and compare this to what we think their potential is for the rest of the competition, as well as in the international modeling scene. As if, our opinions are professionally guided. But yeah, we’re the viewers, so why not, eh?

Here’s a quick review of what Amanda and Barbara have so far in their AsNTM3 portfolio.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is #TeamAmanda versus #TeamBarbara.

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Episode 1: The Girl in a Spin

• Challenge Winner: Barbara (Turntable Runway Challenge)
• FCO: Amanda (Tropical High Fashion Swimwear)

Both girls started early on the top. Barbara was the challenge winner while Amanda had the best photo. Barbara being the oldest and having more experience in runway modeling naturally aced the unconventional challenge of walking on a spinning runway. Amanda also did well in that challenge as compared to the other girls. She notably improved becoming from a cutesy Aussie girl-next-door to a fierce woman. For the photoshoot, obviously Amanda’s photo was the best for the judges. However, Barbara’s has this openness which lit up her face. Charm, that’s what it is.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 2: The Girl with K-Pop Fever (Group Challenge)

Hmm… This is hard. Barbara looked stunning. She carried her team. However, she was not collaborating well with her teammates. On the other hand, Blink 182 girl, Amanda looked like a dinosaur (according to her). Well, we kinda agree but her group gelled better than Barbara’s. But unlike Barbara, Amanda dragged her team down.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 3: The Girl Who Dreads Makeovers

The girl who dreads makeovers? That girl is definitely Barbara. She shed too much tears and look how beautiful her hair is now. Amanda showed her mysterious side in this shoot. Maybe it was too over the top but I dig it. It’s like gothic chic. Love it!

Winner: Amanda

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Episode 4: The Girl with a Broken Heart

Amanda: A bad wig and a socially awkward personality equal a fierce emotionally connecting photo. This considering that her face was not lit well. Barbara’s just had too much tension that you lose the sensuality of the picture. I also feel that she didn’t connect with the now celebrity model William Highwind. The disconnect was so obvious that Barbara could be photoshopped out of the picture, and it would still be a good picture. (Love you, William!)

Winner: Amanda

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Episode 5: The Girl with a Killer Smile

• Challenge Winner: Barbara (Perfect Selfie with a Stranger)
• Bottom 3: Amanda (Closeup Diamond Attraction Campaign)

Barbara won the selfie challenge this week, and it’s because of her great smile. She clearly followed the tongue-on-the-roof-of-the-mouth tip for a more natural-looking smile and nailed it. Both of them have a beautiful set of pearly whites, very important for a toothpaste campaign. While Barbara looked flirty and attracting a potential mate with her dazzling smile, Amanda looked… goofy, and too far off from the given brief.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 6: The Girl Who Ran Out of Luck

• Bottom 2: Barbara (Zalora Catalogue)

Amanda nailed two of her Zalora looks: the feminine and the boho. I mentioned before that she looked hungover in the middle pic, but nonetheless she looked great overall. Barbara, on the other hand, has a knack for making the clothes she’s wearing look more expensive. Although the judges noted that she didn’t look youthful in her photos. But between the two of them, Amanda’s gave a fresher and trendier take, which is in line with Zalora’s brand and target market.

Winner: Amanda

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Episode 7: The Girl Who Finally Cracks

This is the shoot where Barbara regained her confidence. It shows in how she brought “chic” in spades. Moreover, she got this photo within 10 frames, and that is amazing. On the other hand, Amanda looked “strong” but I didn’t fully believe that she was in this photo. By this time, her blinking was still an issue, and that led to wasted frames. Barbara is now one of Subaru’s new brand ambassadors, so it’s clear who won this week.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 8: The Girl on a Mission

• Bottom 2: Amanda (Effortless Hair in the Streets of Singapore)

Sigh. I know this was a horrible photo shoot, but I still need to pick a winner. And it’s, again, clearly Barbara. She brought style and sophistication from H to T. Amanda’s picture looks stiff. Her left hand looks awful like she was instructed by her mom to flip her hair. Aside from those flaws, she portrayed the “girl on a mission” brief well. But with a photo shoot as horrible as this one, you need to be more than good to save an otherwise okay photo.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 9: The Girl Who Flew To The Top

• Challenge Winner: Barbara (Model Poses on an Aerial Hoop)
• FCO: Amanda (Alex Perry Gowns on a Harness)

During the challenge, Barbara displayed her athleticism, nailing her model poses on the aerial hoop. Amanda, with her cute, giggly self, wasn’t as great in the air. However, during the photo shoot, Amanda showed great control and restraint. Her intensity and ferocity matched her fiery red dress. A total 180 from the previous week. The judges awarded her with the Best Photo. It was neck and neck between the two this week. Barbara was on a whole other level though. She was goddess-like. She was ethereal. She floated and glowed. Though Amanda’s picture is her best so far in the competition, it is still not as compelling as Barbara’s. Barbara’s photo demands attention despite the lack of eye contact.

Winner: Barbara

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Episode 10: The Girl in The Driver’s Seat

Amanda’s commercial looked sloppy. (And it was the shortest of the five.) She needed to look sharp; it is after all sporty-themed. I agree with Glenn that she didn’t look like and I didn’t believe that she was a tennis coach. Barbara looked like a baker, no, more like the baker’s intern. Her hair was a bit messy. And that second scene when she was getting into her car didn’t look natural. She even looked at the camera at one time. However, I did like Barbara’s commercial more.

Winner: Barbara

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So who do you think won? Are you #TeamAmanda or #TeamBarbara? We love reading your comments. In fact, this post was partly inspired by one comment from MrPenguin.

Now, you will be the judge. Who do you think did not make it to Top 4? Vote in the poll before it closes 1 hour before the next episode airs.