By J.R. Breen
Contributing Writer
British pop sensation Alesha Dixon will be the presenter at the finale of Mr World 2010 this Saturday at the Songdo ConvensiA, Incheon.
She will also perform some of her hit songs, including "The Boy Does Nothing," and will be accompanied by the Mr World contestants who will be dancers.
"I am really excited to be visiting Korea as I have never visited the country before so it will be a totally new experience for me," Dixon said in an e-mail. "I won't have a lot of time to see Korea but am looking forward to maybe visiting some temples and of course my favorite past time shopping."
The Mr World competition, which began on March 12, has 74 contestants competing in a series of challenges, vying to become "the world's most desirable man." It culminates this Saturday in a televised finale.
When asked what qualities she thinks Mr World should possess, the 31-year-old cited a Western maxim.
``We have a saying in the U.K. that 'beauty is only skin deep.' It is what is inside a person that is more important," she said. ``So I think it is important that whoever wins the show can show that they are a caring person and are willing to use their success to help others less fortunate than themselves."
Born to a Jamaican father and an English mother, Dixon says that her multiracial upbringing was a blessing. She rose to fame in the United Kingdom with the R&B girl-band ``Mis-teeq," and cemented her stardom with hit singles ``The Boy Does Nothing," released in 2008, and ``Breathe Slow," in 2009. She is not well known in Korea.
``In England, a lot of people know me from my days with my band 'Mis-teeq,' but I am now well known since I won 'Strictly Come Dancing' (The U.K. version of 'Dancing With the Stars') in 2007," she said. ``I had a number one single in Japan in 2008 and 'Mis-teeq' was popular in Japan; however, we never got the chance to come to Korea. I am really looking forward to performing there and hopefully the Korean fans will embrace my music and I can come back."
Since becoming a celebrity, Dixon has used her fame to help people who are less privileged. She has helped raise funds for malaria, cancer treatment and the promotion of ``safe sex" practices among teenagers.
``I believe it is very important if you are a public figure to use your fame to help others less privileged than yourself," Dixon said. ``All of the charities I am involved with all mean a great deal to me on a personal level and I am very keen to help when I can, particularly if it is helping disadvantaged children."
Last year Dixon and a group of other celebrities from the U.K. climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania for "Comic Relief," a British charity that organizes an annual funding raising event. Dixon and her colleagues raised 3 million British pounds.
When asked if she would add North Korea to her charity campaign, she said, ``I will consider any charity that I feel will benefit from my involvement; obviously and very frustratingly sometimes politics gets in the way and makes it difficult."
Dixon performed at Miss World 2008 in Johannesburg and said she is looking forward to this event. ``I am excited to perform with the male contestants. I think it will be a very different experience," she said, and in reference to her hit single, added, ``I hope that these boys can dance."