Munah Bagharib And Xixi Lim On Their New Game Show, Early Dreams, And 2025 Plans

If you’re a game show or reality TV fanatic, you’re in luck, because the local remake of South Korean mystery game show I Can See Your Voice is currently playing on air. Filled with suspense, along with the occasional twist, the game show plays on reasoning and intuition to guess the mystery singers.

Nothing makes a reality show more colourful than the commentary that comes with it. Handpicked for their roles are host Munah Bagharib and celebrity detective Xixi Lim—both of whom were also part of BAZAAR’s Power List in 2023, which celebrated Singapore comediennes. Bagharib is a multi-hyphenate who was nominated for Best Actress as part of The Straits Times’ Life! Theatre Awards in 2021, is a presenter for Channel News Asia’s weekly series Talking Point, and also showcases her fun-loving nature through her lifestyle and travel content. Lim is an actress with many talents; from singing to modelling, including being the first plus-size Singaporean model to front a regional campaign by global beauty brand Sephora.

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We had the opportunity to sit down and catch up with both women and even got to play a little game with them. Ahead, they share their journeys with us, from their humble beginnings to upcoming plans.

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Munah Bagharib

How did you get into acting? Was it a path you’ve always wanted to take?

I’ve always loved drama, acting, and theatre, but I never thought it could be a career path. I was already working in production, in the back end of things, and I got asked to do an audition for a TV show on Suria. I thought: “Okay, I’ve got nothing to lose, right?” I got the lead role, and that’s how I started delving into the world of professional acting. Prior to this, I’d only done shows in school.

Theatre was so hard to get in to because it’s such a small community here. I remember my first-ever theatre audition, I was so nervous. Twenty minutes before [the audition], the producer texted me and asked if I could prepare a Malay song. I’m not too familiar with Malay songs, so I thought of singing the National Anthem with respect. I sang it, then thought [the producers] might want more. I was like, “I can also sing Hari Raya songs.” That was the end of my audition, and I got the role.

Did you watch a lot of game shows growing up?

The Pyramid Game was one that I remember watching all the time. I think it started off with a Western version and then came a local version on Channel 5, which was hosted by Darryl David. So basically, it’s like trivia, but really difficult things, like you need to have knowledge about everything: pop culture, history, geography; it’s very, very vast. I love game shows. I feel like I’ve always wanted to be a contestant in a game show.

What first drew you to the show I Can See Your Voice?

I’ve known of the show, and the fact that we have a Singapore version, I’m like, of course, I want to be in it. Honestly, l was happy to be in it, in whatever capacity. They called me in to audition to be one of the hosts. I went in and they wanted to test my chemistry with everyone. But, you know, even going in to audition, I was just happy to be chosen for it.

Were there any memorable moments on set?

One of my favourite moments of the show is the Stage of Truth. That’s when the mystery singer is called out to present their real voice. So they are actually going to sing, and we’re going to find out if it’s good or bad. The thing about the show is that no one except the producers and the crew will know whether the mystery singers are good or bad. So even for me and Joakim Gomez as the hosts, we have no clue. It’s so intense because we’ve made this decision, and we’re like: [are they a] good or bad [singer]? So I feel like I enjoy that moment a lot, because it’s just everyone, even the studio audience, waits with us; the lights change, the music comes on, and you’re still waiting, then the true voice comes on. They really milk the moment and it’s so enjoyable.

What are you most excited about in the year ahead?

I’m most excited to take more trips with my parents. I think we already have a few things lined up, and the reason why it’s so significant is because we haven’t travelled together as a family in a while. I’m excited to carve out more time to go to Japan with them, then hopefully Australia. Another thing I’m excited for this year is, of course, I Can See Your Voice. The fact that it’s a brand new format that is now out on TV. As soon as I got the call for it, I wanted to be part of it, because I’ve loved it, watching the different versions, especially the Korean and UK versions. The fact that we finally have a Singapore version, I think I’m thrilled to see what the viewers take away from it, because it was such a fun time shooting it.

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What keeps you going in life and your career?

I think for me, it’s the people I work with. I feel like they are the most important part of my career, and my motivation to to not be complacent and really, push further and achieve more. You know, I’ve been so lucky and blessed to work with amazing people—whether cast, crew or creatives—and learn about each other. At the end of the day, it’s really building those connections right to help you learn more about yourself and help you learn about the people around you as well, because we all have such different stories.

Xixi Lim

Is acting a path you always wanted to take?

I actually wanted to be a singer. Up till today, I keep asking myself: “What went wrong?” I started as a singer; I joined kids’ singing competitions and everything. Back then, there was a kids’ competition on Channel 8 and I won the show. So I started off as a child singer, and when I was older, I joined Teenage Icon (a local singing competition) as well. I auditioned for Singapore Idol when I was 16. One judge told me I look like Hello Kitty. I guess, because I’m quite animated and love to talk a lot. I did a wedding singing gig, and actually talked more than I sang. And people just started getting me to host weddings and sing as a package. Someone told me that I’m very animated and should try acting. So, I started off as an extra. Have you watched the Disney movie Up? Yeah, I’m Russell.

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What drew you to your role as a celebrity detective on I Can See Your Voice?

I guess because I’m quite smart. And I feel that everybody plays a very important role in the show. Even the local contestants, celebrity contestants, they play a very important role in the in the whole show as well. So for me to fall under the resident detective, I guess it’s because I can give sometimes very weird answers. I always pay attention to things that people don’t pay attention to. I guess that’s me, and that’s what I brought to the show.

What type of mystery singers would you like to have on the show?

I like quirky ones. [The ones that] look like they can’t sing, but are actually really good singers. We had a contestant called ‘Bathroom Singer’ and he dressed in a very unique manner. It caught our attention, and we really wanted to know if he’s a good singer. If you look very decent or very normal, it’s very hard for us to tell whether you’re a good or bad singer. But if you look towards the other side of the spectrum, then it’s fun to watch as well. So I would love to see more of such quirky contestants.

 What keeps you going in your career?

I love bringing laughter to people around me, be it behind the screen, to people on-set, or even my loved ones. I truly believe that by being happy, and having lots of laughter around you, it makes you happy as well. And laughter is contagious. You work better, you think better. Everything is more smooth-sailing when you are happier. This is something that I have been wanting to do as a teenager, but I didn’t have the confidence to do it. So when I [finally gained] the confidence to do it, I don’t want to stop. This is my dream, and my calling.

What are you most excited about in the year ahead?

I want to take up more travelling projects so I’m creating a little path towards that, probably start something small on my own first. At the same time, I do have a couple of new projects coming up that will be releasing in 2025. I’m really excited for that, and I hope to have little pockets of time to do what I really love, which is to sing. When I joined I Can See Your Voice, it actually got me really motivated to get back to singing again. Everyone [on-set] is so passionate, it reminded me why I joined this industry. It really excites me every time I watch it, even though I already recorded the show. Now that I watch it on TV, it’s like a fresh feeling, whereby we haven’t seen such an exciting game show for a while. I’m really excited to be part of the show.