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Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters Defends Beauty Pageants: Women Can Have Beauty and Brains!

By Madagan Riley Nov 28, 2017 11:31 PMTags

Now that she has the universe's crown atop her head, what's next?

2017's Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters stopped by E!'s Daily Pop to chat about the whirlwind past two days after she was crowned Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Nel-Peters gushed about how she's been on "cloud-nine" since getting crowned, but that it hasn't fully hit her yet since she's still "running on adrenaline and very little sleep." Right after winning, she was flown out to New York City because the major prize for her crown was a year's rent paid in the city. She giggled, "I've never been here and I moved with just four suitcases."

Looks like it's time for Miss Universe to hit 5th Avenue!

The Miss Universe Organization

This was only her third-ever pageant, but she spoke highly of them as proof that women no longer need to choose between beauty and brains. When asked if beauty pageants still have a place in pop culture's current climate, Nel-Peters said, "You can be beautiful and you can be smart and you can make a meaningful difference in your community, in your country, in your world."

She also applauded the pageant for taking such good care of her, but admits she has no idea what the future holds.

What she does know is that even in the Big Apple, she'll have to keep her two loves close: Firstly, her Yorkshire Terrier Benji, but the other one she likes to "keep a bit more private." Looks like for the time being, Miss Universe won't be on the NYC dating scene.

Best of luck in the big city Miss Universe!

Watch Daily Pop weekdays at 12:30 p.m., only on E!