A universe in and of herself, Khadine ‘Miss Kitty’ Hylton exudes an incredibly potent energy unlike any other. Whether on camera or on air, on stage or behind the judges’ panel, Miss Kitty never disappoints, leaving viewers and listeners alike enthralled. Such is the mastery of her craft that Miss Kitty has transformed herself into a full-fledged brand and leader of the pack. Jamaica Experiences talks to Miss Kitty, media personality, entertainer and author, about her passions and that which drives her.

JE: Walk us a little bit through the evolution of your career, how did you get to where you are, today?

Miss Kitty: Well, I got to where I’m at, right now, just through being driven, being determined, being very diligent and hard-working. I speak what’s on my mind; of course, being very tactful and doing everything in a capsule of decency, but still being truthful to myself. I have made a lot of sacrifices, because I love what I do. I’m a professional at what I do and I try, at all times, to be my best. I don’t always get it right, because I’m a human being and I do make mistakes, but I try as best as I can to take my work and to take my job seriously. And I’m always looking to expand, always looking to grow, always wanting more; never getting complacent, but always looking for what’s next.

JE: Where is your favorite place in the world to relax? And how do you unwind when you’re there?

MK: Oh, wow. My favorite place in the world to relax is my room. It’s very quiet. Wherever there solitude and quiet, I really like that. Truly, I’m a bit of a paradox, in terms of, when Miss Kitty is out and working, I’m vivacious and colorful and interactive and entertaining. But I also treasure just quiet time: to think, to reflect, to introspect and to dream.

JE: Describe yourself in three words.

MK: Passionate, diligent, and ambitious.

JE: What advice would you give to someone who looked at Miss Kitty and said, “I want to be that? I want to be popular, I want to be famous and I want to be successful”? How would you guide them?

MK: I would say, first of all, you can’t come into this business and hustle, because if you don’t have the true passion and you don’t have that discipline and the stick-toitiveness, you’re going to fizzle, really quickly. The lights are just one aspect of what Miss Kitty is and what my life is about. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scene that you have to be willing to put it in and have the mental, the physical and spiritual fortitude, to be able to stand up because, sometimes, being in the light gets lonely. You have so many people around you and yet, you feel so alone sometimes. You trust no one, because some people come into your life; they’re just curious, they don’t really care. And so, it’s a mental struggle, sometimes, to go, “Okay, who I confide in? Who do I have as my confidante?