WEBVTT - Dream Academy’s Ezrela on K-Pop trainee life, bonding with KATSEYE & her sentimental keepsakes 0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:03.360 Charmed is all about our collections and our memories and 0:00:03.440 --> 0:00:06.409 why they matter. Our keepsakes can be a representation of 0:00:06.530 --> 0:00:09.889 personal style and quality, a reminder of who we are. 0:00:10.610 --> 0:00:14.210 Some stories are worn to tell with Pandora. Keep listening 0:00:14.290 --> 0:00:14.630 for more. 0:00:15.070 --> 0:00:17.390 That was my favourite part. Every time I walked in 0:00:17.690 --> 0:00:19.550 after a long, hard day of training, I would take 0:00:19.570 --> 0:00:21.270 a picture of how beautiful it was and then I 0:00:21.300 --> 0:00:21.800 would just lie down. 0:00:21.820 --> 0:00:23.980 That would be the best feeling to come back to 0:00:24.180 --> 0:00:26.799 your sacred space. Do you still have the plushies now? 0:00:27.140 --> 0:00:28.880 Yes, I still have the plushies. I still sleep with it. 0:00:28.900 --> 0:00:42.010 Oh, that's so cute. Hi, I'm Sam Todd and welcome 0:00:42.229 --> 0:00:45.070 to Charmed. This is a show about the things we keep. 0:00:45.390 --> 0:00:48.700 The random little things, the sentimental things, the stuff that 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:51.900 probably looks like nothing to anyone else, but for some reason, 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:54.360 you can never throw it away. It might be a 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:58.270 concert tee, a friendship bracelet, a ticket stub, a Pandora charm, 0:00:58.550 --> 0:01:01.270 an old CD, or some tiny piece of merch you 0:01:01.290 --> 0:01:04.190 bought during an obsession that completely took over your life. 0:01:04.750 --> 0:01:07.090 Every episode, I'll be chatting to someone about the bits 0:01:07.150 --> 0:01:09.790 and pieces they've held onto, and what those things say 0:01:09.830 --> 0:01:13.810 about memory, nostalgia, obsession, and the person they were when 0:01:13.850 --> 0:01:17.319 they found them. Because yes, sometimes we collect things, some 0:01:17.380 --> 0:01:19.760 of us, a lot of things, but most of the time, 0:01:19.860 --> 0:01:21.600 I think we're really just trying to hold on to 0:01:21.640 --> 0:01:25.120 a feeling and a memory. Today, I'm chatting to Ezrella, 0:01:25.380 --> 0:01:28.179 and this episode is all about pop culture, fandom, and 0:01:28.220 --> 0:01:31.340 the things we keep from the moments that completely consume us. 0:01:31.850 --> 0:01:34.830 For Ezrella, there's the added layer of having actually been 0:01:34.910 --> 0:01:38.410 inside one of those moments through Dream Academy and Popstar Academy. 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:41.780 We're talking about that experience, being away from home, the 0:01:41.800 --> 0:01:43.940 things she kept from that chapter, and what it was 0:01:44.020 --> 0:01:47.180 like later seeing Kase perform and reuniting with the girls 0:01:47.260 --> 0:01:49.840 in Australia. But first, we're going to throw to the 0:01:49.890 --> 0:01:52.220 Get to Know Me section. Every single week, I put 0:01:52.250 --> 0:01:54.930 a question box on my Instagram story pertaining to the 0:01:54.970 --> 0:01:58.270 topic of this week's episode, this one being pop culture. 0:01:58.330 --> 0:02:01.230 And you all sent in some fabulous questions. So the 0:02:01.270 --> 0:02:04.370 first one comes from Casey, and she asks, have you 0:02:04.530 --> 0:02:07.930 ever camped for a concert? And to that, I say never. 0:02:08.430 --> 0:02:12.350 And I never will. I respect the hustle. Or do I? 0:02:12.660 --> 0:02:15.840 I don't know. I think the concert camping culture has 0:02:15.900 --> 0:02:17.739 kind of turned into this whole beast. I see a 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:22.130 lot of TikToks about people making self-made cues and wristbands 0:02:22.169 --> 0:02:24.950 and the fights they get into. And I also just 0:02:24.990 --> 0:02:28.530 cannot imagine having a good time at a concert after camping. 0:02:28.910 --> 0:02:32.240 in the wild for 24 or even 48 or 72 0:02:32.240 --> 0:02:34.919 hours before. People do it for days. And then I 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:38.040 imagine showing up to the concert exhausted. You haven't had 0:02:38.060 --> 0:02:41.680 a good sleep. Dirty, like unshowered. And you know what 0:02:41.880 --> 0:02:43.960 is one of the best parts of a concert? Getting 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:46.310 ready with your girlfriends in a full glam. You know, 0:02:46.330 --> 0:02:49.090 I'm going to the Zara Larsson concert tomorrow. And I 0:02:49.150 --> 0:02:51.290 am so looking forward to being in the hotel room 0:02:51.310 --> 0:02:54.070 with my girls, doing the makeup, getting dressed up. I 0:02:54.130 --> 0:02:57.040 feel like you are robbed of all of that by camping. 0:02:57.380 --> 0:02:59.500 But I suppose what you get from camping is a 0:02:59.540 --> 0:03:01.859 front row spot. So it's kind of a trade-off. I've 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:04.660 never been on barricade, probably never will be because I'm 0:03:04.700 --> 0:03:06.960 not willing to sacrifice days of my life for it. 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:09.660 So shout out to the camping sisters who are, but 0:03:09.700 --> 0:03:12.079 that will never be me. Our next question comes from 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:14.839 Rose who asks, what is the best concert you've ever 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:18.410 been to? And perhaps my answer is cliche, but I 0:03:18.490 --> 0:03:21.710 have to say Taylor Swift's Iris Tour. There has been 0:03:21.990 --> 0:03:25.070 nothing like that cultural moment. At the time, I was 0:03:25.110 --> 0:03:27.410 living in Brisbane and I traveled to Melbourne for the 0:03:27.450 --> 0:03:30.010 tour and just coming into the city and there were 0:03:30.150 --> 0:03:33.430 girls and women everywhere, all there for the same reason. 0:03:33.630 --> 0:03:37.380 Everyone is dressed up in sparkles and friendship bracelets. And 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:40.500 there was such a beautiful feeling of unity and community. 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:43.660 It was such a rare monoculture moment because who doesn't 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:46.840 love Taylor Swift? And I loved being a part of it. 0:03:46.940 --> 0:03:49.680 And it was also... The Swan Song for my clothing brand, 0:03:49.700 --> 0:03:52.440 The Vault. My final collection was the Taylor Swift Ears 0:03:52.470 --> 0:03:55.410 Tour inspired collection. So getting to go to the concert 0:03:55.430 --> 0:03:57.810 and seeing people wearing my designs for the final time 0:03:57.890 --> 0:04:01.330 and wearing my own designs and then hearing Taylor sing 0:04:01.370 --> 0:04:05.440 the songs from my entire life. Impeccable. Can never be 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:07.760 done again. Though I hope it will be. I hope 0:04:07.780 --> 0:04:09.360 somebody else could do an Ears Tour, but I don't 0:04:09.380 --> 0:04:11.120 know if there's anyone out there. who could do it 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:14.360 like her. And our final question comes from Wendy, who asks, 0:04:14.620 --> 0:04:17.220 do you collect concert merch? And if you do, what's 0:04:17.240 --> 0:04:20.320 your favorite item you've gotten so far? Well, of course, 0:04:20.460 --> 0:04:23.050 it is no surprise to anyone that I collect concert merch. 0:04:23.200 --> 0:04:26.450 I collect many things. But specifically, I love to collect 0:04:26.650 --> 0:04:30.450 concert t-shirts, because I also collect vintage t-shirts. And when 0:04:30.490 --> 0:04:32.910 I collect the concert shirts at the concerts I go to, 0:04:32.930 --> 0:04:36.109 I imagine them becoming vintage items in my wardrobe in 0:04:36.130 --> 0:04:38.339 the future. I specifically like to buy them in an 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:41.160 oversized fit because that's how I like to wear vintage T-shirts. 0:04:41.220 --> 0:04:43.510 And I brought one of my favorites to show today. 0:04:43.550 --> 0:04:45.470 If you're just listening, now is the time to flick 0:04:45.490 --> 0:04:48.969 through to the video stream. This is my Taylor Swift 0:04:49.390 --> 0:04:53.310 Fearless Tour T-shirt. This tour was about 15 years ago, 0:04:53.330 --> 0:04:55.980 and it's got her with her curly hair and her 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:59.339 sparkly dress. And just looking at this image reminds me 0:04:59.380 --> 0:05:03.229 of my teenage self. I love this one. But there 0:05:03.270 --> 0:05:05.710 is another item of concert merch that I got recently 0:05:05.750 --> 0:05:07.750 that I really love that I want to shout out. 0:05:08.210 --> 0:05:10.500 I went to Levee's A Matter of Time tour, and 0:05:10.560 --> 0:05:14.760 I got her Mei Mei bunny pastel. Because Levee has 0:05:14.820 --> 0:05:17.120 her own little mascot that she created, which is Mei 0:05:17.160 --> 0:05:19.720 Mei the bunny. And at the shows, Mei Mei comes 0:05:19.800 --> 0:05:22.120 on stage and crowns the best dressed of the night. 0:05:22.540 --> 0:05:24.880 But you can also get Mei Mei merch. And Mei 0:05:24.900 --> 0:05:27.440 Mei is a white bunny with really long ears and 0:05:27.460 --> 0:05:30.159 a cable knit sweater. And more artists need to be 0:05:30.180 --> 0:05:33.659 doing subtle things like this, where It's not glaringly obvious 0:05:33.700 --> 0:05:35.500 that it's merch. It's a very if you know, you 0:05:35.540 --> 0:05:37.580 know kind of thing. And you can wear May May 0:05:37.600 --> 0:05:39.619 all the time because she just looks like a bunny. 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.550 I love her. Azrella knows pop culture from a pretty 0:05:43.670 --> 0:05:47.750 unique perspective because she's experienced it from both sides. She 0:05:47.790 --> 0:05:50.609 grew up loving music and dance, then found herself in 0:05:50.650 --> 0:05:53.650 Dream Academy, away from home and competing as part of 0:05:53.710 --> 0:05:57.330 a global project watched by fans around the world. And 0:05:57.390 --> 0:05:59.670 Azrella and I actually met for the first time at 0:05:59.690 --> 0:06:01.950 the Cat's Eye concert in Sydney, which feels like the 0:06:02.029 --> 0:06:05.529 perfect place to start. Today we're talking about Azrella's memories 0:06:05.589 --> 0:06:08.570 from Dream Academy, the things she brought home from that experience, 0:06:09.029 --> 0:06:11.310 what it was like watching Cat's Eye perform when they 0:06:11.350 --> 0:06:15.490 came to Australia, and the music, artists, fandoms, and objects 0:06:15.510 --> 0:06:17.890 that have stuck with her long after the moment itself 0:06:17.950 --> 0:06:19.410 was over. Hi, Azrella. 0:06:19.430 --> 0:06:19.490 Hi. 0:06:20.290 --> 0:06:23.520 Welcome to Charmed. I am so honored and excited to 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:25.720 have you on here as a guest. And this is 0:06:25.740 --> 0:06:29.170 your first official big interview. Yes, it is. 0:06:29.250 --> 0:06:31.110 Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here. 0:06:31.250 --> 0:06:33.550 Of course. We're so thrilled. And you did such a 0:06:33.630 --> 0:06:37.950 wonderful job representing Australia as the only Australian contestant on 0:06:37.970 --> 0:06:41.170 Dream Academy. I have to know... How does one end 0:06:41.230 --> 0:06:43.350 up on Dream Academy from all the way in Australia? 0:06:44.050 --> 0:06:47.250 That's a really good question. Honestly, for me, I think 0:06:47.270 --> 0:06:49.710 a lot of people were scouted here and there, but 0:06:49.830 --> 0:06:53.490 I actually did a really big audition for it. And 0:06:53.650 --> 0:06:56.310 it's actually funny. I auditioned for something else, and I 0:06:56.330 --> 0:06:58.849 just slipped in a little video to Hivex Geffen, and 0:06:58.890 --> 0:07:00.870 I had no idea what it was. But I just 0:07:00.930 --> 0:07:03.420 saw this sign that said, you are the main character. 0:07:03.510 --> 0:07:06.100 And I was like, ooh, I love that. So I 0:07:06.130 --> 0:07:09.370 sent in a video and... Yeah, like, I think a 0:07:09.490 --> 0:07:12.270 month later, I got an email while I was just, like, 0:07:12.600 --> 0:07:15.800 getting ready in the bathroom, and I just saw it said, Heiberg-Skeffen, 0:07:15.860 --> 0:07:18.560 audition update. And then it was like, you just passed 0:07:18.580 --> 0:07:20.080 to the second round and stuff. 0:07:20.260 --> 0:07:21.100 Oh, my God. 0:07:21.120 --> 0:07:26.680 And I thought a lot of people were going to be... like, 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:29.610 on it and, like, because it was an audition process. 0:07:29.650 --> 0:07:30.990 So there was a time where you get to meet 0:07:31.050 --> 0:07:32.390 other trainees that are auditioning. 0:07:33.070 --> 0:07:34.790 And this is all via Zoom? Yeah, this is all 0:07:34.810 --> 0:07:36.290 via Zoom. So you're still in Australia. Exactly. 0:07:36.350 --> 0:07:39.420 I was still in Australia. There was about three rounds. Wow. 0:07:40.290 --> 0:07:41.790 By the third round, when we got to meet a 0:07:41.830 --> 0:07:43.690 lot of people, I found out I was the only 0:07:43.750 --> 0:07:47.250 Australian there. And I was really shocked because I know 0:07:47.270 --> 0:07:50.330 a lot of people that also have auditioned and love 0:07:50.390 --> 0:07:52.600 to do things like this. So it was a really 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:53.260 big moment. 0:07:53.420 --> 0:07:57.240 I hear there was over 120,000 people that auditioned. The 0:07:57.260 --> 0:07:59.740 fact that you beat all of them out is crazy. 0:07:59.980 --> 0:08:02.870 And going on Dream Academy is any young girl's dream 0:08:02.910 --> 0:08:05.990 to be plucked out of obscurity, whisked away to L.A., 0:08:06.610 --> 0:08:09.330 getting to live this dream life. So you go through 0:08:09.350 --> 0:08:11.580 the three rounds of audition and then what happens? 0:08:12.140 --> 0:08:16.000 So originally they wanted to take us to LA for 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:18.660 the third round, but I think it was around COVID times. 0:08:19.100 --> 0:08:21.170 So we had to stay and we did like this 0:08:21.200 --> 0:08:23.650 big process. And then, yeah, they finally told us we 0:08:23.670 --> 0:08:29.370 got in. And by then I just had to, like, 0:08:29.810 --> 0:08:32.410 it was hard to get visas because like, we're all 0:08:32.470 --> 0:08:36.140 from a global area, so that was something that was 0:08:36.179 --> 0:08:40.030 really interesting. Normally when you go into this sort of 0:08:40.070 --> 0:08:44.720 K-pop training system, You don't get that much people from 0:08:44.760 --> 0:08:46.980 different Europe, Australia. 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:47.620 Every country. 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:48.569 Every country. 0:08:49.130 --> 0:08:50.630 Did they help with the visa or did you have 0:08:50.650 --> 0:08:51.349 to sort that out? 0:08:52.050 --> 0:08:53.830 They took care of all of the visa stuff. But 0:08:53.929 --> 0:08:56.010 while they were taking care of the visas, we had 0:08:56.030 --> 0:08:59.880 to do online classes. And so for me, that meant 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:03.099 I had to get up at about 2 a.m. every morning. 0:09:03.600 --> 0:09:05.620 And then I also didn't have my own dance room. 0:09:05.920 --> 0:09:08.900 So I had to go outside where it was really cold. 0:09:09.090 --> 0:09:12.050 In the dark. In the dark. The sun was not even, like, 0:09:12.110 --> 0:09:14.130 rising yet. I could see the moon. And then halfway 0:09:14.170 --> 0:09:16.090 through class, I could see the sun coming up. 0:09:16.370 --> 0:09:17.770 Oh, my God. 0:09:17.790 --> 0:09:20.510 And we would be, like, needing to give it our all. 0:09:20.550 --> 0:09:22.689 We would be working out. And I would be, like, 0:09:22.950 --> 0:09:26.200 on my, like, patio ground with, like, a thin little 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:29.900 yoga mat trying to, like, do all this, like, sit-ups, push-ups, 0:09:29.980 --> 0:09:33.310 this whole workout routine. and then like dance and whip 0:09:33.350 --> 0:09:36.530 my hair. And I hadn't even had breakfast yet. So 0:09:36.550 --> 0:09:39.500 it was really, that was really quite hard for me. 0:09:39.520 --> 0:09:42.220 It was one of the times where I realized like, 0:09:42.260 --> 0:09:44.079 this is not going to be easy, but if I 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:46.820 really want this, I'm just going to have to commit. 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:50.719 So I tried like, you know, I wasn't very comfortable 0:09:50.740 --> 0:09:52.380 with my hair at the time, like, and it was 0:09:52.400 --> 0:09:54.330 very curly and I would wake up and have bedhead. 0:09:54.410 --> 0:09:56.870 So then I was like, okay, I need to straighten 0:09:56.890 --> 0:09:58.770 my hair so that I'm ready to go into this 0:09:58.809 --> 0:10:00.459 class and everything's all done. 0:10:00.540 --> 0:10:02.939 And so not only are you training at 2am, you're 0:10:02.960 --> 0:10:05.440 getting up really early to get ready. Exactly. 0:10:05.460 --> 0:10:08.600 Wow. Especially because like I had to make a good impression. Yeah. 0:10:08.620 --> 0:10:10.220 It's the first time I'm seeing all these people. 0:10:10.500 --> 0:10:12.540 And I know you mentioned dance rooms. Did a lot 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:14.760 of the other girls have dance rooms and their training 0:10:14.800 --> 0:10:15.600 during the daytime? 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:18.370 Well, a lot of us did use like living rooms 0:10:18.450 --> 0:10:20.969 and things like that. But yeah, some of them had 0:10:21.030 --> 0:10:24.150 dance rooms. Some of them had like a gym that 0:10:24.170 --> 0:10:26.339 they were dancing at. I think I was the only 0:10:26.380 --> 0:10:27.959 person that was in my backyard. 0:10:28.380 --> 0:10:29.200 In the middle of the night. 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:29.880 Yeah. 0:10:30.700 --> 0:10:33.719 It really speaks to your dedication. And you were so young. 0:10:33.820 --> 0:10:35.260 Were you 15, 16? 0:10:35.260 --> 0:10:36.280 I was actually 18. 0:10:36.270 --> 0:10:40.090 Oh my gosh, you looked so young on the show. 0:10:41.170 --> 0:10:44.510 But nonetheless, 18 is still so young to be doing 0:10:44.590 --> 0:10:46.380 all of this. Did you tell the people in your 0:10:46.420 --> 0:10:47.880 life or did you hold onto it like a secret? 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:50.059 No, I didn't tell the people in my life. I 0:10:50.220 --> 0:10:53.959 think maybe like one of my best friends knew, but 0:10:54.140 --> 0:10:56.870 then other than that, like I pretty much disappeared. 0:10:57.380 --> 0:10:59.670 Really? Yeah. So you didn't tell anybody? 0:10:59.850 --> 0:11:03.090 Like my family, I told my family, like my extended family, 0:11:03.150 --> 0:11:05.590 they all knew, they all came to my house and 0:11:05.630 --> 0:11:07.510 like wished me off on the night before I took 0:11:07.550 --> 0:11:11.970 my flight. But yeah, friends wise, like I also had 0:11:12.050 --> 0:11:15.050 just started my first year of uni. Like I just 0:11:15.150 --> 0:11:18.030 finished my first year of uni by then. And so, yeah, 0:11:18.050 --> 0:11:21.699 I just I had to drop that and just leave. 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:25.079 Wow. The restraint is so interesting to me because I 0:11:25.100 --> 0:11:26.640 think a lot of young people, as soon as you 0:11:26.660 --> 0:11:29.130 get exciting news or a huge opportunity you want to 0:11:29.150 --> 0:11:31.869 tell everybody I mean I am so old well I'm 0:11:31.890 --> 0:11:33.950 not that old but I'm 32 and when I got 0:11:33.990 --> 0:11:35.809 offered this show I was telling all of my friends 0:11:35.830 --> 0:11:40.170 like girls you won't believe this and you could just disappear. 0:11:39.610 --> 0:11:43.710 Yeah because I've always heard people do that so I 0:11:43.750 --> 0:11:45.760 did want to try it so that's what. 0:11:45.500 --> 0:11:48.720 I did you wanted to be mysterious yes exactly did 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:50.679 you know when you were embarking how long you would 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:51.500 be gone for. 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:55.579 No I had no idea and honestly like When I 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.319 was training, I really didn't believe I would make it 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:01.660 that far. So for about the first six months of training, 0:12:01.720 --> 0:12:03.300 I actually hadn't unpacked my bag. 0:12:03.860 --> 0:12:05.040 Not at all. Yeah. 0:12:05.100 --> 0:12:07.020 And I didn't like the other girls were buying like 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:09.360 their own towels and their own bed sheets and stuff 0:12:09.380 --> 0:12:12.520 like that. And I just I thought that it would 0:12:12.540 --> 0:12:14.140 be really sad if I bought it and then I 0:12:14.179 --> 0:12:16.120 had to just go straight home. Like, I don't know. 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:18.820 I really just didn't believe it. So. Me buying my 0:12:18.860 --> 0:12:20.860 own bed sheets and towels, that was a really big 0:12:20.940 --> 0:12:23.140 moment for me. I was like, okay, I'm here to stay. 0:12:23.460 --> 0:12:24.120 I'm committing. 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:26.180 So at the six-month mark is that when you bought 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:26.880 your bed sheet? 0:12:26.900 --> 0:12:28.120 Yes, it really is. 0:12:28.260 --> 0:12:31.200 And back to the suitcase? Yeah. What sort of items 0:12:31.220 --> 0:12:33.559 did you bring with you from home in that suitcase? 0:12:33.740 --> 0:12:36.800 Well, it was actually quite funny. I didn't get a 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:40.120 lot of space to bring to, like, L.A. I only 0:12:40.160 --> 0:12:41.220 had one suitcase. 0:12:41.640 --> 0:12:42.380 Just one suitcase? 0:12:42.420 --> 0:12:44.990 Just one suitcase. And there was, like, a huge mix-up 0:12:45.020 --> 0:12:49.559 at the airport, like, I'd gotten, like, the wait allowance confused. So, like, 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:51.920 my bag was really heavy. So then, like, right before 0:12:51.960 --> 0:12:53.880 I was boarding my flight, I had to, like, quickly 0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:57.340 take out all of this random stuff, all my shoes 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.740 and stuff like that. So it was a really stressful moment. 0:13:00.860 --> 0:13:03.730 But one of the most important things that I kept 0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:06.030 with me, even though it could have gone back, was 0:13:06.350 --> 0:13:08.950 this scarf that my mum gave me. It just, it 0:13:09.010 --> 0:13:11.990 smelt like her. It felt like her, like, and that 0:13:12.070 --> 0:13:15.040 was something that, like, even sleeping in my bed when 0:13:15.059 --> 0:13:16.959 I was training, like I would have that next to 0:13:17.020 --> 0:13:19.040 me and I would just always have like a piece 0:13:19.070 --> 0:13:19.710 of my mom with me. 0:13:19.730 --> 0:13:22.290 Oh, that's so special. That's so nice that you were 0:13:22.330 --> 0:13:24.610 able to bring that with you. I can't get over 0:13:24.630 --> 0:13:26.710 the fact that you are uprooting your life with one 0:13:26.750 --> 0:13:29.990 suitcase and it couldn't even be a full suitcase. And 0:13:30.010 --> 0:13:32.500 you move into a share house with all of the girls, right? 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:35.220 What was it like living with so many young girls? 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:38.920 Well, I'm the youngest child of my family and I'm 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:42.160 in a, like there's three of us. So I love 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:45.370 the idea of living with multiple people and having so 0:13:45.390 --> 0:13:46.089 many sisters. 0:13:46.210 --> 0:13:48.430 It seems like the dream. Exactly. 0:13:48.510 --> 0:13:51.070 It really was the dream for me. I was so happy. 0:13:51.090 --> 0:13:54.540 I loved waking up and waking up just looking at 0:13:54.580 --> 0:13:56.660 Daniela's face across from my room. 0:13:56.840 --> 0:13:57.839 So you guys were roommates? 0:13:57.900 --> 0:14:00.740 Yeah, me and Daniela were roommates and same with Lexi 0:14:00.820 --> 0:14:04.839 and Carly. But actually, initially, they all put us in 0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:05.620 the same room. 0:14:06.140 --> 0:14:07.790 Every single girl in one big room. 0:14:07.830 --> 0:14:11.500 Exactly. I think there was about 10 trainees at the 0:14:11.559 --> 0:14:15.020 start but two of them lived on their own like 0:14:15.040 --> 0:14:18.300 with their parents so yeah all eight of us were 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:20.040 in the same room so it was two to each 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:23.600 bunk bed yeah so me and Sophia were the first 0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:25.360 to share a bunk bed and we were so excited 0:14:25.420 --> 0:14:29.150 about it because we were really really close like even 0:14:29.210 --> 0:14:31.550 on zoom like even though we would zoom call and 0:14:31.570 --> 0:14:33.920 we would have different time zones me and Sophia would 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:36.480 Zoom like outside of training in class. 0:14:36.500 --> 0:14:39.000 Oh, that's so nice. Because I was wondering how you 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:41.600 would connect with the girls on a group Zoom call. 0:14:41.780 --> 0:14:44.740 Yeah, exactly. We would have group chats and we would call. 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:46.970 But yeah, mostly Sophia and I would call a lot. 0:14:47.300 --> 0:14:50.390 And so when it was time to choose like bunk mates, 0:14:50.510 --> 0:14:54.130 me and Sophia bunked up. And yeah, it was really, 0:14:54.150 --> 0:14:56.730 really fun. Like I loved living with everyone. I loved 0:14:56.790 --> 0:14:59.190 going downstairs and people were eating and we were all 0:14:59.210 --> 0:15:02.380 just having a good time. It was hard for like 0:15:02.500 --> 0:15:05.840 cultural reasons. I'm sure everyone came from different backgrounds. 0:15:05.860 --> 0:15:07.600 There was such a diverse range of girls. 0:15:07.740 --> 0:15:10.470 Exactly. So like the way we all like took care 0:15:10.490 --> 0:15:12.400 of the house and things like that was very different. 0:15:12.750 --> 0:15:17.190 But that only required conversation and discussion. And so we 0:15:17.390 --> 0:15:18.270 worked through it really well. 0:15:18.550 --> 0:15:20.590 Was there like a minder living with you guys or 0:15:20.610 --> 0:15:22.030 was it truly just the girls? 0:15:22.490 --> 0:15:26.450 So initially it was, yeah, there was like a minder, 0:15:26.470 --> 0:15:29.170 but she wasn't like long term. It was just temporary. 0:15:29.250 --> 0:15:29.609 But then. 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:32.100 There was a moment where it was just us, and 0:15:32.140 --> 0:15:34.590 then they got someone to actually be there with us, 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:35.260 which was really good. 0:15:35.470 --> 0:15:37.010 When it was just you guys, did it go a 0:15:37.030 --> 0:15:39.070 little bit crazy? I imagine you guys would be so 0:15:39.130 --> 0:15:40.910 exhausted from training all day. 0:15:40.990 --> 0:15:44.630 Yeah, we were very exhausted. It was never too crazy. 0:15:44.670 --> 0:15:46.270 We just played a lot of games, and we were 0:15:46.290 --> 0:15:48.510 quite loud, but that was it. It was fine. It 0:15:48.530 --> 0:15:49.170 was a big house. 0:15:49.380 --> 0:15:51.720 Honestly, when I was watching Dream Academy, I was like, 0:15:51.740 --> 0:15:55.560 this is my dream. Why was I born without singing 0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:58.180 or dancing talent? No way! Just imagine being in a 0:15:58.220 --> 0:16:00.700 house like that with all of these amazing girls and 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:03.080 you're getting manufactured into being a pop star and then 0:16:03.100 --> 0:16:04.710 you come home at night and you all hang out 0:16:04.750 --> 0:16:07.490 with each other and cook each other's food. Do you 0:16:07.570 --> 0:16:09.770 miss that time or did you have enough? 0:16:10.310 --> 0:16:13.270 No, I never had enough. I missed it so much. 0:16:14.570 --> 0:16:18.870 There was a time where I was going through it 0:16:18.970 --> 0:16:22.300 and for me personally, I used to have a lot 0:16:22.340 --> 0:16:24.360 of fast food and I loved that. That was a 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:28.180 comfort for me. So yeah, exactly. So when I went 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:31.160 into the program, like I needed to start having like 0:16:31.620 --> 0:16:34.440 better food and it was really hard for me. And 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.450 one of the girls, um, she started cooking for me 0:16:37.630 --> 0:16:38.990 because she was like, I really want you to eat 0:16:39.010 --> 0:16:41.890 really well. Um, let me cook you something from like 0:16:41.930 --> 0:16:43.890 my culture. So she would cook me, she was Japanese 0:16:43.930 --> 0:16:47.390 and she would cook me this like sukiyaki don and 0:16:47.430 --> 0:16:50.470 it was so nice it was so delicious and like 0:16:50.730 --> 0:16:52.310 I crave it all the time and I can never 0:16:52.330 --> 0:16:54.840 have it again because like I don't live with her anymore. 0:16:54.620 --> 0:16:56.160 You have to travel to Japan just to have the 0:16:56.200 --> 0:16:57.060 sukiyaki don. 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:59.580 Exactly and then also Sophia would also. 0:16:59.420 --> 0:17:02.820 Make me a lot of um like sinigang and pancit 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:07.340 canton from like her like Philippines like culture and that 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:09.989 I still make it to this day like she taught 0:17:10.050 --> 0:17:11.790 you the recipe she taught me and we would make 0:17:11.910 --> 0:17:15.060 it together I love her so like I do miss 0:17:15.100 --> 0:17:17.700 that a lot. And also I miss like whenever like 0:17:17.740 --> 0:17:20.420 someone was stressed or something, they would either make crepes 0:17:20.560 --> 0:17:23.879 or like blondies or brownies and things like that. So 0:17:23.940 --> 0:17:26.500 I would benefit off of that. So it was really great. 0:17:26.820 --> 0:17:29.780 It sounds like such a beautiful sisterly environment. And I 0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:31.880 know you said after six months, that's when you sort 0:17:31.920 --> 0:17:34.030 of started to feel more settled and you bought your 0:17:34.050 --> 0:17:36.650 sheets and your towel. Did you decorate your little bunk? 0:17:38.130 --> 0:17:39.410 Tell us how you decorate. 0:17:39.109 --> 0:17:42.310 Yes, so we after like I think a month Maybe 0:17:42.609 --> 0:17:45.450 we split off into different rooms so me and Lexi 0:17:45.510 --> 0:17:51.090 were sharing a bit Lex Rela Lex Rela and we 0:17:51.230 --> 0:17:54.780 made that Lex Rela's corner we put pictures all around 0:17:54.930 --> 0:17:57.580 it we put fairy lights we bought like. 0:17:57.520 --> 0:18:00.180 Matching plushies and And we just made. 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:01.380 That our space. 0:18:01.460 --> 0:18:02.740 That was so sweet. 0:18:02.770 --> 0:18:05.110 It was amazing. That was my favorite part. Every time 0:18:05.150 --> 0:18:07.430 I walked in after a long, hard day of training, 0:18:07.650 --> 0:18:09.350 I would take a picture of how beautiful it was. 0:18:09.369 --> 0:18:12.070