35th single: This Way to the Moon - Evie centre!!

Hey everyone!

As promised, here is the post dedicated to our new single. I've already updated the site's discography and tracklisting to include our 35th single. The title is "This Way to the Moon" and the centre is...me!

No kidding. Go look at the discography. "Evie" is really there. Some people have said that an Evie-centre is actually predictable, as I'm the only media member who hasn't centred a single at least once. Honestly, I think Management is just taking the opportunity to use the reception to this Evie-centred single to judge whether moving forwards with my solo debut is a good idea or not.

In addition to a first-timer centre, there are also some first-time cast members. Management has really picked a promotional cast this time. Let's break it down.

Centre: Evie
Sassan, Luna, Maya, Angel, Harley, Kotoka, Luraland, Rome, Sammi, Sayoung, Tomiko, Katalie, Tang Tang, Soracchi, Henley

If you're a media member (election top 8), you're almost guaranteed a place in anything SERA00 does - whether it's a TV show appearance, CF deal, or the main cast of a single. So we have the media members here - Sassan, Luna, Maya, Angel, Harley, Kotoka, Luraland, and me. Then we have the B and C rank centres, Rome and Tang Tang respectively. We also see Sammi, Tomiko, and Soracchi, the three who took the greatest improvement in last year's election. The 16-member cast is rounded off with the highest ranking girls from the 8th generation, Sayoung, Katalie, and Henley. Those three also happen to be 00 ranks, and 00 ranks rarely make it into the main cast - definitely not three of them. That gives us an indicator that the remaining 8th gen 00 ranks will be promoted sooner rather than later. It makes sense, seeing as the 9th gen is about to come in.

The MV and single "This Way to the Moon" drops tomorrow. Make sure to give it a watch and a listen!

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July Update #2 - new single, concert, 9th gen, CASU comeback, new stages

Hey everyone!

I'm back with update #2! This time, all things SERA00! I'm not going to go into great detail here, as this post is meant to introduce you to the things you can look forwards to.

First up, our 35th single, currently titled "This Way to the Moon," will be released this Tuesday, June 12, 2016. More on that later - I will dedicate the next post to this.

The 2016 SERA00 Summer Concert "Walking On Flower Paths" will be taking place near the end of July! As always, it'll be a three day concert, July 29-31, 2016. Just to clarify, no flowers will be harmed in the making of this concert. :P

The 9th generation! I will also dedicate another post to the official announcement of the 9th generation, which will be soon, as they will be making their debut at the summer concert.

CASUT00 will be making their comeback too, and simultaneously with CASU-J. They will share the same title song, but CASU-J will be releasing a Japanese version, while the Canadian based girls will release an English version. They will be coming back with their first full-length album! The title song will be pre-released on Sunday, July 24, 2016, and the full album will be dropping on Wednesday, July 27, 2016. (edit: I had the dates a week too early - it's fixed now)

What else is new? Totally, completely, long overdue - new stages! That'll be the 7th stage for Aurora, 5th stage for Angel, and 4th stage for Night. The 00 ranks won't be getting a new stage, but their most current stage (6th) will be updated. That means - all stages are comprised of new stage repertoire, with a couple of SERA00's most recent singles (most recent at the time the stage was debuted) thrown in - so the singles in the 6th stage will be updated with SERA00's current most recent singles.

Alright, I think that's a pretty decent update.

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July Update #1 - hair, food, um...more food?

Hey everyone!

I know I keep promising to post more often...I'm trying! An update post counts, right...?

Photo! I dyed my ends (see previous graduation post for photos of my usual hair) with blue, but it didn't really come out blue...maybe a murky green with blue streaks? Ah, it's ok, the colour is actually growing on me.

In case you were curious, this photo was taken at the Copacabana Brazilian Steakhouse in Toronto - it's Summerlicious, so we dined there. Yes, the food was good. I am still quite stuffed from the experience.

Tomorrow, more food! I'm attending a potluck organized by my fellow MAPS classmates, since it's our last year in high school. It'll probably be hard to see most of them. Speaking of which, some of you asked me where the other SERA00 98' liners are attending university. You may already know this if you've read press releases or something, but an overwhelming majority of us are attending either U of T, Ryerson, or York. The reason? SERA00, likely. It'd be almost impossible to continue SERA00 activities and attend a farther post-secondary institution, as we'd have to be in two places at the same time. That's just not happening, For some, SERA00 might be the dream - a dream they aren't willing to give up, but I think also, for a lot of us, SERA00 is comfort. And it can be hard to step out of that comfort zone.

I'm in no position to comment on which of the paths is the best. There are members who have taken both in the past - some who've graduated SERA00 to pursue higher education, some who've stayed close in order to continue on with SERA00, even some who have dedicated their attention to SERA00 full-time. I'm on the boat that is tethered here with SERA00, and I won't deny that I've questioned my choice, of turning down more "prestigious" offers to stay close, turning down the unknown, and perhaps the challenges and opportunities that could have come with it.

But since the choice has been made, there's no use dwelling on what could have been, or we might miss what still could be :)

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P.s. for those who noticed that the title said Update #1, there WILL be Update #2, focused on SERA00 related activities. I SWEAR. IT'S COMING.

~Class of 2016~

Hey everyone!

On this happy occasion, I shall save the apologies for my lack of posts for another post ^_^ Two days ago, Monday, was the 3rd Modern Arts Performing School Commencement Ceremony, a.k.a. high school graduation! Me, Rome, and the rest of the SERA00 98-line sat in the sweltering arena, waiting for all 500 names to be called, waiting for our turn on stage - not to perform, but to receive our diploma. Well, to be exact, it was a blank sheet of paper, rolled up, and a student stood by with a basket for you to deposit the diploma after you had walked off the stage. Recycling at it's best.

Many chairs for many graduates

The ceremony began with the formalities, the speeches, the congratulations from trustees who were but a name without a face to us for the most part of the year - and the advice and wisdom of how we should approach our future. To be honest, I tuned out most of the speeches. Most of them were really long and some of the speakers, at no fault of their own, had accents that made their English rather hard to decipher. Not to mention the heat...five hundred graduates plus all the guests of each graduate, all stuffed into an arena with no AC...not exactly an atmosphere you'd like to sit in for four hours.

Speeches

Although it was unquestionably an unpleasant environment, I did ask myself after the ceremony - would I sit through that again? And I can't help but think - yes, I probably would. But why? A graduation ceremony, what is it really? A product of tradition, something every student will sit through just because all the students before sat through it too? What does it mean to you when you are just one of the hundreds present, conforming with everyone else who is dressed in that black gown, waiting hours just for that ten second walk across the stage to receive a blank scroll? 

But perhaps the reason behind the madness is easier when related to something else. Because whenever I see a stage, I can't help but think of our stage. The SERA00 Stage. I know there are many people out there who passionately want to perform - I see it in front of my eyes every year during the SERA00 Auditions. Thousands of girls lined up, waiting - not even for a chance to stand on stage, but a chance to audition for those limited spots on stage. And for those who make it through, finally being able to stand onstage and gaze out at the audience is a moment of accomplishment. A sign that you've maybe done something right. And every performance is a reminder of the privilege that you were chosen to stand in that spot, so you better do your damn best.

Hats in the air

When you think about it like that, the graduation ceremony suddenly becomes a reality check. There are millions of children out there who don't have access to education. And yet here I am, having complained about school all year long, but finally standing on that stage. Graduating. That is something many children will never have the privilege to do.

Two days ago, I graduated from high school. I graduated not just for myself, but for all those who have helped me to this place. I graduated for my parents, my teachers, my friends, my members - and all those who were not able to graduated. I graduated for them - and you will to, knowing that we will do our damn best with what we were given, so that someday, they may graduate too. 

I am a 2016 high school graduate.

I may not have been the best student (far from that, in fact). But I'm off to university next year. I'll be studying at the University of Toronto. I will continue my activities with SERA00, because that's what I love to do. I know I'll have to juggle all the new challenges that comes with change, but you can bet that I'll try my damn best.

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I'm 18.

Hey everyone!

Today is Evie's 18th birthday. Evie is an adult now. She doesn't feel any different.

Thank you to those who came out to my birthday stage tonight, and for everyone's wishes :)

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Downtown

Hey everyone!

I went downtown with a friend on Saturday. Our journey began with a visit to the TOT the Cat Café, then to NU Bügel, and finally Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Matcha Café (next to Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Cheesecake). Hmm...I guess we spent the entire day eating food...shhhh don't tell my manager!

Yes, I know you probably wanted to see photos of cats. I took videos, but I forgot to take photos. Sorry.

street view from NU Bügel

NU Bügel's lights...?

that's me :D

Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Matcha Café! We got a cheesecake, a couple madeleines, aaand ice cream. Oops.

the menu at Uncle Tetsu's

Until next time...
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Where do SERA00 members attend school?

Hey everyone!

I know that I regularly complain about school and how it hinders my ability to update this blog readily...and I was going to give the same reason for the lateness of the winter concert and SERA00 Star City recaps. (I'm still going to.) However, I realized that the last time I talked about school was two years ago, when I was in the tenth grade. I don't mean SERA00 School, or complaining about school, but actually dedicating a post to it. The SERA00 member schooling system has changed quite radically since I last wrote about it, so I thought it was worth an update.

First off, I'm in grade 12. If you recall my previous posts about school in ninth and tenth grade, all members were tutored within the SERA00 Complex. We had scheduled academic classes, but they were all exclusively with other SERA00 members, organized by Management. Now, there was nothing specifically wrong with the system - we were all well educated, and those members who wished to continue post-secondary studies were able to, and none of them has complained of being academically behind their peers. The schooling system was tailored to fit around our odd schedules, which made it difficult for us to attend a "normal" school. The concept is similar to child actors and actresses attending school on set.

What was the problem, then? Ultimately, the factor that caused the paradigm shift was the lack of "outside" contact. For many of the members, we could literally spend all of our time, 24/7, within the SERA00 Complex. We study, train, perform, work, eat, and sleep inside the Complex. You could literally never go out. Of course, it didn't exactly happen like that. We did leave the Complex now and then to visit family, go out to eat, have fun, attend events and schedules, etc. I'm sure there were many other factors as well, but this was the main one that Management quoted when the change was announced.

Where do we attend high school now? Two years ago (three? the 2013-2014 school year), the Modern Arts Performing School (MAPS) opened in the closest town to the SERA00 Complex, next to the plaza that Fela's Sweetshop is in. Although still considered a relatively new school, its reputation is already impressive, partly because it is the arts-focused counterpart of the prestigious Guilun Academy. Located in Taiwan, the Guilun Academy is attended by many YS Entertainment artists, including Huang Yu Yan, DRE4M, and ECTI. Unlike MAPS, Guilun Academy students are known for their academic prowess. 

MAPS is an arts school focused on "modern" performing arts. "Modern" bands and dance instead of classical orchestras and traditional dance. Of course, that's not to say that "modern" performing arts are better than traditional performing arts - this just happens to be MAPS' specialty, and it fits SERA00 very well.

Currently, every SERA00 member of high school age is enrolled in MAPS. There are around 500 students in MAPS, and about 60 of them are SERA00/CASUT00 members. MAPS has competitive admission, so students must go through a rigorous application and audition process. SERA00 members have to go through the same process too, although no member has failed to be accepted so far. We're treated pretty much the same as other students. We attend the same classes and the full 9-4 school day. The only exception I can think of is the MAPS Showcase. It's an annual concert that all students prepare intensely for - it's attended not just by parents, but media and entertainment agency recruiters as well. It's a unique chance for students to get noticed. As a result, preparation is intense and consumes many hours not just during but after school as well. It's a requirement for all MAPS students, but SERA00 girls are exempt, as it's simply impossible to squeeze in Showcase prep with all the SERA00 schedules. SERA00 members are already debuted as well, so there's no need to appeal to recruiters, although in the past two years, we have put on a performance as a group at the Showcase, usually our latest single.

SERA00 doesn't recruit at MAPS Showcases, if you were wondering. SERA00 doesn't do street casting in general. All members join through the annual auditions. The only instance ever where Management placed a member in SERA00 is 8th gen's Sayoung Yoon, but she was already a YS Ent. trainee. If a MAPS student wants to join SERA00, they go through the same audition process as the public. So far, SERA00 only has two members who were already MAPS students when they auditioned for SERA00 - 7th gen's Eliza Moir, and 8th gen's Romy Stokes.

Okay, I think this post is long enough. Looking at my school agenda, I have some sort of test or assessment EVERY DAY next week...plus tonight is an Angel Stage :D

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It's Okay, Wolf Boy - MY. SOLO. DEBUT. (not)

Hey everyone!

Super exciting news!!!!! Yes I know it's past 2AM but I literally just received the green light to release this information and I wanted the blog to be the first to announce this before the press picks it up. So that's why I'm posting this now!

I may have jumped ahead of myself a bit here - the super exciting thing isn't happening now...or anytime soon enough that I can give you a date. However, the knowledge that it's going to happen is already super exciting and I hope you guys are as excited as I am!! How many times have I already used some form of the word "excited"?

("Stop going on and on, Evie, just tell us what it is...")

Are you ready?

MY. SOLO. DEBUT.

Omg?

YESSSS IT'S HAPPENING. EVIE IS GOING TO HAVE A SOLO DEBUT. I'm sorry for the all caps but I'm SOOOO FREAKING EXCITED.

("Calm down, Evie.")

Assuming that no other member debuts between now and my solo debut sometime in the hopefully not-too-far future, I'll be the fourth SERA00 member to have a solo debut, after Luraland, Sassan, and River. I promise I'll tell you all more of the juicy details and how it all came to be later! As I said before, no date has been set so it could be months or even next year.

But don't get disappointed yet - something exciting is happening now too! Are you curious as to what any of what I wrote above has to do with the title of this post? Well, my solo debut may not be in the foreseeable future, but the release of this song sure is!

"It's Okay, Wolf Boy" is part of the OST of the upcoming film Wolf Boy! The film has no affiliation with SERA00 which makes it an even bigger honor that I was chosen to sing the song - yes! "It's Okay, Wolf Boy" will be sung by Evie - just me, me, and me!

It's not my official solo debut but it is a solo song - and I can't tell you how much I love it! I was able to pre-screen the movie and I know it's going to be an amazing, heartfelt, and tear-jerking film. 

Just some last minute updates - working on the winter concert recaps. Also working on the SERA00 Star City recaps. They're coming soon! Please look forwards to "It's Okay, Wolf Boy" which will be released next week ahead of the film's premiere.

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