Honest reflection from someone who followed since Dream Academy
r/saintsatine (prelude) congratulations to the dreamers. But I have to admit I wish we never had to dream of or put up with this. I wish we had better aspirations as young girls/boys.
I know Lexie, Samara and Emily feel for Sakura and all previous participants bc they themselves are trying to make it. I feel bad for all the hate they are getting now and the foreseeable future. This is the industry you and I (because we consume) & the girls (because they think it’s the best option for their dreams) FUEL. Our emotions are just fodder for marketing. And the artists don’t get to have emotions because they “should be grateful.”
This made me rethink my obsession for kpop, kpop adjacent artists (& any other mainstream artists I stan). It’s conflicting for me to completely hate Mitra bc she’s a successful woman in a “man’s world.” She is open and shameless about her (psychopathic) methods. But imagine those who hide behind BIGGER stars, whose job is to make rage & drama to manipulate the audience. There’s people we don’t hear about who orchestrate our reactions like theater.
More controversy = more buzz = more views. Adéla learned & understood the “game” when she got out of DA so she used drama to market herself (look where she is now).
I can only imagine how many artists have sold their soul bc this is the system that keeps the entertainment industry running.
If fabricating chaos for entertainment while hurting young aspiring artists & enraging invested viewers is what makes success in this industry, then what does that say about the consumers (me and u) and everyone who’s in on this (the managers, creative directors& artists themselves)?
LEXIE walked away the 1st time bc the process didn’t align with her values. BUT it’s hard to be virtuous when you get a 2nd chance to fulfill your “dream.” At what cost though? (She could’ve started a solo career if she knew the right people and worked hard. Prelude wasn’t her only shot). Getting famous is significantly easier when you don’t have to do all the planning, but when you let the label run the show for you, you unfortunately consent to a sliver of evil.
Like many, I got too emotionally invested rooting for Jayla and then Ayana (sadly they’re both likely to end up like NAYOUNG & I’m still mourning that), so I’m gonna touch some grass after writing this (maybe read a book).