Alisha stood in front of her bedroom mirror, the late afternoon sunlight filtering through her curtains, casting soft golden rays across her reflection. She brushed her dark hair back, her fingers trembling slightly as she looked into her own eyes. She repeated the words she had rehearsed a thousand times before, the ones that had gotten her through every doubt:
"If they can do it, so can I. Just don't give up."
The Beginning
Alisha's story began in a small, bustling town where she lived with her parents and younger brother. Her love for music was evident from the beginning—she used to sit on the kitchen counter, swinging her legs, singing along to the radio while her mother cooked dinner. Her voice had always been pure and powerful, but it was when she first saw a K-pop performance online at age eleven that she realized just how badly she wanted to be on stage.
"The moment I saw them, I knew," she often said in interviews. "They weren't just dancing and singing—they were telling a story, and I wanted to tell my story too."
Her parents, however, were skeptical. They knew how competitive the industry was, and the thought of their daughter facing countless rejections scared them.
"Mom, Dad, please, just one audition," Alisha had begged, her eyes glistening with determination. "If I fail, I'll let it go, but I need to try."
Her mother had sighed, finally giving her a soft smile. "Just one, Alisha. We'll support you, but remember, it's not going to be easy."
The Struggle
That "one audition" turned into ten. Then twenty. Then thirty. Each time she would stand nervously in front of the judging panel, her voice as steady as she could make it, her heart pounding like it might break free from her chest. She faced rejection after rejection, some kinder than others.
"You have potential, but you're just not ready."
"Your dancing isn't strong enough."
"We need someone who can stand out, and you... you need more training."After each rejection, she would head home, her feet heavy, her heart even heavier. She remembered her brother once bringing her a small cup of ice cream after a particularly harsh rejection, saying, "You're still the best to me, Noona." That night, she sat in her room, tears running down her cheeks as she whispered, "I have to be stronger. I have to show them."
The Breakthrough
It wasn't until she was seventeen that she got her big break. A relatively new entertainment company was holding auditions in her town, and Alisha decided to give it one last shot before considering college seriously. The audition was held in a small dance studio, and she remembered the smell of wooden floors and the way her sneakers squeaked as she moved.
When she sang, she poured her entire heart into the song—a soulful ballad about never giving up, about dreams that refused to fade. She danced like her life depended on it, every movement sharp, every turn precise. And when she finished, there was silence.
She remembered holding her breath, looking at the panel, waiting for another polite rejection. But instead, the main judge leaned forward and smiled.
"You have something special," he said. "We'd like to see you in Seoul for the next round."
The Trainee Life
Moving to Seoul was a whirlwind. The training period was even tougher than she imagined—14-hour days filled with vocal lessons, dance practices, and evaluations. She shared a dorm with other trainees, and each day was a battle to prove herself. Some trainees left, unable to handle the pressure, and every time someone left, Alisha felt the weight of her dream more acutely.
She knew she couldn't give up.
"There were days when I thought I was done," Alisha shared during a VLive, reflecting on those times. "I would call my mom and just cry, telling her I wasn't sure I could do it anymore. But then, I'd remember why I started. I wanted to be on that stage, to sing for people who needed my songs."
There was a moment that stood out to her—one night after a grueling dance practice, Alisha had stayed behind in the studio, her muscles aching, her eyes stinging with tears. She danced until her legs gave out beneath her, collapsing onto the floor, gasping for breath. She stared at the ceiling, the cold of the practice room seeping into her back.
"Why am I doing this?" she had whispered to herself. And then she remembered the eleven-year-old girl who had watched K-pop idols perform, her eyes wide with wonder. "For her. For that girl who dreamed."
Debut with ICED
The day she was told she was debuting with ICED was surreal. She remembered the CEO calling her name during a trainee evaluation, his voice calm as he said, "We believe you're ready to debut with our new girl group."
Her heart had stopped. Then, it pounded so hard she thought she might faint. She had bowed deeply, tears streaming down her face as she managed to say, "Thank you, thank you for believing in me."
Debuting with ICED was everything she had hoped for and more—long nights, intense pressure, but also moments of pure magic. Standing on stage for the first time, hearing the fans chant her name, seeing the light sticks glowing like a sea of stars—it was all worth it.
"I wish I could tell every trainee, every kid with a dream, that it's worth it," Alisha said in one interview, her voice steady. "The pain, the rejections, the nights you feel like you're nothing—it's all worth it the moment you step on that stage. Don't ever give up on yourself."
The Present
Now, as one of ICED's lead vocalists and main dancers, Alisha has made her mark. Her performances are filled with passion, her voice strong and unwavering. Fans adore her for her sincerity, her warmth, and her determination. She's known for always staying behind after concerts to bow to the fans, often with tears in her eyes.
"Without you, I wouldn't be here," she often tells fans during lives. "You're the reason I can keep doing this. Thank you for letting me share my dream with you."
And perhaps that's what makes Alisha's journey so powerful—it's not just about her dream, but about the people she's touched along the way, the ones who believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself.
Chapter End
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading the first chapter of "Dreams Made of Frost: Alisha's Journey to Stardom"! 🌟 Alisha's story is one of resilience, and I hope it inspires you to chase your own dreams, no matter how far away they seem. Remember, like Alisha always says: "If they can do it, so can I. Just don't give up."
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Dreams Made of Frost: Alisha's Journey to Stardom
FanfictionAn insight of Alisha's journey to debut