Zooey Cezanne Abacial is exploring her interests through visual art, music, dance, gymnastics, pageantry, and performance. Known in full as Zooey Cezanne G. Abacial, the 10-year-old Manila-born Grade 5 student is learning how to develop her abilities. At the same time, school, family, and childhood remain at the center of her life.
She is currently part of Lil Star Sirens, where she performs as a gymnast and serves as a group leader. However, her interest in creativity began long before rehearsals, runway appearances, or performances before an audience.
It started at home with crayons, drawings, music, and the freedom to explore.
Early Creative Interests That Shaped Zooey Cezanne Abacial
Zooey traces her interest in art back to around the age of two. She remembers becoming familiar with colors even before learning numbers and the alphabet.
Given a choice between toys and crayons, she often preferred the crayons. Drawing and coloring became part of her everyday childhood. Sometimes, that creativity extended beyond paper and onto the walls of their home.
Rather than immediately erasing those childhood doodles, her mother treated some of them as part of the household decoration. For Zooey, that response allowed creativity to feel natural rather than restricted.
Her family also limited the children’s use of gadgets. Technology was generally reserved for school research and online classes. Zooey says she still does not have a gadget of her own.
Instead, much of her free time revolved around playing, drawing, coloring, making DIY crafts, and singing. Those simple activities gave her different ways to express herself before performing became part of her world.
From K-Pop Fan to Young Performer
Her interest in the performing arts grew stronger during the pandemic. While spending more time at home, Zooey watched K-pop performances and became particularly drawn to BLACKPINK.
She watched performances repeatedly, memorized lyrics, and tried to learn dance steps. Being a fan gradually sparked her desire to experience singing and dancing for herself.
That early fascination took on a different meaning when she eventually stepped onto a stage.
Performing reminded Zooey of the years she had spent watching artists from home. This time, however, she was no longer simply part of the audience.
“The plot twist was, I was the one performing on stage, not the other way around,” she recalls.
An Unexpected Introduction to Pageantry
A turning point for Zooey Cezanne Abacial came when she joined Little Miss Philippine Tourism 2025, her first experience in pageantry.
According to Zooey, her mother initially came across an advertisement that appeared to be for a photoshoot. They later learned that it was connected to a beauty pageant and a charity initiative. Zooey says the initiative supported cancer patients.
With no previous pageant experience, she decided to participate. The opportunity became one of the first occasions when her interests in creativity and performance moved beyond the activities she enjoyed at home.
The pageant, she says, helped her recognize her interest in the performing arts more clearly. Being onstage brought back the excitement she had once felt while watching K-pop performers. This time, however, she experienced it from an entirely different perspective.
Following the pageant, she received opportunities to participate in runway presentations and wear pieces by designers. Around the same period, 702 Management expressed interest in scouting her for a young P-pop group it was developing.
That group would eventually become known as Lil Star Sirens. It brought together several interests Zooey had already begun exploring, including singing, dancing, movement, performance, and teamwork.
What Keeps Zooey Cezanne Abacial Moving Forward
Rather than pointing to one defining moment, Zooey sees her progress as a series of small steps.
Part of what encourages her to continue is knowing that people are happy to see her improve. She also recognizes the adults who help make these opportunities possible, particularly her parents and coaches.
Their belief in her abilities has given her the confidence to keep learning. Sharing her experiences, she hopes, may also encourage other children to pursue interests of their own.
When people watch her perform, she hopes they find enjoyment in what they see. Perhaps they may also feel encouraged to approach their own goals with a more positive outlook.
Her way of expressing that idea is straightforward: “Dreams do come true if we will just strive to be better and focus on our goals.”
Why School Remains a Top Priority
Beyond her activities in performance, Zooey Cezanne Abacial places considerable importance on her education. According to Zooey, she has been a consistent honor student since kindergarten. She sees academic recognition as a reflection of patience and effort.
Among the academic recognitions she is particularly proud of are a silver prize in a Math Whiz competition and a gold award in a spelling competition.
For Zooey, those accomplishments matter not simply because of the awards themselves. They also represent the work and persistence behind them.
Her parents also help determine which activities she can take on. If an engagement begins to interfere with her studies, school comes first.
That approach keeps performance from becoming separate from the rest of her responsibilities. Instead, it remains one part of a broader childhood shaped by education, family, and personal growth.
Character Beyond Recognition
Academic recognition is not the only form of achievement Zooey values.
One compliment she remembers especially well came from teachers who described her as one of the kindest students they had known. Her parents appreciate compliments about her appearance, she says. Yet they take greater pride when others speak positively about the way she behaves when they are not around.
That emphasis on character has also shaped her school experience.
Her parents intentionally exposed their children to an inclusive learning environment, according to Zooey. There, they could interact with students who have different needs and abilities.
For her family, the experience offered a lesson in treating others with understanding, respect, and compassion.
Zooey summarizes that lesson in one word: “Compassion.”
It is an idea that sits alongside the more visible aspects of her young journey. Pageants, performances, grades, and awards may be easier to notice. Her family, however, continues to remind her that the way she treats people matters beyond any recognition she receives.
Learning to Adjust to Change
Not every experience has come easily.
One of the more difficult adjustments Zooey remembers was transferring schools. Others often describe her as a “social butterfly,” but entering an unfamiliar environment filled with new faces still felt intimidating.
She had been accustomed to a smaller school community. Moving to one with roughly three times as many students required time and patience.
The experience became an early lesson in adapting to change rather than something she considers a major hardship.
Things do not always happen exactly as expected, another lesson Zooey has begun to understand. Her view of setbacks reflects something she often hears from her mother. Circumstances may require patience, and some opportunities have to be earned rather than expected immediately.
She also carries her mother’s belief that “God’s timetable is never late.”
The Work Behind a Performance
What audiences see onstage represents only one part of the experience.
Rehearsals, preparation, school responsibilities, and performances require considerable effort. At times, Zooey says, a busy schedule can also mean getting less rest than she would like.
For a young performer, that makes the support of adults particularly important. Her parents and coaches help guide her schedule. Her family also maintains clear limits when an activity begins to affect school or other responsibilities.
Rather than describing balance as something she manages entirely on her own, Zooey sees it as a matter of setting priorities. She does so with the guidance of her parents.
Family responsibilities also influence those decisions. Zooey understands that schedules and commitments do not concern her alone. Her brothers’ schooling must also be considered.
Family, Coaches, and Staying Grounded
Her parents remain the strongest source of support in her young journey, giving her the guidance and encouragement she needs as she explores different interests.
They have given her the time and freedom to discover what interests her while continuing to believe in her abilities. Her coaches have also helped her develop the discipline required for performance.
At the same time, her family regularly reminds her that recognition is temporary.
One of their most consistent lessons is simple: be kind to everyone, including the people who support and follow her performances.
That perspective is also shaped by her own experience as a fan. Before stepping onto the stage herself, she was once part of the audience, watching and admiring the artists who inspired her.
The memory helps her see audiences as more than spectators. They may be finding the same excitement and inspiration she once found in the performers she looked up to.
Dreams Still Taking Shape for Zooey Cezanne Abacial
At 10, Zooey Cezanne Abacial is still discovering what the future may hold. For now, she hopes to keep singing and dancing with her groupmates while learning from each opportunity that comes her way.
Becoming part of a successful P-pop act is one of her dreams. Her early admiration for K-pop remains part of that ambition. She is also gaining a better understanding of the practice, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility behind every performance.
Small steps, in her view, can eventually lead to something meaningful. What matters is persistence and a willingness to keep learning.
Rather than having a fixed sense of purpose at such a young age, she continues to discover what matters to her through the things she enjoys. Along the way, she hopes her experiences can encourage other young people to explore their own interests and pursue them in positive and meaningful ways.
That outlook is reflected in the message she shares with children her age. It comes from a journey that began with crayons and childhood dance routines and later brought her onstage.
“Never give up,” she says. For Zooey, pursuing a dream is not simply about wanting something. It also means continuing to learn, putting in the effort, listening to the people who guide her, and improving along the way.
For Zooey Cezanne Abacial, the destination remains open. What matters now is that she continues learning—at school, at home, during rehearsals, and through each new experience.
Readers can discover more stories about Filipino personalities, culture, and emerging talent through The Filipino Magazine.
