Syesha Mercado

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Syesha Mercado

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Img_capt = Syesha Mercado at the "American Idol", Season 7, Top 12, after party on March 6, 2008.
Img_size = 210
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Syesha Raquel Mercado
Background = solo_singer
Born = birth date and age|1987|1|2
Origin = Sarasota, Florida, United States
Genre = R&B, Soul, Adult Contemporary, Pop, Gospel
Occupation = Singer, songwriter, actress
Years_active = 2004 - present
Label = Capitol Fact|date=September 2008
URL = [http://www.syesha.com syesha.com]

Syesha Raquel Mercado (born January 2, 1987) is an American singer, model, and actress. She described herself in an interview as "a black Christina Aguilera or Alicia Keys." [cite news|title=Swan song for Syesha; It's curtains for the last woman standing in American Idol, setting the stage for an all-David finale|last=Tan|first=Rebecca Lynne|date=May 17 2008|publisher="The Straits Times" (Singapore)|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-19] Mercado was the third-place finalist on the seventh season of the television series "American Idol." She is the second to be the only female in the top 3 and get voted off to allow two male contestants to compete in a finale, thus joining Kimberley Locke in doing so.

Biography

Mercado was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on January 2, 1987 [cite news
last = Catlin
first = Roger
coauthors =
title = Blacks on the Brink Eye on Idol
work = Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
pages = D1
language = English
publisher =
date = April 1, 2008
url =
accessdate = ] Her mother Zelda, a former Motown backup singer, is African-American and her father, José, is of Cuban descent. [ [http://www.myspace.com/syeshamercado Syesha Mercado Personal MySpace] ] She grew up in Sarasota, Florida, attending Daughtrey Elementary School in Manatee County.cite news|title=Fourth-Grader First to Accept New 'Contract'|last=White|first=Dale|date=October 2, 1996|publisher="Sarasota Herald-Tribune" (Florida)|pages=1B|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-14] Dreaming to become a gospel singer one day, she signed a contract at age nine with the Take Stock in Children initiative, a scholarship program for "low-income families who show potential for college but are unlikely to be able to afford a higher education."

She graduated from Booker High School in 2005, where she was in the Theater VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) department. [cite news
last = Stacy
first = Mitch
coauthors =
title = 'Idol' finalist Mercado always seemed destined for big things
work = The Associated Press
pages = Entertainment News
language = English
publisher =
date = March 14, 2008
url =
accessdate = ]

At the 2005 Florida Theatre Conference and the 2005 South Eastern Theater Conference Syesha won "Best Supporting Actress" for her role as the Sour Kangaroo in "Seussical the Musical". [cite news
last = Handleman
first = Jay
coauthors = Christine Hawes
title = Her song continues on 'Idol'; Booker High alumna makes show's top 24
work = Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)
pages = BS1
language = English
publisher =
date = February 14, 2008
url =
accessdate = ] Mercado also appeared as a contestant on the failed ABC talent show, "" in summer 2006. [cite news|title=Sarasota singer sees key to stardom in TV series|last=Handelman|first=Jay|date=July 18, 2006|publisher="Sarasota Herald-Tribune" (Florida)|pages=BS3|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-14] She currently attends Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

"American Idol"

Overview

She auditioned for "American Idol" Season 7 in Miami, Florida singing "Think" by Aretha Franklin where she made it to Hollywood with all three judges saying 'yes'. [cite news
last = Holmes
first = January
coauthors =
title = Local girl makes 'Idol' run
work = The Bradenton Herald (Florida)
pages = 1
language = English
publisher =
date = February 2, 2008
url =
accessdate = ] When she arrived in Hollywood she had lost her voice and insisted on going on vocal rest. She was seen communicating through paper and pen to the camera throughout the week. [cite news
last = Berman
first = Craig
coauthors =
title = Flu takes its toll on 'American Idol' women
work = MSNBC.com
pages =
language = English
publisher =
date = February 21, 2008
url =
accessdate = ] She sang "Chain of Fools" and was accepted into the top 24. [cite news
last = Thomas
first = Becnel
coauthors =
title = Sing from the soul, hope for the best; Inside the whirlwind of 'Idol,' one contestant strives for focus
work = Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)
pages = A1
language = English
publisher =
date = February 20, 2008
url =
accessdate = ] She was the only female in the top 3 and was voted off on May 14th allowing fellow contestants David Archuleta and David Cook a chance to compete in the finale and joining Kimberley Locke as the female contestants to get voted off in the top 3 to allow two male contestants to compete in the finale.

Despite good reviews from the judges, Mercado had been in the bottom two or three five times without being voted off. Some commentators, including "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, believed her style was more suited for Broadway than pop music. [cite news|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/05052008/tv/bulletproof_109557.htm|title=Bulletproof - How Could 'Idols' Syesha Survive Five Weeks in a Row in Bottom Two?|last=Kaplan|first=Don|date=May 5, 2008|publisher="The New York Post"|pages=83|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-16]

According to her AmericanIdol.com profile, Mercado's musical influences are Whitney Houston, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Zap Mama, Lauryn Hill, and Aretha Franklin. [cite web|url=http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/syesha_mercado/|title=Syesha Mercado|publisher=Fox.com|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-03]

Performances and results (during voting weeks)

*fnb|1 Mercado was saved first from elimination.
*fnb|2 When Ryan Seacrest announced the results for this particular night, Mercado was among the Bottom 3 but declared safe second, as the remaining contestant was eliminated.
*fnb|3 When revealing the results, Seacrest simultaneously declared Mercado and Carly Smithson safe.
*fnb|4 There was no mention of a Bottom 2 this week.

Post-Idol

After her elimination Mercado appeared on "Live with Regis and Kelly", "The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" and "WSVN"'s "Deco Drive". She completed the "American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008" which ran from July 1, 2008 to September 13, 2008.

The songs she sang were Umbrella by Rihanna, If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keyes, and Listen by Beyonce.

Discography

ingles

2008: "Gonna Get It" (with Boney James)

Personal life

Mercado is engaged to actor-producer and Florida International University classmate Hess Wesley. [cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20199561,00.html|title=American Idol: Syesha Mercado Mentions her Fiance Being A Graduate From College |last=Davis|first=Brenda|date=May 19, 2008|publisher="People.com"|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-19] [cite news|title='Idol' moments? Sure. Idle time? Yeah, right.|last=Becnel|first=Thomas|date=May 16, 2008|publisher="Sarasota Herald-Tribune" (Florida)|pages=A1|language=English|accessdate=2008-05-18]

Notes

External links

*imdb name|2380515
* [http://www.syesha.com Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/syesha Syesha] at MySpace
* [http://www.tv.com/syesha-mercado/person/462038/summary.html Syesha Mercado] at TV.com
* [http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/syesha_mercado Syesha Mercado] at American Idol
* [http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080219/TOPICS04/664975850/-1/NEWS12 All Things Syesha] from her hometown newspaper
* [http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/VIDEO01/805090740// Syesha sings in Bradenton] of Syesha singing "Listen" from "Dreamgirls"