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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Syesha Mercado| image = Syesha Mercado.jpg| caption = Mercado in the American Idol Experience motorcade at Walt Disney World .| image_size = 210| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Syesha Raquel Mercado| background = solo_singer| birth_date = Birth date and age|mf=yes|1987|1|2| birth_place = Bridgeport, Connecticut | origin = Sarasota, Florida , United States | genre = Contemporary R& B|R& B , Soul music|soul , Pop music|pop | occupation = Singing|Singer , songwriter , actress , Model (person)|model | years_active = 2006–present| label =| website = http://www.syeshaonline.com www.SyeshaOnline.com Syesha Raquel Mercado (born January 2, 1987) is an United States|American singing|singer , songwriter , actress and Model (person)|model . Mercado was the third place finalist on the American Idol (season 7)|seventh season of American Idol . Prior to Idol , Mercado was on The One: Making a Music Star and she won Florida Super Singer . Her 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|accessdate=2008-05-03
On June 25, 2009, it was officially confirmed that Mercado landed the lead role of Deena Jones in the United States national tour of Dreamgirls (musical)|Dreamgirls . http://www.broadway.com/American-Idol-Alum-Syesha-Mercado-to-Tour-in-Dreamgirls/broadway_news/5029876 Headlines: American Idol Alum Syesha Mercado to Headline Dreamgirls Tour The tour began at the Apollo Theater on November 7, 2009. http://www.dreamgirlsonstage.com/#/tickets
Biography
Early life
Mercado was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on January 2, 1987Cite news | last = Catlin | first = Roger | coauthors = | title = Blacks on the Brink Eye on Idol | work = Hartford Courant (Connecticut) | pages = D1 | publisher = | date = April 1, 2008 | url = | accessdate = Her mother Zelda, a former Motown backup singer, is African-American and her father, José, is of Puerto Rican people|Puerto Rican descent. http://www.myspace.com/syeshamercado Syesha Mercado Personal MySpace Mercado grew up in Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida . She attended Booker High School for Visual and Performings Arts Theatre Program and Graduated with a Certificiate as a Performance Major in Sarasota, Florida where she appeared in various Productions. At the 2005 Florida Theatre Conference and the 2005 South Eastern Theater Conference, Mercado 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 | publisher = | date = February 14, 2008 | url = | accessdate = Mercado also appeared as a contestant on the failed American Broadcasting Company|ABC talent show, The One: Making a Music Star 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|accessdate=2008-05-14
Education
Mercado attended Daughtrey Elementary School and Manatee School for the Arts both in Manatee County, Florida|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|accessdate=2008-05-14 Dreaming to become a gospel singer one day, Mercado 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." Mercado graduated from Booker High School (Sarasota, Florida)|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 | publisher = | date = March 14, 2008 | url = | accessdate = She currently attends Florida International University in Miami, Florida .
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 |accessdate=2008-05-19Cite news|title='Idol' moments? Sure. Idle time? Yeah, right.|last=Becnel|first=Thomas|date=May 16, 2008|publisher= Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)|pages=A1|accessdate=2008-05-18 and is best friends with former idol contestant Ramiele Malubay .
Expand section|date=December 2009She auditioned for American Idol Season 7 in Miami, Florida singing " Think (Aretha Franklin song)|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 | 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 = | 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 | publisher = | date = February 20, 2008 | url = | accessdate = She was the only female in the top 3 and was voted off on May 14 allowing fellow contestants David Archuleta and David Cook (singer)|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 three or two five times without being voted off, tying up with American Idol (season 1)|season one fellow 3rd place finalist, Nikki McKibbin , for the most weeks spent in the bottom three or two. 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|accessdate=2008-05-16
Judge's Choice ( Randy Jackson ) Contestant's Choice Producer's Choice
" If I Ain't Got You " " Fever (1956 song)
Alicia Keys Little Willie John Gia Farrell
2 5 8
Eliminated
note|1|Note 1: Mercado was saved first from elimination.
note|2|Note 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.
note|3|Note 3: When revealing the results, Seacrest simultaneously declared Mercado and Carly Smithson safe.
note|4|Note 4: Though Mercado was the last contestant to be declared safe this week, there was never a mention of a Bottom 2.
Post- Idol career
After her elimination, Mercado appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly , The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet and WSVN 's Deco Drive .
Also, the week following the grand finale, Syesha sold a total of 18,000 legal downloads from iTunes.Citation needed|date=June 2009 She completed the American Idols LIVE& #33; Tour 2008 which ran from July 1, 2008 to September 13, 2008. The songs she performed on the tour were " Umbrella (song)|Umbrella " by Rihanna , " If I Ain't Got You " by Alicia Keys , and " Listen (song)|Listen " by Beyoncé Knowles|Beyoncé .
In November 2008, she performed " Starlight Express#Musical numbers|One Rock and Roll Too Many " in the 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade .
She was the guest host of the WSVN 7 yacht at the 37th annual Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat parade on December 13, 2008.
She sang the The Star-Spangled Banner|National Anthem for the Miami Dolphins vs the San Francisco 49ers on Fox on December 14, 2008.
On December 20, 2008 she assisted the Habitat for Humanity in building homes for struggling families in Miramar, FL|Miramar , Florida .
In February 2009, she participated in the opening of the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney MGM|Disney's Hollywood Studios in the Disney World|Walt Disney World Resort .
On February 19, 2009, Mercado performed in her first live concert after the American Idols LIVE& #33; Tour 2008 . It was her own concert where all the proceeds went to benefit the Amer-I-Can program, a gang-prevention program started by NFL great, Jim Brown . She performed 8 songs in front of a sold out audience of about 4000 fans ranging from ages 2 to 83.
She sang the The Star-Spangled Banner|National Anthem for the opening day Major League Baseball|baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Angels Baseball|Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on April 6, 2009.
She is currently working on an album in Los Angeles . She has stated that it is to be a pop music|Pop / R& B album. In addition to working on the album, in her free time she is taking acting lessons.
It was officially confirmed on June 25, 2009 that Mercado landed the lead role of Deena Jones in the upcoming United States national tour of Dreamgirls . On November 4, 2009, Mercado appeared on The Wendy Williams Show http://www.rickey.org/? p=26284 to promote the tour which began on November 7, 2009. The tour ended on December 29, 2010.
Mercado will be releasing her first self-titled EP Syesha in August 2011, with the first single "Rock’d Up" being released in June. http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/interview-syesha-mercado-05-18-2011 Interview with Syesha Mercado She also acted in her first film Dreams in 2011.
Mercado is set to star as Ti Moune in the revival of Once on This Island to be mounted at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey: scheduled opening night is May 30, 2012 with a projected run through June 24, 2012. http://broadwayworld.com/article/American-Idols-Syesha-Mercado-to-Lead-Paper-Mill-Playhouses-ONCE-ON-THIS-ISLAND-20120411
Notes
Reflist|2
External links
Wikiquote
http://syeshaonline.com Official Website
IMDb name|2380515
http://www.syesha.com Unofficial Website
http://www.myspace.com/syesha Syesha Mercado at MySpace
http://twitter.com/syesha Syesha Mercado at Twitter
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 Mercado from her hometown newspaper
Press
Dave Ross. http://www.mynorthwest.com/? nid=332& sid=306903 MyNorthwest.com Interview (April 7, 2010)
American Idol 7 Persondata | NAME =Mercado, Syesha | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =January 2, 1987 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Bridgeport, Connecticut | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Mercado, Syesha Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bridgeport, Connecticut Category:Actors from Florida Category:African American singers Category:American female models Category:American female singers Category:American Idol participants Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American sopranos Category:American vegetarians Category:Musicians from Florida Category:Florida International University people Category:People from Miami, Florida
