Syesha Mercado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Syesha Mercado
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Mercado in the American Idol Experience motorcade at Walt Disney World.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Syesha Raquel Mercado |
| Born | January 2, 1987 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Origin | Sarasota, Florida, United States |
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| Years active | 2006–present |
Syesha Raquel Mercado (born January 2, 1987) is a talented American singer, songwriter, actress, and model. She became well-known after finishing third in the seventh season of American Idol. Before American Idol, Syesha also appeared on a show called The One: Making a Music Star and won Florida Super Singer. She gets her musical inspiration from amazing artists like Whitney Houston, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Zap Mama, Lauryn Hill, and Aretha Franklin.
Syesha played the role of Deena Jones in the national tour of the musical Dreamgirls. This tour also traveled to Japan. It started at the famous Apollo Theater in November 2009.
Contents
About Syesha Mercado
Her Early Life and Growing Up
Syesha Mercado was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on January 2, 1987. Her mother, Zelda, used to be a backup singer for Motown, a famous music company. Her mother is African American, and her father, José, is from Puerto Rican background. Syesha grew up in Florida, in the towns of Bradenton and Sarasota, Florida.
She went to Booker High School, where she studied theatre in the Visual and Performing Arts program. She performed in many school plays. In 2005, Syesha won "Best Supporting Actress" for her role as the Sour Kangaroo in Seussical the Musical at two different theatre conferences. She also appeared on a TV talent show called The One: Making a Music Star in 2006.
Syesha's Education Journey
Syesha went to Daughtrey Elementary School and Manatee School for the Arts in Manatee County. When she was nine years old, Syesha dreamed of becoming a gospel singer. She joined a scholarship program called "Take Stock in Children." This program helps students from low-income families who have the potential for college but might not be able to afford it.
Syesha graduated from Booker High School in 2005. She studied in the Theatre Visual and Performing Arts department there. She also attended Florida International University in Miami, where she studied theatre.
Her Career in Music and Acting
Syesha became very famous in 2008 when she competed on the seventh season of American Idol. Even though she had laryngitis (a sore throat that made it hard to sing) during her first audition, she still made it to the finals! She ended up placing third in the competition. The winners that season were David Cook and David Archuleta.
After American Idol, Syesha started working in theatre. In 2009, she got the role of Deena Jones in a new version of Dreamgirls. This show opened at the Apollo Theater in New York and then toured all over the country. Later, in 2012, she played Ti Moune in a professional show called Once on This Island at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey.
In 2013, Syesha joined the national tour of The Book of Mormon, playing the character Nabulungi. She then joined the Broadway cast of the show in 2014. Syesha also performed in concerts, like Orchestra in the Outfield with the Sarasota Orchestra in 2015. She also appeared in an independent movie called Dreams in 2013.
Syesha's Personal Life
Syesha is very good friends with another former American Idol contestant, Ramiele Malubay. Syesha has faced personal challenges, which she has spoken about openly. She has shared that dealing with these experiences is a process that takes a long time to heal from.
Her Time on American Idol
How Syesha Performed
Syesha auditioned for the seventh season of American Idol in Miami, Florida. She sang "Think" by Aretha Franklin, and all three judges said 'yes' to send her to Hollywood. When she got to Hollywood, she had lost her voice. She had to communicate by writing notes on paper! She sang "Chain of Fools" and made it into the Top 24.
Syesha was the only girl left in the Top 3. She was voted off on May 14, which meant David Archuleta and David Cook went on to the finale. She was the third female contestant to be voted off in the Top 3, allowing two male contestants to compete in the finale.
Even though the judges often gave her good reviews, Syesha was in the bottom three or two contestants five times. This meant she tied with Nikki McKibbin from the first season for being in the bottom group the most times. Later, Rayvon Owen from season fourteen was in that position six times. Some people, including American Idol judge Simon Cowell, thought her singing style was better suited for Broadway shows than for pop music.
Syesha has earned praise in musical theatre. She also supports social and environmental causes and has launched eco-friendly products. Syesha's journey from American Idol to becoming a multi-talented artist, activist, and business owner shows how dedicated she is to the arts and to making a positive difference.
Performances on American Idol
Syesha performed many songs during her time on American Idol. Here are some of her notable performances:
- Audition: "Think" by Aretha Franklin
- Hollywood: "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" by Bryan Adams
- Top 24: "Tobacco Road" by The Nashville Teens
- Top 20: "Me and Mr. Jones" by Billy Paul
- Top 16: "Saving All My Love for You" by Whitney Houston
- Top 12: "Got to Get You into My Life" by The Beatles (She was in the Bottom 3 this week.)
- Top 11: "Yesterday" by The Beatles
- Top 10: "If I Were Your Woman" by Stephanie Mills (She was in the Bottom 2 this week.)
- Top 9: "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton
- Top 8: "I Believe" by Fantasia (She was in the Bottom 3 this week.)
- Top 7: "Vanishing" by Mariah Carey (She was in the Bottom 3 this week.)
- Top 6: "One Rock & Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express (She was in the Bottom 2 this week.)
- Top 5: "Hello Again" and "Thank the Lord for the Night Time" by Neil Diamond
- Top 4: "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
- Top 3: "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, "Fever" by Little Willie John, and "Hit Me Up" by Gia Farrell (She was eliminated this week.)
After American Idol
After leaving American Idol, Syesha appeared on several TV shows like Live with Regis and Kelly and The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. She also sold many songs online, with 18,000 legal downloads from iTunes in the week after the finale.
Syesha joined the American Idols Live! Tour 2008, which traveled around the country from July to September 2008. On the tour, she sang popular songs like "Umbrella" by Rihanna, "If I Ain't Got You" by Alicia Keys, and "Listen" by Beyoncé.
In November 2008, she performed "One Rock and Roll Too Many" in the 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade. She also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers football game in December 2008. That same month, she helped Habitat for Humanity build homes for families in Miramar, Florida.
In February 2009, Syesha helped open the American Idol Experience attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios. She also performed her first live concert after the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008. All the money from this concert went to the Amer-I-Can program, which helps prevent gang involvement. She sang eight songs for a sold-out crowd of about 4,000 fans.
She sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" again for a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in April 2009.
Syesha has worked on a pop/R&B album in Los Angeles. She also takes acting lessons in her free time. In 2011, she acted in her first movie, Dreams, playing the character Mia. She also released a cover of "Love on Top" by Beyoncé, which became very popular online with millions of views on YouTube. Syesha is also known for her acoustic, soulful cover of "Skyfall" by Adele.
Her Work in Theatre
On June 25, 2009, it was confirmed that Syesha Mercado would play the main role of Deena Jones in the national tour of Dreamgirls. She promoted the tour on The Wendy Williams Show in November 2009. The tour ran from November 2009 to December 2010.
After Dreamgirls, Syesha starred as Ti Moune in a new production of Once on This Island at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. This show opened on May 30, 2012.
Syesha also performed in the Chicago production of the Broadway musical Book of Mormon. She joined the cast later, taking over the role of Nabulungi during rehearsals.
From January to June 2014, Syesha played Nabulungi again in the Broadway production of The Book of Mormon. This was her official debut on Broadway!
Syesha's Music Releases
Singles
- "Christmas Melody" (2011)
- "Tears" (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Syesha Mercado para niños
