Jessica Sanchez Opens up About Idol and Being Latina

Skooter reporting 05/26/12

Jessica Sanchez says she is proud Latina. The runner up in the high rated show American Idol says being Mexican is a big part of who she is as a person, just as much as her Filipino heritage. In other words, she is proud of both birthrights, and there was no time she is more one than the other. She grew up with both cultures.

Her father, a Mexican-American Texas native and her mother is a Filipina from the province of Bataan in the Philippines. The father is a member of the U.S.Navy and has been deployed in Singapore. The father is keeping in touch on his daughter’s success by constantly e-mailing her back and forth.

So, what are her plans now that “American Idol” is over? First, she said, she plans on getting her college degree simply because she have to have a back-up plan, then do some songwriting and hopefully in the near future, she would visit the lands of her ancestors, the Philippines and Mexico, that is her dream.

She said, she never been out of the country, so she would love to go, hoping they let her be in the tour. In fact, Sanchez is preparing for the upcoming “American Idol” tour, which includes the show’s top 10 contestants. It starts in Detroit July 6. Sanchez is looking forward to be with her “Idol family” again.

Right after the tour ends it will be all business for Sanchez. The vocally gifted singer will begin working on her first album with former Sony Music Entertainment executive Tommy Mottola, who now runs Casablanca Records, as reported by Fox News Latino earlier.

She did not admit something was cooking up nor she would say whether Interscope Records chairman Jimmy Iovine, who in the past had given records deals to AI contestants had offered to her for a record deal.

The only thing she confirmed was that after things die down she will start writing songs as soon as possible.

She’s been quoted as saying, “I’ve been running around doing press and getting ready for a few events,” said Sanchez. “I’m just trying to take it one step at a time.” (unquote)

She continued saying, she love JLO and Pitbull. They are the people she would want to work with, however, she has not had a chance to talk with either of them about future collaboration.

The late great Selena Quintanilla has always been a big inspiration in her life and her music, the 16-year-old singer said. Sanchez’ voice has been compared to vocal greats Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

Talking about Phillip Phillips, the winner of the “American Idol” season 11, and Randy Jackson who was her ruthless critic among the panel judges, Sanchez says no hard feelings, Phillips is an original artist, he deserved to win 100 percent, and Jackson is in fact a “sweetheart and very supportive.”

Sanchez advices all her fans, that if they intend to enter the music industry, they must “really work hard and stay humble.”

She’s been quoted as saying, “I’ve been doing this since I was 7 years old,” said Sanchez. “Don’t let anything distract you if you really want this.” (unquote)

FoxNews