Biography of Jessica Sanchez
As one of the final two contestants on season 11 of American Idol,
Jessica Sanchez rose to glory by belting out soaring ballads by the
likes of Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. Now, with her forthcoming
debut album for 19 Recordings/Interscope Records, the 17-year-old
songstress elevates her vocal artistry to a whole new level and channels
her powerhouse pipes into high-energy, beat-soaked dance-pop.
“The songs on my album show the more fun, more pop side of me—there’s
a couple of ballads, but it’s mostly all about music you can move and
dance to,” says Sanchez. To tap into that fresher sound, Sanchez teamed
up with songwriter/producers Harvey Mason Jr. (a six-time
Grammy-Award-winner who’s previously worked with Justin Timberlake,
Chris Brown, Britney Spears, and Jennifer Hudson) super-star recording
artist, Ne-Yo, and Toby Gad (whose credits include Beyoncé, Fergie,
Alicia Keys, and Kelly Clarkson). And as evidenced by “Fairytale” (a
sweetly tender yet deadly catchy track unveiled in August), slick beats
and ready-radio melody make for an irresistible complement to Sanchez’s
diva-worthy vocal range.
Born and raised in Chula Vista, California, Sanchez has worked on
honing that vocal versatility for almost her entire life. “I started
singing when I was two,” says Sanchez, who lists Mariah Carey, Etta
James, and Ray Charles among her musical influences. “I took any
opportunity I could to sing in front of other people—like at birthday
parties or just in front of my grandmother’s friends—but I was so shy
that I had to stare at the floor the whole time.” Sanchez eventually
overcame her shyness and, at age 10, performed Aretha Franklin’s
“Respect” on an episode of Showtime at the Apollo. A year later, she competed on the premiere season of America’s Got Talent, reaching the wild-card round before getting cut. “America’s Got Talent
was sort of an experiment,” she says. “It helped me realize the
importance of pushing myself and not giving up, not letting anything
hold me back from going after my dreams.”
Over the next few years, Sanchez performed at venues both large and
small (including a 2008 San Diego Chargers game) and released a number
of covers (such as Etta James’s “I’d Rather Go Blind”) through an
independent record label. After nailing her American Idol
audition in 2011, Sanchez climbed to the final two and landed her deal
with Interscope soon after the season finale. Diving into the recording
of her debut last summer, Sanchez took a break from the studio to tear
through a rousing, choir-backed rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “All I Need
To Get By” at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. “The DNC was such
an amazing experience,” she says. “Being up on that stage felt so
great, I just went crazy dancing and singing.”
Now gearing up for her album’s release in Spring 2013 and joining the
cast of “Glee”, Sanchez is ecstatic to share her own music with the
world. “The fact that I get to put out something that’s all my own is so
exciting,” she says. “Music has always been what I want to do with my
life, and these songs are all me.”
Look at to her lips? is it lips or pan?
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