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Syesha Embraces Homecoming

Tribune photo by Jay Nolan

'American Idol' finalist Syesha Mercado sings 'Yesterday' on 'Good Day Tampa Bay.'

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By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 9, 2008

Syesha Mercado, showing more personality than she's ever revealed on "American Idol," rolled into Tampa early today for what she calls "a most surreal" homecoming.

"Sometimes when I am on stage and I see all these signs in the audience for the others I think, 'Where are my signs?' but today I'm seeing a lot of signs," says the 21-year-old singer from Sarasota.

She was greeted by sign-carrying and cheering employees of Fox affiliate WTVT, Channel 13, where she did a series of interviews and performed the Beatles tune "Yesterday" on the "Good Day Tampa Bay" morning show.

At her first stop (at 7 a.m.), she sang a snippet of the national anthem on the MJ Kelli Morning Show on WFLZ radio (93.3 FM), She also did a dead-on impression of "Idol " judge Paula Abdul (whom she "dearly loves") and she touched and signed MJ's "Jesus Door" for good luck. The door, taken from a restroom entrance, has the outline of a face in the wood.

Mercado also sang a bit of "Proud Mary" and did a good Tina Turner impression for radio personality Nancy Alexander during a stop at WMTX (100.7 FM).

At WTVT, she was interviewed by TV reporter Charley Belcher as well as a gaggle of print media. Her every move is being recorded by an "American Idol" film crew for airing next week.

Through it all she displayed a cheerful, playful attitude, something that hasn't come through on "Idol."

She says she has been told that she should smile more on the show. "But you try to stand up here and try to smile," she says. "There is so much pressure, it's nerve-wracking. Some weeks I'm smiling and some weeks I'm too nervous. This entire experience is so much fun that I don't want to go home."

Mercado has survived to land in the top three on this season's competition. She says she coped with the competition by setting a series of goals. First was to get past the auditions, and then to make it to the top 24 and then to the top 12. Now the goal is to win.

"I've heard a lot of people say that I am really poised and composed, and I say 'Really?' But I guess it's just that I talk to friends and family everyday and they keep me sane and remind me who I am," she says.

"When I get a little crazy, they say 'Syesha, this is not you, just clam down, take a deep breath and pray.' So I pray and it makes everything better."

She also is scheduled to attend a celebration in Bradenton, visit her alma mater, Booker High School in Sarasota, perform a live concert at Ringling Museum and close out her visit by singing the national anthem at a Tampa Bay Rays game tonight.

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