The Smile They 'Idol'-ize

TAMPA - Grateful, happy, excited, humbled and exhausted "American Idol" contestant Syesha Mercado rolled through Tampa, Bradenton and Sarasota on Friday on a "surreal" homecoming tour.

"This is so amazing to feel so much love," she said during a daylong visit being filmed by the Fox reality competition.

The 21-year-old singer from Sarasota picked up accolades from city and county officials, praise from former teachers, and even a Medal of Excellence from the Florida Legislature for being a "good and honorable" citizen.

Manatee County commissioners proclaimed it "Syesha Mercado Day." Sarasota Mayor Lou Ann Palmer gave her a key to the city and then, in the spirit of the day, did a flip and stood on her head.

Mercado performed a portion of "Proud Mary" and a medley of pop songs including "Respect" and "Shake Your Money Maker" at a brief after concert at the John & Mable Ringling Museum.

Everywhere she went she was greeted by hundreds of cheering fans and supporters carrying signs and wearing Syesha T-shirts. Earlier in the day, Mercado wowed fans who gathered to salute her in downtown Bradenton.

Dressed in a black tank top, long-sleeved black blouse, dark jeans and black high heels, Mercado kept her energy level up all day, managing to smile through it all and occasionally breaking into tears.

"I wish I could sign an autograph for everyone and let people take pictures with me but there isn't time," she said.

She urged the students at her former high school to follow their dreams just as she is on "American Idol."

"Dreams really do come true," the 21-year-old singer told a packed auditorium at Booker High School in Sarasota on Friday morning.

"You have to be dedicated to your craft and you can make it happen," she said before singing "Summertime."

Treated like a returning hero, the 2005 graduate was showered with gifts including a portrait painted by a student.

A Perfect Paula Abdul Impression

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 said she "dearly loves") and she touched and signed MJ's "Jesus Door" for good luck. (The door, from a restroom entrance, has what some say is the outline of a face in the wood).

Mercado also did a good Tina Turner impression for radio personality Nancy Alexander during a stop at WMTX (100.7 FM).

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 WTVT, she was interviewed by reporter Charley Belcher as well as a gaggle of print media. 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 said. "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 just don't want to go home."

Her Latest Goal: To Win

Mercado has survived to land in the top three in this season's competition.

She says she coped with the competition by setting a series of goals. The first was to get past the auditions, then to make it to the top 24, 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 just composed, and I'm like, 'Really?' But I guess it's just that I talk to friends and family every day and they really 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 calm down, take a deep breath and pray.' So I pray and it makes everything better."

She adds that when she gets down, she reminds herself why she is in the competition and that life isn't over when she landed in the bottom three or when people have a bad opinion of her performance.

She said she never takes to heart any negative criticism from the judges, including Simon Cowell's harsh remarks.

"Paula is really cool," she says. "She came backstage one time and said, 'Simon really liked your performance but he didn't have anything to say.' And I'm like, 'Why didn't he say he liked me on national TV!'"

Winding Up At The Trop

Mercado finished the day's whirlwind tour in St. Petersburg, performing the national anthem at the Tampa Bay Rays-Los Angeles Angels game at Tropicana Field. It was her second career appearance at the Trop; she also sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a Rays game when she was 13.

During batting practice, she hung out at the home dugout and signed dozens of autographs for fans who tossed baseballs and caps to her from the first row. She wore a customized blue Rays practice jersey with "Syesha 08" stitched on the back.

Then she belted out a long, soulful rendition of the national anthem, drawing particular applause as she nailed the high note on "rockets' red glare."

"I really, really love baseball," she said. "I don't have a favorite team. I just love watching it. I mean, I love the Devil Rays because - no, the Rays - because, you know, hometown, Tampa. You've got to love the hometown team, and I'm that type of person."