[IMG:L]Syesha Mercado survived on American Idol much longer than most people anticipated, but she was unable to beat out one of the two Davids (Archuleta and Cook) for a spot in the finale. Here’s what the upbeat and ambitious 21-year-old from Sarasota, Florida, had to say following her elimination.
On the two Davids in the finale:
“David Archuleta has that beautiful smile, and he has that really, really good connection with kids, the younger audience. And David Cook has that connection with the younger audience. The girls go crazy over him. And the older audience too–like all the older women. I feel like I’m a little sister and a big sister to both the Davids… This competition can go any way, so I just wish them both the best of luck.”
On her dad’s struggles with drugs and alcohol (which he discussed on Wednesday night):
“It really made me sad a lot of my life. It actually made me understand people more and be more…. I told myself that I’m not going to let this determine what my future is going to be. I’m going to do something good. And I’m going to help my dad and encourage him and be there for him. And I’m going to make him proud, so that he wants to make me proud, and that’s exactly what he’s doing now. He sees me doing something good, and it’s really motivating him to stay sober and stay clean. And it’s just a beautiful story to tell. One day I’ll tell it…”
On her future plans:
“I want to do everything, and I’m really goal-oriented, so I know that whatever goal I set, it can be accomplished–whether it’s within a year span or, whatever, 10-year [span]. So I want to make an album. I want to star in a film. I want to do Broadway. I want to open up an organic restaurant, and, like, a lupus foundation, homeless foundation… It just depends on what comes first, but I have goals that I want to do, and I write them down and I’m going to continue to look at them. Basically, whatever opportunity comes first and what’s the best career move for me, that’s pretty much what’s going to happen.”
