Fil-Mexican Jessica Sanchez in Top 13 of American Idol

Filipino-Mexican talent Jessica Sanchez has advanced to the Top 13 of the hit US singing competition “American Idol” after wowing the judges with her swag, attitude, and moves.   The announcement, made on Thursday (US time), brings the 16-year-old from San Diego, California to the finals of the competition, where public votes determine who will eventually get the top spot.   During the girls’ performance night on Wednesday, Sanchez—who performed second to the last—belted out “Love You, I Do,” a song by one of Idol’s most successful products, Academy Award- and Grammy-winning performer Jennifer Hudson.   Bringing in her own flavor, rifts, and growls to the song, the Fil-Mexican earned a standing ovation from the audience, as well as from judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler, who had nothing but praises for her. “The punctuation that you put with your body on the ends of your phrases and your notes and everything… the way you pull back, the way you let us have it—the whole thing is just really, really so beyond your years, it’s crazy!” said Lopez. Jackson took note of Sanchez’s performance giving off a vibe similar to that of diva Beyonce, while Tyler said her timing “comes out on your fingers when you’re singing and making the turn-arounds.” When Idol host Ryan Seacrest solicited the judges’ “votes” at the end of the show, all three of them cited Sanchez as among the frontrunners of the night. Even Hudson—who recorded the song as part of the movie “Dreamgirls”—“tweeted” about the 16-year-old’s performance:

OhI saw it ,I saw it! Gone Jessica gone!N that attitude with it was everything too!Yes!!!! — Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) March 1, 2012      

Top 10 plus three wild card picks   This year’s final 13 was divided into five male contestants, five females, and three wild card picks.    Aside from Sanchez, the other four girls who made it first to the Top 13 were:

• Hollie Cavanagh,
• Shannon Magraine,
• Skylar Laine, and
• Elise Testone.

  Meanwhile, the five guys who made the cut were:

• Philip Phillips,
• Joshua Ledet,
• Hee Jun Han, and
• Jermaine Jackson.

  Each judge also got to pick the contestants who completed the line-up. Jackson chose Erika Van Pelt, while Lopez and Tyler vied for Jeremy Rosado and Deandre Brackensick, respectively.   In the competition’s leg next week, the Top 13 will be mentored by singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige as they sing the hits of the late diva Whitney Houston.

- VVP, GMA News