Half-Pinoy Canadian Idol finalist sets Toronto concert

A 16-year-old Portuguese-Filipino finalist in the hit television franchise of American Idol will stage a special concert to thank her fans for supporting her in the reality-based competition. Martha Joy Lim, who landed in the top 10 of this year’s Canadian Idol, will dazzle her Filipino fans at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts on November 11, 2007. "I'm so excited about this concert. My fans have been so supportive, especially within the Filipino community. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to perform for them and show my appreciation for the strength they've given me," she said. Martha was born to a Portuguese father and a Filipino mother. In her fansite, the teenager confesses that she emulates her mother for being able to withstand many hardships in life. "My mom has been one of the most inspiring people in my life. She has overcome many obstacles in her life to get me to where I am today," Martha said. She is also very thankful that her parents were there to support her 100 percent in the competition. “Both of my parents have been there for me from the beginning, through the good times and the bad," she said. The Canadian Idol experience Martha was just a Grade 11 student at the Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts in Toronto when she caught the attention of the judges in the show’s fifth season. During her audition, she wowed the judges who where in disbelief as she sang Whitney Houston’s piece, “I Have Nothing." “Martha is an unbelievable singer, maybe the best 16-year-old we ever had in the show,“ said one of the judges during her try-out. The judges were blown away by her powerful performance that one of them even said that she might just become the next Canadian Idol. "I was most surprised by the rigorous schedule of the competition,"Martha admitted on her fansite, "On TV it seems so glamorous, but behind the scenes it can be emotionally and physically draining." During the competition the young belter sang Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing," Celine Dion’s “That’s the Way it is," and Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors." "The hardest part was selecting the right song. With little sleep, it taught me how to work under pressure and perform at my best," she said while claiming that she can sing in Portuguese, Filipino, Italian, Spanish, French and English. Eventually, Martha Joy was the third to be voted off from the show on July 31. The thanksgiving concert Martha is expected to sing covers and original songs for her concert which is expected to be a follow up to her successful run on Canadian Idol. The show is produced in association with Lenz Entertainment and is presented by Dr. Vicky Santiago, a generous contributor within the Filipino community in Toronto. Proceeds from the concert will be donated to the Sunnybrook Veterans' Wing in honor of Remembrance Day. Martha is also scheduled to visit the veterans two days before her concert to pay her respects. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV *Tickets are available through www.ticketmaster.ca, or by reserving through phone numbers 416.872.1111 or at the box office at the Toronto Centre for the Performing arts, located at 5040 Yonge Street in Toronto. Details are also posted on Martha’s website (http://www.marthajoy.com).