When Fil-Am teen sensation Jessica Sanchez made it to the final round of “American Idol” seven years ago, musically gifted Filipinos around the world beamed with pride—but were not surprised. A talent for singing is an almost universally innate trait among Pinoys, and Sanchez is no exception.

Born in California, Sanchez was only 2 years old when her parents noticed her talent. By the time she was 10, Sanchez was performing in various shows, which culminated in her career-igniting moment in Season 11 of “American Idol” in 2012.

Since then, Sanchez has released one album and three EPs, and has collaborated with Grammy-award winning artist Ne-Yo. Their single, “Tonight,” has over 18 million views on YouTube.
In 2016, Sanchez returned to the “American Idol” stage, not as a contestant, but to perform her now famous rendition of Celine Dion’s “The Prayer.”
With Andrea Bocelli
That same year, celebrated Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli handpicked Sanchez to join him as a guest performer in two of his shows during his World Tour, an honor that she considers among the highlights of her career.

Since the New Year, Sanchez has been in Manila performing shows while simultaneously working on her Filipino citizenship—an indication that her Pinoy fans will be seeing more of her on Philippine shores.

“Since ‘American Idol,’ I’ve consistently been working to stay authentic to myself as an artist,” shared Sanchez in an exclusive interview at Winford Manila Resort & Casino where she been staying since Jan. 2.
“Traveling worldwide to work with many different artists and musicians and create music while building myself as a brand are what have been keeping me busy these days.”

With two million followers on Facebook, Sanchez certainly has a strong presence on social media for somebody who was an introvert as a student. “I was bullied in school to a certain extent,” Sanchez said. “I was a very quiet and shy person, and for that reason I was made fun of.”

Rather than succumb to the usual taunts of teenage bullies, Sanchez channeled her creative juices to making music, inspired by one of the greatest voices of the 20th century.

“If I had the chance to meet any famous person, it would have been Whitney Houston,” she said. “The one question I would ask her is, ‘How did you maintain your voice?’” –IMELDA JAMES, CONTRIBUTED