Syesha Mercado

About Syesha Mercado

Syesha Raquel Mercado (born January 2, 1987) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and model. Mercado was the second runner-up on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.

Mercado was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on January 2, 1987 Her mother Zelda, a former Motown backup singer, is African-American and her father, José, is of Cuban descent. She grew up in Sarasota, Florida, attending Daughtrey Elementary School in Manatee County. Dreaming to become a gospel singer one day, she signed a contract at age nine with the Take Stock in Children initiative, a scholarship program for "low-income families who show potential for college but are unlikely to be able to afford a higher education."

She graduated from Booker High School in 2005, where she was in the Theater VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) department.