Tag Archives: Dance With My Father

Thorne Named to Pop Dust’s 18 Under 18 List

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She’s already a popular Disney Channel star… And Bella Thorne is quickly becoming the next Selena Gomez.

The 14-year-old part-Cuban-American actress, who currently stars on the cable network’s dance-driven comedy series Shake It Up!, has made Pop Dust’s list of 18 Under 18, which ranks the best underage pop stars.

Bella Thorne

Thorne, the highest-ranking female and Hispanic celebrity on the list at No. 4, is riding the Shake It Up! train to success. Thorne has won a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) for her portrayal of aspiring dancer Cece Jones. And, she’s starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Frenemies.

But that’s not all, Thorne has also landed on the Billboard Hot 100 twice, with Shake It up! singles “TTYLXOX” and “Watch Me.”

Meanwhile, American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez has cracked the list at No. 8.

Jessica Sanchez at the NBA Finals

The 17-year-old half-Mexican petite singer wowed audiences during her Idol run with performances of songs like Beyonce’s “Sweet Dreams” and Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father.”

Even though she didn’t win the AI title, Sanchez did receive unanimous praise from the judges and a record deal with Interscope Records. And, she recently shared her first single, “Fairytale,” with concertgoers.

Click here to see the complete 18 Under 18 list.

Sanchez Gives Two Memorial Day Performances at the U.S. Capitol

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She may have ended up losing the American Idol crown to Phillip Phillips… But as she sang earlier this month, Jessica Sanchez is “not going” anywhere.

The 16-year-old half-Mexican songstress took her vocal talents to our nation’s capital to perform at the 2012 PBS National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC on Sunday.

Jessica Sanchez

During her first live post-Idol appearances, Sanchez performed twice on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

The pint-sized singer, dressed in a floor-length blue evening gown, kicked off the annual Memorial Day concert by performing the National Anthem.

Sanchez later returned to the stage, in a white lace knee-length dress and strappy white heels, to perform Yolanda Adams’ “The Prayer.”

PBS’ annual event honors the men and women who have served in the military. Sanchez’s father—to whom she dedicated Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father” earlier in her Idol run—has served several tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait with the Navy, and her grandfather is a retired Navy veteran.

Idol’s Sanchez Receives Hero’s Welcome

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American Idol finalist Jessica Sanchez received a hero’s welcome when she returned to her hometown over the weekend…

The 16-year-old half-Mexican singer—the last female finalist standing in the singing competition—headed back to Chula Vista, California, as part of Idol’s hometown visits.

Jessica Sanchez

During her roll-out-the-red-carpet trip, Sanchez and her two younger brothers rode in a car past thousands of fans toward her destination: Eastlake High School’s stadium, where she performed her greatest Idol hits including Whitney Houston‘s “I Will Always Love You” on Saturday. She received a key to the city, with Chula Vista’s mayor declaring May 12 as “Jessica Sanchez Day.”

“I’m so happy to represent Chula Vista,” she said. “It was the people. I missed the people so much. I love you guys. Thank you for all the support.”

Later, at the USS Midway Museum, Sanchez performed Luther Vandross‘ “Dance With My Father” in an emotional tribute to her father, a U.S. Navy officer, whom she invited on stage. He’s scheduled to be deployed to Singapore.

Footage from Sanchez’s hometown visit will be shown during Wednesday’s performance episode.

Sanchez Demonstrates Her “Rock & Soul” Abilities on Idol

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She may only be 16 years old… But Jessica Sanchez proved to be the queen of the night on last night’s episode of American Idol.

During the first half of the show—which was dedicated to the music of Queen—the half-Mexican singer bravely performed a near-perfect rendition of the group’s iconic hit “Bohemian Rhapsody.

Jessica Sanchez on American Idol

Wearing lightning bolt earring, hi-top sneakers and a bedazzled mini-skirt with a bold Native American print, Sanchez showed her exceptional vocal prowess in the first and last verses and demonstrated her rocker-side in the middle sections of the classic rock masterpiece.

AI judge Randy Jackson lover Sanchez’s performance, but suggested she channel Tina Turner. Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez wanted more “running around” and “hair throwing” during the hard-rocking section of the song.

But the constructive criticism didn’t stop Sanchez from coming back with a vengeance. For her second performance of the night, she turned out an emotional performance of Luther Vandross‘ “Dance With My Father.”

Jessica Sanchez on American Idol

Wearing a simple-yet-stunning neon-dress, Sanchez dedicated the song to her father, who’s about to be deployed to Singapore. J. Lo thought it was the best she’d ever heard the song sung, while Jackson couldn’t find a thing to criticize about the performance.

“You’re so natural,” Randy Jackson said. “You know what was wrong with it? Absolutely nothing!”