American Idol: Art Thou Pinoy?

Since the beginning, there was no season of the phenomenally popular US reality singing search “American Idol” without a Filipino finalist. There was Brad Estrin in Season 1, Jordan Segundo in Season 2, Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco in Season 3, Melinda Lira in Season 4, Jose “Sway” Penala in Season 5, and AJ Tablado in Season 6. The interest over finalists with Filipino connection has seemed to heighten with every season—and season 7 is no exception. 

Following the televised, multi-state “American Idol” auditions, the Internet and the Pinoy blogging world have been inundated with speculations as to who among the AI wannabes have Filipino roots. 

One of them is David Archuleta, a 16-year-old from Salt Lake City, Utah who is currently making waves in the Internet as one of the most promising American Idol season 7 contestants even before his audition clip aired on TV. He is touted as a singing teen prodigy after winning another American contest Star Search when he was 12 years old. He even has a video on Youtube singing “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” in front of American Idol season 1 aspirants, a rendition that blew them away. He was only 9 years old at that time.

QTV Channel, which is showing AI locally, first reported that Archuleta is Filipino. But now, according to reports, QTV is no longer sure with this information. Somg blog entries pointed out that he is of Mexican-Honduran-Irish lineage.

Another AI hopeful being tagged as Fil-Am is the 18-year-old Danny Noriega of California. His mother is reportedly Filipina. 

But among the possible Fil-Ams, one has been confirmed Filipino. Her name is Ramiele Malubay, 20, who was vocal about wanting to become the next Jasmine Trias. The Fil-Hawaiian Trias landed third place in the third season.

During her audition in Miami, Florida Malubay rendered Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman,” which got the following comments from the three American Idol judges—Paula Abdula, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson:

Paula: “I think you are a fine singer and a fine performer... I think you’re phenomenal.”

Simon: “I think you’re a good singer. I don’t think you’re a contemporary singer. I think you’re more like a hotel singer.”

Randy: “I actually thought you were good. I was impressed. You definitely have a big voice for a very cute, smaller girl.”

Ramiele got yes from judges Paula and Randy, but a no from Simon. But that was enough to get her ticket to Hollywood where she joined almost 160 other contestants.

Incidentally, Archuleta, Noriega, and Malubay have made it to the Top 24—12 males and 12 females—semifinalists which was revealed yesterday.

Archuleta and Noriega were joined Colton Berry, Robbie Carrico, Jason Castro, David Cook, Chieze Eze, Garrett Haley, David Hernandez, Michael Johns, Luke Menard, and Jason Yeager.

Aside from Malubay, the female contestants in the Top 24 are Joanne Borgella, Kristy Lee Cook, Amy Davis, Asia’h Epperson, Alexandra Lushington, Kady Malloy, Syesha Mercado, Amanda Overmyer, Carly Smithson, Alaina Whitaker, and Brooke White.

Whether or not Archuleta and Noriega are confirmed Fil-Ams, one thing is still certain, another Filipino in the person of Malubay (who proudly calls herself a Pinay rapper in her MySpace.com account) survived rigorous screenings to make it to the Top 24. That makes her the eight talented Fil-Am to make the much coveted semi-final cut.