Jessica Sanchez has arrived

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino-Mexican-American diva whom we’ve irretrievably claimed as our own finally set foot on Philippine soil — first for the last stop of the “American Idol Season 11 Tour,” and then to make her public appearance as global Filipino fashion brand, Bench’s newest international endorser.

Jessica Sanchez has indeed grown into the star she set out to be. In the behind-the-scenes video of her shoot for Bench, she can be seen oozing with taray “I got it” attitude as she poses for the camera and walks to and fro. But the moment you talk to her, she breaks into that sweet, almost timid 17-year-old girl demeanor that we’re all very familiar with.

“It’s been amazing,” she says of her first time in Manila. “It opened my eyes and my heart. It’s so different from the States. And what I have seen makes me want to come back. I love how the people here treat me like family. Everybody’s very supportive and I really feel like they have my back.”

One of the things she especially loves about the Philippines is the food. “I really can’t eat hamburgers every day. But I love lumpia and sinigang with rice, which my mom always made back home.”

Absorbing culture

She admits to not having had the time to really sit back and appreciate the culture since she landed, especially Filipino music, but looks forward to returning next year to be able to absorb it all.

Singing, for Jessica, was never just a hobby. It has always been a passion. “To me it’s not a job. It’s just loving life and making music.” Starting up her vocal chords at the age of two, she grew up singing a lot of Disney, particularly songs from Little Mermaid. She started singing Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey hits at five. “But it wasn’t good singing. I just sang along with the tracks,” she claims.

Her favorite go-to songs are Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing, which she’s been singing since she was seven, and I Will Always Love You — her personal favorite of all her performances on Idol. “It really hit me, Whitney’s passing.”

Also known for her style and her crazy, sky-high pumps, Jessica admits to having a dorky past. “Back in public school I had no fashion sense at all. I even wore the dumbest shoes. When I got into homeschooling, that’s when I was able to grow into my own skin and develop my own fashion sense. Now I love to shop. I love shoes. I even love dressing other people up as well.”

All glammed up

Jessica likes to get all glammed up when she hits the stage, looking up to the “tomboyish” Rhianna as a style icon, and loving the designs of Michael Kors, Loboutin, Monique Lhuillier and Versace. But off-stage she admits to being very laid-back, spending time with her family in just sneakers and sweat pants. “I love wearing just jeans and a cute top,” she says.

“Wear what you want,” she ultimately advises those who consider her a style icon. She even makes a reference to Lady Gaga. “If you want to wear bacon, then wear some bacon.”

So does Jessica consider herself a Filipino artist who has gone global, or is it the other way around? Is she a global star who is just now rediscovering her “Filipino-ness”?

“It’s hard to explain. I feel like I’ve always had being Filipino as a big part of me. And my grandma taught me a lot of stuff about the Philippines. But actually being here is helping me learn a lot more. I’m definitely excited to come back and experience it even more. I feel like an artist who is learning more about the culture.”

We guess it’s safe to say that Jessica is a little bit of both and is neither brown nor white. She emerged from a boiling pot of different ethnicities and influences, which has us even more convinced that she’s exactly like us.

* * *

Tweet the author at @catedeleon.