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Sarasota 'Idol' Finalist Mercado To Perform In Bay Area Friday

Photo provided by FOX

Syesha Mercado will sing at Friday's Rays game against the Angels.

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By WALT BELCHER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 8, 2008

TAMPA - "American Idol" finalist Syesha Mercado, 21, is coming home to Sarasota on Friday for a free public concert, a visit to Tampa radio and TV stations and to sing the national anthem at a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game.

An "Idol" camera crew will film her every move to air next week on the top-rated reality show.

The public will get a chance to see her perform at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Ca d'Zan Mansion at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota. She will meet and greet fans and sing several songs.

On Wednesday night, Mercado became one of three remaining contestants after Jason Castro failed to stay in the running. The dreadlocked boy got the least votes after botching Bob Marley and Bob Dylan songs.

Mercado broke down in tears on Tuesday night after her performance of "A Change Is Gonna Come." She said her emotion was caused by a Paula Abdul comment that she was living her dream, and the meaning of the song itself, written during the civil rights movement.

"It's 2008; we might have first the female president or first black president. It's changed," Mercado said Wednesday

According to Fox affiliate WTVT, Channel 13, Mercado is scheduled to appear on the MJ Kelli morning radio show on WFLZ, 93.3 FM, just after 7 a.m. Friday. She also is scheduled to visit with Nancy Alexander on WMTX, 100.7 FM.

From 8 to 9 a.m. Friday, you can see her do a live performance on "Good Day Tampa Bay" on Channel 13. She then will be whisked away on the WTVT Sky Fox helicopter.

Bradenton will welcome Mercado at 10:30 a.m. with a celebration downtown. After that she is scheduled to visit her alma mater, Sarasota's Booker High School. A small parade at 12:30 p.m. will precede a private concert for teachers and students that will not open to the public. It will, though, be streamed on MyFoxTampaBay.com.

She'll finish the day in St. Petersburg, where she's scheduled to sing the national anthem at a Tampa Bay Rays game against the Los Angeles Angels at 7 p.m.

Reporter Walt Belcher can be reached at (813 259-7654 or wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

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