"I love artists that just do what they do with so much passion and emotion."
"Music has always been a huge part of my life."
"I listen to music when I'm feeling down or just a certain way. I don't know what I'd do without it!"
"My friends are mostly familiar with music that plays on the mainstream radio."
"During 'Idol,' I wasn't expecting anything. I just wanted to survive the competition, but my album and my music are a big part of who I am. Hopefully it translates well and I keep growing as an artist."
"On 'Idol,' I understood that everyone wanted to hear my vocals, so I stuck with the ballads."
"Before I was on 'Idol,' I just sat at home and played video games all day long. Now I get to travel and work towards my dream. It's the best feeling ever."
"I personally love J.Lo because she's a fashion icon and I love her music."
"I grew up singing ballads, but what I really wanted to get into was the mainstream music on the radio because I really love the beats and everything."
"On 'Idol,' you have to show off your vocal abilities, so I stuck to the ballads, so I'm glad my first single is 'Tonight' so I can show off my fun, young side, and what I want to do as an artist."
"I grew up always wanting to be a part of 'Idol,' and I never thought I would make it as far as I did. I was really lucky, and it's given me the opportunities that I have now."
"I'm playing a powerhouse singer who is big competition, but she's also really down to earth and sweet. But the whole sweet thing goes away when she's in competition mode. I love the show, so I'm very excited to be a part of it. I'm going to kill it on 'Glee!'"
"I've been in the 'Idol' bubble, and now it's popped, and I don't know what's going to happen."
"I wanna be more like the Rihanna kind of, Beyonce kind of thing, but I don't want to compare myself to anybody, because I wanna be somebody new, too."
"'Idol' was more of a competition, and that was more of a platform that I wanted to get a hold of and get on top of. And I finally got that opportunity, and now it's more like, I just gotta show and prove myself to everybody that I'm not just the 'balladeer.'"
"I used to have hair so long, my nickname was Pocahontas."
"I've been homeschooled since ninth grade."
"I always make a wish at 11:11, even if it's something cheesy."
"I don't speak Filipino or Spanish, but I've sung in both."
"I play volleyball on the beach. It's a great way to work out and have fun."
"I was born in America, but I consider myself a Filipino."
"I'm very blessed and appreciative of everything that's happened, and I'm just working hard for more opportunities to come."
"'Proud Mary' was the best song for me to perform because it was so much fun."
"'American Idol' is such a big platform. It's been on for so many seasons. I went on the show not thinking I was going to make it that far at all because there was so many talented people that auditioned."
"I have a picture with Obama in my house, and I freak out every time I see it. I'm like, 'What the heck? Did that even happen?' It's like a dream."
