★ M.A.R.A.★

Andrew Garcia.  American Idol Season 9 early favorite.  Not surprised.  His acoustic rendition of Paula Adul’s Straight Up gave me chills and made me pretty emotional.    Dayum. 

Simon: “The only person who’s walked through today who I genuinley believe is a good singer…a genuinely, genuinely, good, good singer…and I can tell you like music, it was a good choice…it’s a very difficult song to sing in this kind of situation…I think you’re a really, really good singer, Andrew, and I’m glad I met you…”  Note: Simon repeats to emphasize.

Though not confirmed on any primary sources (My Space or Idol site), my best guess is that Garcia is of Hispanic descent, while his girlfriend/baby mama, Christine Conception, is of Filipino descent.  Let’s see if factual info emerges anywhere…anyone want to ask them on twitter? 


Anyhooo…check Garcia’s Idol audition below, which includes clips and stills of his family, his cutie son, Caeland (pretty cool name, by the whhey), and a quick clip of his Christine.  He samples Maroon 5’s Sunday Morning.

Here’s a SICK Fugees, MJ and more medley with Garcia on guitar and Lydia Paek (who’s also been circulating on the interwebz.  She is a dancer, as well as a singer, and is of Korean descent.) on vocals.

Here’s Garcia doing Fireflies as a duet with his girlfriend, baby mama, Christine Conception.

Garcia’s MySpace, Twitter; Conception’s MySpace
Other Keywords: Andrew Garcia ethnicity, American Idol season 9, christine conception, baby mama, girlfriend, filipino, mexican, korean

Nikki Soohoo

is an Asian American actress (specific ethnicity unconfirmed) who most recently appears in the film based on Alice Sebold’s novel, The Lovely Bones, in theaters this Friday, December 11th.

“It is the story of a teenage girl [Susie] who, after being brutally raped and murdered, watches from heaven as her family and friends go on with their lives, while she herself comes to terms with her own death.”

Oscar nominated (at 13yo for Atonement) Saoirse Ronan plays Susie, while Soohoo plays her best friend Holly.  The film also stars Susan Sarandon, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci, and Michael Imperioli.  (With Lord of the Rings’ Peter Jackson directing an awesome cast, an intriguing plot, and my lust for vintage costume design…I’m looking forward to seeing this.)


Saoirse and Soohoo in a Lovely scene.


Soohoo, who started out in television and crossed over to film, is most likely best known for playing gymnast Wei Wei in the 2006 Disney movie, Stick It, and for playing one of the main three cheerleaders in the 5th installment of the Bring It On series, Bring It On: Fight to the Finish.  Soohoo was born August 20, 1988 and is currently attending UCLA in California.

Can you guess which Asian actress was in the 1st Bring It On?  Clickit. 
Also, here’s an actor who shares the same last name who starred with Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller in Tropic Thunder. 

Soohoo and scenes from Stick It on the right



Photos: Top-1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Mid; Mosaic-1, 2, 3, 4
Keywords: Asian girl in the lovely bones, holly in the lovely bones, asian girl in bring it on 5, famous asians, famous asian, ethnicity nikki soohoo

Non-Filipino Boys Choir sing in Tagalog!

The video above shows Libera singing the Filipino song Bayan Ko in the native language of Tagalog at the PICC in The Philippines October 30, 2009.

This traditional Philippine song touched the hearts of the audience causing the spontaneous applause which we feel adds to the emotion of the piece.

Libera is a vocal band of boys ages 7-16 whose recordings “hold their place in top-tens alongside major artists like Bocelli”.  This is the second non-Filipino boys choir that I’ve heard sing in Tagalog…I get goosebumps with each viewing…

Bayan Ko was originally written as a poem in 1929 and later made into a song to protest the American occupation of the Philippines… it is a song that expresses the desire for and the right to freedom…poignant to me not because of it’s political significance, but because freedom is more common a struggle than we may all realize…

Bayan Ko (in Tagalaog)
Ang bayan kong Pilipinas,
Lupain ng ginto’t bulaklak.
Pag-ibig ang sa kaniyang palad
Nag-alay ng ganda’t dilag.
At sa kaniyang yumi at ganda,
Dayuhan ay nahalina.
Bayan ko, binihag ka,
Nasadlak sa dusa.

Koro:
Ibon mang may layang lumipad,
kulungin mo at umiiyak!
Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag,
Ang ‘di magnasang makaalpas!
Pilipinas kong minumutya,
Pugad ng luha ko’t dalita,
Aking adhika,
Makita kang sakdal laya!

Translation (more literal than lyrical, actually)
Philippines, my country
Land of gold and flowers
With love in her palms
She offered beauty and splendor.
And for her refinement and beauty,
Foreigners were seduced.
My country, you were enslaved
Mired in suffering.

Chorus:
Even birds that are free to fly
Cage them and they will cry,
How much more for a country so beautiful
Would she not yearn to be free?
My Philippines that I treasure,
Cradle of my tears and misery,
My aspiration is,
To see you truly free!

Below is video of a popular Filipino folk singer (analogous to Willie Nelson), Freddie Guilar, singing his rendition of Bayan Ko.

Jay Sean

is a British singer, songwriter, rapper, beat-boxer, and record producer.  He was born Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, March 28, 1981 in Hounslow, West London, England to Punjabi Sikh immigrants from India.  His first album, Me Against Myself (2004), sold more than 2 million copies in India and his second album, My Own Way (2008), topped the UK R&B chart.

His single, Down, was released in the US in May 2009 and topped the Billboard Hot 100.  He became the first solo artist of Asian origin to do so.  Click here for the video.

Sean’s 3rd album, All or Nothing, drops in the US Monday, Nov 23rd!!!

Other fun facts:  (More from Wiki)
-At 11 years old. he and his cousin formed a hip hop duo called “Compulsive Disorder”
-He was enrolled in medical school before he dropped out in 2003 to pursue a singing career
-“Sean” is derived from the punjabi “Shaan” which means shining star

See Sean perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Nov 26

See other scheduled performers

See Related Posts below “Permalink”
Keywords: Jay Sean drops album Nov 23, Jay Sean All or Nothing, first asian to top billboard 100, guy who sings down, indian guy who sings down, what is jay sean’s ethnicity, jay sean in the thanksgiving day parade 2009, jay sean twitter
Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Thanks to Betty G.K. for the referral!

Jake Shimabukuro

Shi-ma-BOO-ku-ro, born 11/3/76 and is a 5th generation Okinawan Hawaiian, ROCKS the ukulele and has been referred to as a “ukulele virtuoso”.(Wiki)  Tour dates, bio, and more on his website.  I especially dig the pieces with a Flamenco-style “shred“…check 2 of ‘em below

Related Posts: Japanese, In Music
Keywords: Jake Shimabukuro, Japanese Hawaiian dude who plays the ukelele, famous Asians
[Photos 1, 2, 3]
Thanks to Joe P for the intro to Jake’s music!