Syesha Raquel Mercado (born January 3, 1987 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, US) is an R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Syesha is most known for her appearance in the seventh season (2008) of American Idol. She finished as the last female in the competition and overall 3rd place, only losing out to David Archuleta and eventual winner David Cook. Mercado's mother, Zelda, is African-American and her father, José, is of Afro-Cuban descent. She grew up in Sarasota Read more on Last.fm