Jennifer Fuentes, Miss Homestead 2002, makes it to the finals of Fox's AMERICAN IDOL series. Read on for updates from our local newspaper (Miami Herald) and the official website for AMERICAN IDOL, www.idolonfox.com
(photo and story credit-Miami Herald)
Miss Homestead 2002 Jennifer Fuentes- OUR AMERICAN IDOL
'I DID IT!'
Meet Our Girl Miss Homestead.
Eighteen-year-old Jennifer Fuentes is the girl you're supposed to love to hate but just
can't. She's confident but humble. Sexy but innocent.
Better yet, she's got moves that put a smile on vile Simon's face.
We're talking hip action that may make Shakira envious.
After three callbacks, the reigning teen queen went before the show's judges, Paula Abdul,
Randy Jackson and the highly insulting Simon Cowell.
''I was so freaked out,'' she said. 'You won't believe this, but Simon said, `Isn't she
the cutest thing?' ''
Impossible. Are you sure you heard him right?
''Yes, yes. I couldn't believe it,'' she said.
Jennifer -- wait, her friends call her Jen so it's probably in all our best kiss-up
interests to rephrase that. Our Girl Jen belted out the lyrics to Whitney Houston's I Want
to Dance With Somebody while her fan club of family and friends waited outside, wearing
Jennifer Fuentes T-shirts, no less.
Jen, on the other hand, was wearing the same red-and-white crop top and jeans she slept in
outside the Fontainebleau Hilton Friday night, when she first lined up to audition. Which
was the same outfit she wore Saturday for her first tryout. Which was the same outfit she
wore Monday for her second audition. Which was the same outfit. . .you get the picture.
Right down to the socks. All of the contestants were asked to come wearing the same
ensemble they had worn from day one.
When she got the you're-going-to-Hollywood news, Jen let out a screech -- quite possibly
the highest note she has ever hit. Within seconds, she was on her cellphone: ''Daddy, I
did it!'' she screamed before hanging up and calling potentially every other living
relative and friend she knew.
What Jen planned to do first: ``Change my clothes.''
Then return to work. Thursday night, Jen was back to waiting tables at Ruby Tuesday. She
also attends Miami-Dade Community College and hopes to become a physical therapist. Or a
star.
• American Idol, 8 tonight and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, WSVN-Fox 7 The country's favorite talent show, American Idol, begins its second season tonight. Here's a guide to the South Florida faces you'll see: • Monica Minagorri -- The West Kendall 18-year-old is a Miami-Dade Community College student who models part time and enjoys top-40 music. She has no professional experience. • Aleisha Robinson -- The native Jamaican who lives in Margate confessed her biggest audience has been patrons at local karaoke bars. The 22-year-old moved to South Florida a few years ago. • Jennifer Fuentes -- The 18-year-old reigning Miss Homestead is a waitress at Ruby Tuesday's. Her favorite song: At Last, the Etta James classic. • Sean Campos --His parents were performers with the '60s band Little Eva and the Espionage. He is a college sophomore in musical theater at New World School of the Arts. The 22-year-old Philippines native dreams of being the country's first hit Asian artist. • Natalie Joy Galan -- The Doral Academy student grew up singing in the church choir and in school plays. At 16, the New Jersey native is the youngest of the South Florida group. • Josephine Bauza -- The Cuban-American 18-year-old, who recently graduated from Hialeah High School, is a huge fan of Shakira. She has had several gigs at local clubs and was working on her music career full time when her Idol break came along. • Bettis Richardson -- The North Lauderdale 19-year-old is a fan of the Jackson family. Specifically, he says Janet and brother Michael are his favorites.
Check out Jennifer's Photo Shoot once she made it as one of the 32 finalist in LA, California
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Here are the group of 8 contestants that will be performing on February 11, 2003 on Fox, Tuesday at 8pm Eastern Time.
Jennifer's latest accomplishments including joining the Greatest Show on Earth!! ...
She first came to national prominence as a top 30 finalist on American Idol. Now Jennifer
Fuentes is the featured vocalist in the 134th Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth!
Jennifer has a love of all styles of music, which comes in handy at Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey: The sparkling original score of the 134th Edition features an
impressive spectrum of genres encompassing country-and-western, ballads, hard rock and
more!
This charming and enthusiastic Cuban-American has the voice and the talent to handle any style she wants – and to fill any arena with a powerful and engaging sound that has to be heard to be believed!
JENNIFER FUENTES
An American Idol becomes the newest vocalist for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
It's hard to imagine being only 20 years old and having already achieved recognition the likes of which Jennifer Fuentes can list on her growing resume. Now her career takes yet another exciting turn as she joins the 134th Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth as featured vocalist -- an opportunity her family and friends acknowledge was "not unexpected" for this charming Cuban-American who exudes enthusiasm and a taste for adventure.
After graduating from South Dade High School with honors, Jennifer was crowned Miss Homestead, Florida, in 2002 and went on to compete in that year's Miss Florida contest as the pageant's youngest contestant - all while attending Miami-Dade Community College on a full scholarship (majoring in television and radio broadcasting and production) and waiting on tables. Her talent was - no surprise - singing, and that talent, along with her vivacious personality, helped win her a spot among the top 30 finalists on the second season of FOX Network's American Idol
When Jennifer heard that auditions were to be held in Miami Beach in November 2003, she spent the night on the boardwalk behind the Fontainebleau Hilton among some 2,700 other hopefuls. After three callbacks, she went before the show's judges, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and the infamous Simon Cowell. The next thing she knew, she got the "You're going to Hollywood" news and let out a screech that may have been the highest note she's ever hit. Later that season, Ruben Studdard (according to Jennifer, "a great guy"), went on to be proclaimed the winner.
Jennifer cites her American Idol adventure as a "great experience and great exposure" that allowed her to retire, temporarily, from waitressing and to perform at a variety of events, including the American Cancer Society's "Think Pink" fund-raiser in South Beach, the Hurricane Andrew "10-Year Anniversary" Concert; Channel 10's "Gimme the Mic" and Channel 6's "Rick Sanchez Show," along with appearances on local radio stations. Jennifer was also immortalized by a proclamation awarded to her by the mayors of Miami-Dade and the City of Homestead, designating December 6 as "Jennifer Fuentes Day" ("a day for people to plan their New Year's Resolutions").
Growing up in the South Miami suburb of Homestead, Jennifer asserts that she has been "singing my heart out since I was a baby." Although she is her family's first nationally acclaimed musical performer, there was a foreshadowing of Jennifer's considerable musical accomplishments. Her father, now the Assistant Chief of Police for Miami-Sweetwater, played drums in a high school band and, according to Jennifer, her mother "sang to me all the time."
Jennifer professes a love for all kinds of music, from jazz classics to the '80s, to her favorite song - Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and her favorite number to perform - Etta James's "At Last." That love of and talent for performing a wide variety of musical styles is particularly well-suited for the sparkling original score of the 134th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, which features an impressive spectrum of genres encompassing country-and-western, ballads, hard rock and more.
Among the many things Jennifer looks forward to as she joins the 134th Edition tour at its midpoint in January 2005 are furthering her former pageant platform of mentoring school children, being a role model for her community, fostering her singing career, traveling, meeting new people and seeing snow for the very first time!