One Night Only With A Dreamgirl: Syesha Mercado Sings National Anthem at Blazer Game

Tuesday, 13 April 2010 09:18 | Written by Byron

STAR SPANGLED SYESHA: The "dreamgirl" seemed distracted. Here I was, sitting in the very back of a limo that I would find out, later in the evening, was longer than the width of my front yard. Toward the very front of the limo was Syesha Mercado, the American Idol contestant and one of the stars of Dreamgirls (it opens tonight at the Keller). Syesha was texting away on her Iphone. I didn't want to disturb her. We had just left a downtown Portland hotel and we were heading, along with Julia Sheridan, the publicist for Portland Opera's Broadway Across America, to the Rose Garden where Syesha was to sing the National Anthem prior to the Blazers game with The Thunder. None of us seemed to care who would win or loose (except our driver J.J.), even though it was a must-win game for the Blazers. And we all just kind of sat there watching the city whiz by, until I asked her a question. It was about how she's able to survive the constant singing, dancing and costume changing she has to do in Dreamgirls: "Syesha, how do you do it every night?" Her response was extremely honest. "I don't know," said Syesha. "I wonder how I do it myself."

Although she is only 23, Mercado has spent most of her life onstage. She is a trained professional. She works very hard, especially as the Diana Ross-ish "Deena Jones" in Dreamgirls. "I can't get distracted during the show...if I start to get in my head, or think about the words, then I'm not able to do my best. I have to stay in the moment." Speaking of moments, when I bring up American Idol Season #7, she sort of alludes that the show was a "step-back" for her and her musical career. And when I told her that I had watched some of her old Youtube clips from the show, she said: "It makes me sad to listen to the old stuff."

So much honesty from such a young girl.

That said, you could tell that Syesha was deep in thought, shyly holding back a bit of herself as we left the limo and ventured deep into the bowels of the Rose Garden. She needed to warm up. And then do a sound check. And, then, well, I just wanted to leave her alone. Here she was, on her only day off, having to sing in front of a packed stadium. She needed time alone.

That's when I went to the "media room" and chatted up some old friends near the complimentary buffet.

When I returned to her dressing room, just minutes before she was to go on, was the only time I saw her exhibit what might be considered "diva-ish" behavior. I could hear her warming up in the bathroom of the dressing room she was assigned for the night. Her version of the Star-Spangled Banner sounded amazing in that small space. It actually gave me chills. But when she came out of the bathroom she whispered under her breath: "I wish I didn't have to sing this song." She talked about how it was easier for her as a child to sing "that" song, but, as an adult, there seemed to be so much more pressure to get it just right.

After a knock on the door we were off to center court. It's when she handed me her Iphone that I noticed she was shaking, just a little bit. It wasn't diva behavior. She was nervous, and she was trying to hide it.

Her performance of the National Anthem was flawless. Simply flawless. The players knew it. The crowd knew it. She knew it.

When she came off court, it was like she was a different person. No longer distracted, distant or drowsy she was full of energy. This from a woman who performs one of the most demanding roles in musical theater. As we dropped her off back at the hotel she said: "Well, that was fun. We had a chance to talk about life, Dreamgirls and I was able to sing the national anthem. It was a good night."

Yes, Syesha, it was a good night indeed.

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