Jessica Sanchez on her Filipino Heritage and “Crazy-Supportive” Fans

By On 09/25/2012 · 22 Comments · In American Idol, Jessica Sanchez

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In a press conference yesterday for Bench Clothing, new spokesperson Jessica Sanchez, defended her Filipino heritage. The American Idol season 11 runner-up may be feeling a little defensive after Charice’s manager questioned her cultural bonafides, noting that Jessica was born and raised in the US.

Jessica reveals that she’s been exposed to Filipino culture via her mom and grandmother, who are natives. Not only that, mom insists, in an interview with the Filipino press, that Jessica’s Filipino relatives were more influential than her Dad’s Mexican heritage.

Here are some quotes from the press conference:

“I’m glad I can put us Filipinos on the map. In the States, I’m really pushing to put my music on the radio so Filipinos aren’t just, like they won’t look at us as a complete minority, that we can’t make it on the radio stuff. So I’m pushing for us to represent ourselves in the States,” she said.

While she was born and raised in the U.S., Sanchez said she grew up knowing things about Filipino culture because of her mom and grandmother.

“I feel like I always have a big part of me Filipino-wise because my grandma taught me a lot of stuff from the Philippines. But actually being here, it’s helping me learn a lot more. I see myself as an artist that is learning more about the culture at the moment,” she said.

And even though she loves living in the U.S., Sanchez said she really can’t resist the “connection” that she has with Philippines.

For one, Sanchez noted how much she loves Filipino food.

“Here, it’s just a different feel. The food is different. I can’t eat hamburgers everyday. But I can eat lumpia and pansit every single day of my life, also rice and sinigang. I love Filipino food,” she said.

Also, she notes that her Filipino fans are more enthusiastic than those from the US.

Sanchez also noted the difference between her fans in the US and in the Philippines.

“All the fans here are like crazy-supportive. Everybody back in States is supportive but everybody here is like major-supportive. They have your back here, I love it,” she said.

Well, there’s a statement that could be taken personally by some folks…

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  • http://twitter.com/sheilag11 sheila g.

    well its true Filipino fans are really crazy supportive. the craziest fans in the world in a good way:) 

  • guinness 416

    Tis tricky, I’m from Ireland where people also roll their eyes at Americans/Aussies/whatever who call themselves “Irish” or make statements about Ireland without ever having visited the place.  But they generally have the manners and good sense to keep those opinions close to their chest and certainly don’t do it in high profile interviews which could be seen as catty and jealous.  Rock on, Ms. Sanchez.

  • http://twitter.com/raya4 raya

    Jessica might not have phrased it the best way, but I get what she was trying to say at the end.  There, she’s got fans who show up at the airport and then follow her to her hotel and sit there for hours just on the off chance of catching a glimpse of her.  I swear many of them seem to know where she’s going to be and when before she even does. There are fans way more invested in following her every move over there, and have shown that this past week, and that’s not the reception that she, and most of the other idols, ever really got over here.

  • thirdtime

    What she said may offend some people, but I think it might be true.  It doesn’t seem like she has a whole lot of support here in the U.S.  I guess we’ll see when her album is released.  If I were her, I don’t know how excited I would be though that so many people support her for her heritage…I think I’d rather have tons of support from people because they truly love my music than my heritage.

  • justmefornow

    These comments were made at a press conference about being the new spokesperson for a Filipino clothing line, correct?
    Then it’s really not that surprising. She’s pandering to the right audience and promoting herself. Big deal.
    The only problem with this is if she gets some kind of endorsement deal from a Mexican company and changes her tune to being all about her Mexican heritage.
    You can’t have it both ways.

    Considering her apparently much better support over there compared to lack of buzz, sales, etc. in the US, I think she made the right choice.

  • fuzzywuzzy

    I think that the overly enthusiastic fans can be a double-edged sword. In the end, the most important fan support is buying CDs and concert tickets, not necessarily crazy-obsessed behavior.

  • http://twitter.com/raya4 raya

    I agree that the most important fan support is in terms of sales (and not inflated sales).  I’m certainly not saying that having overly enthusiastic fans is necessarily all good either.  I personally will never understand the fan mentality that goes on when it comes to stalking these kids every move.  But there is a difference, at least as of now, in terms of the way Jessica is treated in the Philippines than the way she is here.  There she needs multiple security guards to go anywhere, let alone to spend a few minutes at a mall.  Here, she might get stopped for autographs regularly, but she can seemingly roam around as pleased without causing too much commotion.

  • http://twitter.com/sheilag11 sheila g.

    and whats good of having a crazy fans in the philippines is getting lots of endorsement…ive read that jessica has sealed 4 in the country. Bench, Jollibee, Smart Telecom, and Belo Medical group… and mind you these are not so so companies. these are the biggest in their respective fields. i bet she has already earned a lot more on these endorsements compared to all her stints on idol..

  • Jordana33

    Jessica is completely right about Filipino fan support. In fact, after looking at the footage of her reception, it would be crazy to argue otherwise! Even David Cook and David Archuleta have commented on the amazing reception they get in the Philippines. I remember the footage of their 2009 Manila visit; the huge crowd reception was like nothing I’d ever seen in the USA for any Idol; I can only imagine how much crazier things must have been for Jessica.  Filipino fans really do rock!

    And Charice’s manager is ridiculous and jealous. Jessica clearly has maintained strong ties to the Philippines and Filipinos have every right to be proud of her.

  • http://twitter.com/BuranaBurana Carmina Burana

    Here’s a link with the videos these quotes were taken from. 

    http://www.youtube.com/user/WearEveryday?feature=watch

    I saw a few of them, not all, but quite honestly, I saw nothing wrong on what she said and/or on how she said it. Not a sign of defensiveness on her voice, and why would she have to be defensive? She never hid or lied about her ethnicity or citizenship.  They embraced her fully knowing her background.  One thing that may be lost to Americans, perhaps even to the said manager criticizing the support she got in Philippines, is that Asians are driven more by ethnicity than place of birth or even cultural identity.  As an Asian-American with very very little cultural influence from Asia myself, it took me a long time to understand why Asians still saw me as one of them. On top of it, there is a significant wave Filipino immigrants in the US, mostly to work on humble jobs.  Having one of them, or the kid of an immigrant, “make it” in America generates an understandable sense of pride, and they should be proud because most work really hard and suffers a lot to get there, and most never do.  Finally, she was not the only one receiving raving support there, sounds like other idols also did, so why tie it just to ethnicity?  As far as I know, the others had no ethnic links to the Philippines.  And they all said it was their best show.  I really think this discussion about whether the support she received there was merited or not, started by a few tweets from a single person, is a waste of time. It makes me sad, especially on environment where a even presidential candidate comes out saying “things would be easier for him if he was latino…”.  Come on people, this is a teenager kid working her butt off, is probably the highest earner on her household now, and has so far conducted herself with maturity beyond her years, never taking anything for granted and willing to work hard to improve her craft. In an age where kids nowadays are so disengaged, shouldn’t we all be applauding this, instead of keep highlighting the one, sole negative stuff in a sea of other positive news about her?

    For instance: I was a bit surprised on how much her interviewing skills have come along since those awful skits shown during AI, which made me seriously question whether she was indeed a new dull Pia Toscano.  Nope, this kid looks like a seasoned pro in these press conferences.  If this is not proof enough, check this other interview, Jessica eating balut on TV, as graciously as one could be eating it.  For those who don’t know, balut is a duck egg with an unborn baby duck in it.  (Sorry Filipinos, no offense, but as tasty as this Filipino delicacy could be, I couldn’t get myself to put that in my mouth when I had the opportunity to try it)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8PHz8hmAC4

    I have no idea whether jessica will ultimately make it, but I do pull for her. I will always pull for kids with talent who work hard without complaining, who appreciate the opportunities that come along and work to take full advantage of them.  As an American, I really hope that talent, work ethics and good attitude always triumph over other factors such as ethnicity or gender.

  • http://twitter.com/ClaudeDee Claude Dee

    I’m Filipino. I love Jessica cause she’s amazing not cause she’s Filipino. But I think Jessica should sell/promote her self in the US more than she does in the Philippines. I want her to focus on her career here in the US and not be a Jasmine Trias 2.0.

    Some Filipino supporters illegally download their idol’s cd or buy a pirated version of it. They don’t really support the artist at all… Well, maybe… sometimes, or once in a lifetime… by watching their idol’s concert. :D

    But some Jessica Sanchez fans in the PH are really supportive and crazy at the same time. They bought her cds in EVERY mall tour (you need to buy a cd to meet her and have her autograph), VIP tickets that cost $250 without meet and greet and all that jazz.

    And I know where she’s coming from…

    “?@adamlevine: Good morning Manila! Home of the most energetic, enthusiastic @maroon5 fans on earth! #OVEREXPOSEDWORLDTOUR!!!”

    … Adam Levine is no Filipino. I don’t think her statement is offensive. :D

  • Cherry Joyner

    I read it somewhere that 2 endorsement alone is already equivalent to what she’s earning in idol combined

  • http://twitter.com/therocprince Cory ??

    Interscope would be completely dumb not to push Jessica in the Philippines like they are. If I were head of her project, I would be doing the same. Even if things fail here, there is no doubt that she could have some longevity over there.

  • http://twitter.com/therocprince Cory ??

     WOW!

  • http://twitter.com/therocprince Cory ??

    P.S. Yes Charice could blow, but she was boring and her stage presence is nothing compared to Jessica. That girl was born to perform. today the music industry is about Charisma, not just a voice and Jessica has both.

  • http://twitter.com/Wonderstruck01 Wonderstruck

    Well, there’s a statement that could be taken personally by some folks…

    sure….some people will take that personally because that’s just what they do.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/XDQP2Y46M5B3OHOKALDDGDHQCM Leandro

    Wasn’t Maroon 5 the most ilegally downloaded band in the PH? How many official albums they sold there? Just asking.

  • http://twitter.com/KatiesUVULA Katie’s Uvula

    Those “crazy Filipino supporters” couldn’t help the horrible Ramiele Malubay get to the finals, so TALENT definitely is a definitive attribute rather than heritage. I love that she’s embracing her Filipino side. Her Filipino fans even managed to get her to the Philippines (even if it meant bringing the other 9 Idols with her)

  • Chris

    The Charice callout just put her on the defense. Bi-racial kids are often put in a position to pick one side as the primary camp when in reality they are a better off embracing both.

  • http://twitter.com/KTolongges kapitan tolongges

    I am a former advertising executive and based on who she is and how she is treated in the Philippines, it is most likely that her endorsement of BENCH alone would already overshadow all her earnings on idol. This little girl is so hot in the Philippines and the rest of Asia. 

  • renzy24

    Yes she is big in the Philippines, Some sources said that her endorsement with that clothing company  worth 2-5 billion DOLLARS and imagine she has other endorsements. Wow!! :)

  • Jcasa12

    I read that she got six figures in US dollars per endorsement which is standard for AI idols , An article said it was 200,000 USD (unofficial), most of the money will probably go to AI and her management team. Wish her more success!