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

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…

About mj santilli 34829 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!