Mario Vazquez
Encyclopedia
Mario Adrián Vázquez is a Puerto Rican
-American singer from The Bronx
, New York City
. He competed on American Idol
's fourth season
, which aired on the FOX
network in early 2005.
. He was also involved in the CityKids Repertory Company in New York City
, which enabled him to travel the country and perform in front of the President and at major charitable functions and shelters. In 2005, he was reunited with his estranged father, Mario Rivera, who discovered that his son was on American Idol while channel surfing.
After making it into the final round of twelve contestants on the hit reality show American Idol
, Vazquez suddenly dropped out of the competition citing "personal family thing" a few days before the finals started. When the press contacted his mother regarding his decision, she was unaware why he had left the show. There was much speculation about his decision; Vazquez appeared the next morning on "Good Day New York" on WNYW
FOX5, and quashed rumors of a feud with "American Idol" producers or any of his competitors. "American Idol was only positive. They were only wonderful to me, from the beginning through the middle, to the end," he told the show. "It had nothing to do with the contract or anything signed with J Records." J Records is the same company that manages Idol winners Ruben Studdard
and Fantasia Barrino
. Vazquez later said that he wanted more artistic control and creating his own sound, and he felt that he would be more restricted staying on the show. He felt that since he was now known worldwide as a semi-finalist, he could end the competition and go solo. He believed that his musical success would not make a difference whether he quit as a semi-finalist or participated in the finals round. Vazquez was replaced on the show by Nikko Smith
, who had previously been voted out.
/Arista Records
and worked on an album executive produced by Clive Davis
. Vazquez's manager was Arnold Steifel, who also managed Rod Stewart
. He worked with Ne-Yo
, Akon
, Soulshock and Karlin, Lester Mendez
, Scott Storch
, and Luny Tunes
. Some of these artists' songs with Vasquez did not make the final cut on his album. His first single Gallery
was release in May 2006, and reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. Vazquez's self-titled album was released September 26, 2006 by Arista Records
.
Later that year, Vazquez performed on the Cartoon Network
Friday block on August 25, 2006. A second single "One Shot" was released to radio in February 2007 after 10 months of relying only on the first single to promote the album. It began receiving moderate airplay and by early March was hovering around #58 on Mediabase 24/7's CHR/Pop chart.
Vasquez would be ultimately dropped from Arista Records in early 2008, and his website was shut down shortly after being dropped by his label.
, the show producer, had said to Olmos, "we know that this happened and we are going to let Mario Vazquez go, and you’re going to stay."
Vazquez was reported to be "very upset, almost distraught" over the claim and that he didn't even remember Magdaleno Olmos. He had previously denied that he is gay and that he quit the show for "artistic reasons". The judge later ruled that Olmos had signed an agreement to "arbitrate all disputes and not file a lawsuit," and sent the case to arbitration and put a hold on the lawsuit.
Originally making the Top 12, Vazquez withdrew from the show due to personal reasons. He was replaced by Nikko Smith
.
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
-American singer from The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He competed on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
's fourth season
American Idol (Season 4)
The fourth season of American Idol premiered on January 18, 2005 and continued until May 25, 2005. It was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell also returned to judge. It was won by Carrie Underwood, who has gone on to become a five-time Grammy-winning country megastar...
, which aired on the FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
network in early 2005.
Early life
Raised by his single mother, Ada, in the Bronx, Vazquez is an alumnus of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing ArtsFiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center and the Juilliard School in the Lincoln Center district of Manhattan, on Amsterdam Avenue...
. He was also involved in the CityKids Repertory Company in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, which enabled him to travel the country and perform in front of the President and at major charitable functions and shelters. In 2005, he was reunited with his estranged father, Mario Rivera, who discovered that his son was on American Idol while channel surfing.
After making it into the final round of twelve contestants on the hit reality show American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, Vazquez suddenly dropped out of the competition citing "personal family thing" a few days before the finals started. When the press contacted his mother regarding his decision, she was unaware why he had left the show. There was much speculation about his decision; Vazquez appeared the next morning on "Good Day New York" on WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
FOX5, and quashed rumors of a feud with "American Idol" producers or any of his competitors. "American Idol was only positive. They were only wonderful to me, from the beginning through the middle, to the end," he told the show. "It had nothing to do with the contract or anything signed with J Records." J Records is the same company that manages Idol winners Ruben Studdard
Ruben Studdard
Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard , best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol...
and Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
. Vazquez later said that he wanted more artistic control and creating his own sound, and he felt that he would be more restricted staying on the show. He felt that since he was now known worldwide as a semi-finalist, he could end the competition and go solo. He believed that his musical success would not make a difference whether he quit as a semi-finalist or participated in the finals round. Vazquez was replaced on the show by Nikko Smith
Nikko Smith
Osborne Earl "Nikko" Smith is a singer-songwriter who was the ninth-place finalist of Season 4 on American Idol.-Biography:...
, who had previously been voted out.
Record deal
In August 2005, Vazquez signed with J RecordsJ Records
J Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:...
/Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
and worked on an album executive produced by Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
. Vazquez's manager was Arnold Steifel, who also managed Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
. He worked with Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, Soulshock and Karlin, Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez
Lester Mendez is an American record producer and songwriter. His production/writing credits include a multitude of successful hits including Shakira's "Underneath Your Clothes" and "La Tortura", Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair", and Nelly Furtado's "Te Busqué".Mendez worked with Carlos Santana...
, Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
, and Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes
Luny Tunes are a Dominican reggaeton production duo consisting of Francisco Saldaña and Víctor Cabrera , who have been known for creating unique musical rhythms for some of the most popular reggaeton artists since the early 2000s.-Biography:...
. Some of these artists' songs with Vasquez did not make the final cut on his album. His first single Gallery
Gallery (song)
"Gallery" is a single by Mario Vazquez. It was written by Shaffer Smith, Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermanson. Smith also co-produced the vocals on the track, and was one of the most added records at Rhythm radio stations across the United States on its first week out...
was release in May 2006, and reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. Vazquez's self-titled album was released September 26, 2006 by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
.
Later that year, Vazquez performed on the Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
Friday block on August 25, 2006. A second single "One Shot" was released to radio in February 2007 after 10 months of relying only on the first single to promote the album. It began receiving moderate airplay and by early March was hovering around #58 on Mediabase 24/7's CHR/Pop chart.
Vasquez would be ultimately dropped from Arista Records in early 2008, and his website was shut down shortly after being dropped by his label.
Controversy
In 2007, Magdaleno Olmos, an employee of Fremantle Media which produces American Idol, filed a lawsuit against Fremantle Media, Fox Entertainment, and Mario Vazquez claiming wrongful termination. The lawsuit alleged that Vazquez sexually harassed Olmos by performing a lewd act in front of him and offered sexual favors. Olmos claimed that he tried to report the incident to a superior but was threatened with dismissal, and he was "terminated" a few months after the incident. Olmos' lawyer also suggested that Idol producers had forced Vasquez out over the complaint, and claimed that Nigel LythgoeNigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
, the show producer, had said to Olmos, "we know that this happened and we are going to let Mario Vazquez go, and you’re going to stay."
Vazquez was reported to be "very upset, almost distraught" over the claim and that he didn't even remember Magdaleno Olmos. He had previously denied that he is gay and that he quit the show for "artistic reasons". The judge later ruled that Olmos had signed an agreement to "arbitrate all disputes and not file a lawsuit," and sent the case to arbitration and put a hold on the lawsuit.
Albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... ) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
FR France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|||
| 2006 | Mario Vazquez Mario Vazquez (album) Mario Vazquez is the eponymous debut studio album by American recording artist Mario Vazquez. It was released by Arista Records on September 26, 2006....
|
80 | 104 |
|
Singles
- 2006: "GalleryGallery (song)"Gallery" is a single by Mario Vazquez. It was written by Shaffer Smith, Mikkel Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermanson. Smith also co-produced the vocals on the track, and was one of the most added records at Rhythm radio stations across the United States on its first week out...
" #35 Hot 100, #15 Pop 100, #31 Hot Digital Songs, #90 European Hot 100 Singles - 2007: "One Shot"
American Idol performances
| Week # | Song Choice | Original Artist | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 24 | "Do I Do Do I Do "Do I Do" is a song written and performed by Stevie Wonder, first released in 1982 on the album Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I. It reached #10 in the UK and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US.... " |
Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
Safe |
| Top 20 | "I Love Music I Love Music (song) "I Love Music" is a disco song written by Gamble and Huff and recorded by The O'Jays. It appeared on the group's 1975 album Family Reunion. The single version went to number one on the soul singles chart and reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100... " |
The O'Jays The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005... |
Safe |
| Top 16 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | The Bee Gees | Quit |
Originally making the Top 12, Vazquez withdrew from the show due to personal reasons. He was replaced by Nikko Smith
Nikko Smith
Osborne Earl "Nikko" Smith is a singer-songwriter who was the ninth-place finalist of Season 4 on American Idol.-Biography:...
.
External links
- Mario Vazquez on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Mario Vasquez interview