September 17, 2011

'American Idol' finalists to perform in Manila

MB - She failed to get the coveted ‘American Idol’ crown, but Fil-Am Thia Megia will still get the chance to shine onstage — with her fans and ‘kababayans” right here.

Megia, a Season 10 finalist of the iconic American Idol (AI) TV show, will perform with 10 others, including eventual winner Scotty McCreery.

Reports said they will perform at the Araneta Coliseum for two nights — Sept. 20 to 21.

They arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Philippines Airlines PR-103 flight before dawn Saturday.

The youngest Idol’s finalist after they lowered the minimum age limit to 15, Megia said she was excited on her second visit to the Philippines.

She said she was only four years old when she and her family came back to the Philippines.

“It’s been 12 years since I was here,” said the 16-year-old lass.

“I want to go back to my roots,” she stressed.

She also said the Idol finalists are raring to have a taste of Filipino hospitality, as well as local cuisines.

“We’ve been told we had a lot of Filipino fans,” she added.

McCreery, whose deep-baritone voice, wowed the voting fans, is eager to experience Filipino food.

Aside from Megia and McCreery, in town are finalists Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin, Lauren Alaina, Naima Adedapo, Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano, Stefano Langone.

The Top Ten are usually featured in the Idol’s Tour but a “save" by judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler, and Jennifer Lopez allowed an eleventh one — Abrams — to break into the elite group.

The Top 11 are expected cover a wide range of musical genres from country, pop, jazz to rock.

Llullaillaco Maiden mummy

Llullaillaco Maiden, a 15 year old girl sacrificed during the Inca Empire for both purposes of religious rite and social control. She was chosen a year prior to her death, fed a ritualistic diet for an approximate twelve months to make her gain weight, then was drugged and left on the shrine at Volcano Llullaillaco, where she was left to die of exposure. For five hundred years, her body had been preserved at 82 ft. She is considered to be the best preserved Andean mummy ever uncovered. - found in tumblr