The event is described as:

On Saturday May 21, 29 Los Angeles Unified Schools will send their biggest and best on-campus celebrities to compete in a head-to-head battle to determine the district’s best singers,dancers, musicians, visual artists and spoken word performers at the Beyond the Bell Take Action Leadership Campaign event.

Competition winners will receive scholarships, awards and prizes awarded by Hollywood celebrities such as Nick Cannon (Teen Nick Chairman, America’s Got Talent), Romeo Miller (Jumping The Broom), Allison Iraheta (Top 4 finalist on American Idol), Teck Holmes (The Real World, Hole In The Wall Host), Jason “2Z” Duncan (Stomp the Yard 1 & 2), by Poreotics (Current Champions of Randy Jackson’s America’s Best Dance Crew) and More. In addition Performances are scheduled by Nick Cannon’s Ncredible artists The School Gyrls (self titled Teen Nick Movie), the Wonder Broz (New hit single “Chitty Chitty”), L.A. dance legends the Rangers & Colette Carr (Interscope/Cherry Tree artist). The day will be further highlighted with a 2,000 student flash mob led by celebrity choreographer Chuck Maldonado (Missy Elliott, Usher).

Interview!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZopVR5NAvU

From the Huffington Post:

Allison Iraheta, also hit the red carpet at the event. Iraheta beamed, saying, “it’s really cool that all these students are here doing what I wanted to do at that age and they have the opportunity to go to the after school programs and do this.” She added, “It’s always great to be surrounded by so much talent.”

Check back for more pics and media! Current pics from @TeamAims and @ChrisTrondsen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNpLn3BZe8o

Visit the full article on Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/music-in-los-angeles/catching-up-with-allison-iraheta-at-the-narm-conventionawards-video

Original interview is in Spanish, credit to Agencia Efe. Link to the original full article can be found at the bottom of the post.

Read the English translation here:

Allison Iraheta, the singer of Salvadorian descent who won international recognition through the television contest American Idol is working on a second album completely written by her.

“Right now I’m writing and working on making new music, with new rock sounds, because I want my next album to be dark rock music”, Iraheta told Efe.

“Today, I don’t just want to be a singer, I want to be a singer-song writer, which is why I have been writing down my thoughts and feelings because when people listen to my music, I want them to connect with me”, she added.

At 16 years old, Iraheta was the fourth finalist on the American Idol season 8 (2008-2009), a singing talent scouting contest that was her platform to let her powerful voice be known.

“After competing on ‘American Idol’ I signed a contract with 19 Entertainment and Jive Records to record my first album, which is called ‘Just like you’, which was out on December 2009 and in which I co-wrote a song”, she told us.

“I still don’t know which month my second album can be out, I want to work on it slowly to do a good job”, she explained.

Born on April 27, 1992 in Glendale, California, Iraheta is the daughter of Salvadorian immigrants who listened to classic rock, romantic ballads from the 70s and rancheras, which sparked the young woman’s wishes to be a professional singer.

“At home, they always supported me and my first public presentation was when I was 7 years old, for a community contest by the Los Angeles warehouse store La Curacao. There I sang a song called “Mi Ranchito”, dedicated to my grandma”, she remembered.

The singer-song writer talked about how when she was 14 years old they saw a commercial on Telemundo for a contest called “Quinceañera: mamá quiero ser artista”.

“Everything went so fast, and suddenly we were already in Mexico taping the show in which our moms were also part of the show”, Iraheta remembers.

“I won the contest and I brought back the $50,000 first prize and I had a huge Quinceañera party”, she remembers.

At 15 years-old Iraheta was already a fan of the singing contest “American Idol”, but due to the age limit being 16, she had to wait until she reached 16 to audition for the show.

The singer went to the singing auditions for the west in San Francisco, California where she presented her voice with the songs “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin and “At Last” by Etta James, and she was chosen.

“During the first week of ‘American Idol’, filmed at the Kodak theater in Hollywood, I realized that it was really hard, there’s no time to sleep or learn the song lyrics well”.

“I really just wanted to see if I could at least make it to the first week, I wanted to be on tv, but I kept on going until I got fourth place”.

To focus full time on singing, Iraheta continued her high school education under the home schooling system. She recently took the General Educational Development Exam (GED) and will get her high school diploma.

“‘American Idol’ has totally changed my life, today everyone knows me and it has helped me discover my potential as an artist” she explained.

Read the original full article in Spanish right HERE. Credit EFE

Iraheta: more personal
Eight season of American Idol. There are four finalists left and the only woman on the group shines not only for her spectacular voice but also because the intense color of her hair. She is Allison Iraheta, from Glendale, California, who regardless of finishing in fourth place got much more than a consolation prize.

As soon as she left the show, Allison signed contracts with 19 Entertainment and Jive Records and in December 2009 released her debut álbum “Just like you”, which sold 32 thousand copies on its first week.
In an interview with HOY, the artista told us that she’s currently promoting her material, performing here and there, recuperating from the four months tour she did with Adam Lambert (runner up on the 8th season) and that she is also writing new songs. New album?

“We’ll see” she says, “I’m working on that. They’re original songs and different, definitely something more personal. I’m trying to write them myself, obviously with the help of people who have been doing this for a long time.” she says in perfect Spanish.

Music aside, Allison has been concentrating on finishing her studies. A few days ago she took the last tests to graduate from high school and is now waiting for the results. She is also involved in upgrading her look. She says the red haired girl was left behind, since a while ago she dyed her hair black and has kept her ends with shades of blue, purple and red.

“I had been a red head for a long time (4 years). I was going to the mall and seeing ten other girls with red and orange hair, I only needed to join their club and start walking with them” she says jokingly.

She adds that these days, 18 years old, she does not feel pressure to maintain a determined physical shape, but the story was different before.

“On the show I did feel pressured, but not because anyone would say things but, mentally, I felt that I was heavy, that I was…that everyone else was in shape and they were perfect Barbies. But now, I don’t care, just love me as I am” she says as she laughs.

Just like David, Allison also says she is proud of her Latina roots and is very thankful for the support of her parents, both of Salvadorian descent. She adds that she dreams of recording an album in Spanish, “but that’s going to take me more time to do it well, I don’t want to ruin it. It is something deeper that I want to do with time”.

Stay tuned, maybe on the 10th season of American Idol, which started last week you’ll see both Allison and David singing new songs.

Read the original article in Spanish HERE.

A few corrections, Allison was on season 8 and is 18 years old.

Some excerpts from the interview:

nocheLatina: What has your life been like since competing for ‘American Idol?’

Allison Iraheta: It has been a whirlwind. So much has happened since then.  I have definitely grown mentally and physically.  I got to do everything I dreamed of as a little girl…tour, record, meet amazing people, and now continuing to work on new stuff.

nocheLatina: What advice would you like to share with those who are now considering auditioning for ‘American Idol’ in the future, all thanks to the new celebrity panel?

Allison Iraheta: Always stay true to yourself and be positive throughout the whole experience. Don’t let the Hollywood bull shit get to your head.

Read the full article HERE or below.

Last week Allison was interviewed via phone by Teresa Garza from Checa LA Movie. She talks about how her experience on American Idol changed her, her plans for the future and her wish to maybe someday become an actress. She even sings a snippet of Alejandra Guzmán’s song Volverte a Amar. Check out the introduction in Spanish and the audio interview at the bottom of the article HERE.

Or check it out here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RuJRayt-jQ

Full translation below.

I: I’m here with Allison one of the past American Idol contestants who is successfully writing her own story, congratulations Allison and thanks for this call.
A: Thank you
I: Tell me, how has your life change before and after you participated on American Idol
A: It’s a completely different world. I can say that mentally and physically I’m stronger than I was before, before I entered Idol, more confident; and obviously now people, they know me and they know my name.
I: You are famous
A: Famous!? That word! Heh
I: Ok, let’s just say successful
A: Yeah, successful, with opportunities I didn’t have before, with more opened doors that were closed before. My life really has totally changed, I’m the same person but more prepared for what I want to do in the future and for my career.
I: So this has been an enriching experience.
A: Yes
I: So, speaking of what you want to do, where does Allison want to go? What do you want to reach?
A: To the end, until I die, I want to be singing in my grave. I want my name to be known, not just because I was the red haired girl from American Idol but because of the music.
I: And you’re making it, you’re on your way. Now, Allison what do you think of the fact that now young people have many more tools to support their dreams and talents through shows like American Idol?
A: Well, you know, I entered Idol, and some people sometimes think that it’s a fluke, people have different opinions, but I think that it is a great door that opens for some who don’t have those opportunities others have, they don’t have the money and they have that dream, they want to make music. It’s a really big thing that helps you, it made my dream come true of singing in front of thousands of people, recording with big producers and writers, to tour, it was all I imagined, what I dreamed of doing since I was little.
I: Of course, and how did you get to American Idol? Was it you? Did you say I want to enter this contest or was it a family member that pushed you and said “go for it Allison”.
A: I think both, I think I was 9 years old when the first season of Idol aired and it always just made me want to sing more and more, it was inspirational, watching the tv with Kelly Clarkson singing, it made me want to go but since I was 9, I couldn’t do it, I had to wait until I was 16. At 14 I went to Quinceañera and at 15 I won, but nothing happened, it was time to move on. When I turned 16, I still had it in my mind that I wanted to go to Idol. Since I was 9 I wanted to auditioned, so it was time. At 16, my sister, my mom, my dad, my brother, everyone, my uncles, we were going, I was ready! We went to San Francisco, I slept on the floor for 2 days, I auditioned and now I’m here.
I: Wow, and what did the judges tell you?
A: Well, there are like 6 auditions you have to pass before the actual auditioned, some positive things, some things to help…when I went to the auditioned in front of Simon Cowell, Randy y Kara, I remember I was jumping up and down when they told me I had made it to Hollywood and Simon told me, calm down, you just got about a 7…it was like, for the next time I’ll give you a 10.
I: Wow, I can imagine it was an incredible experience. Now tell me, who is your favorite singer?
A: Hmm…it would always have to be…since I grew up with classic rock with my father, always teaching me that, I remember Janis Joplin always got stuck in my head, since I was very little, listening to Piece of my heart and I think she is a big influence in my career.
I: Very important and interesting, now…have you ever thought about trying a different facet since you’re already in the media, like maybe as an actress?
A: Yeah, it would be fun, I enjoy it a lot, I like it. I can’t say I’m…good (laughs). I have the will and I would like to, but I think I’ll need to get training
I: My blog also talks about movies, so I would like to know what’s your favorite movie?
A: Dumb and dumber
I: Really?
A: Yeah, because…it’s just my favorite movie of all time (laughs)
I: It’s a really funny movie. Lastly, I would like to ask you to sing a little bit for us! Do you sing in Spanish?
A: Yeah…ok, uh…
I: But, do you sing in Spanish?
A: Yeah
I: Wow, I would love that, because we have seen you in English and all that but any song you know in Spanish?
A: In Spanish…uh, ok
I: To cheer you on, we’re going to follow your career, keep on supporting you; it’s awesome that you sing in Spanish too.
A: Let’s see, the only one that comes to mind is Volverte a amar from Alejandra Guzmán
I: Ok, go ahead
A: Let’s see if I remember, sorry if I mess up, and I’m drinking a soda so forgive me if I burp (they both laugh)
Allison sings part of Volverte a amar
A: Oh dear, I don’t remember!
I: That is great, so beautiful! Thank you so much, I wish you the best of luck, no wonder you won! (Quinceañera). I think this is just the beginning of many successes. Obviously we have to remind people to that behind all of this, there’s a lot of work
A: Yes of course, a lot and a lot of work
I: Thank you so much Allison, we will be paying close attention to your career and later we want to see you in a movie!
A: Oh well….
I: Hugs! Bye
A: Bye

Can’t wait for your second album, Allison!

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