Mario Vazquez

Singer Mario Adrian Vazquez was born on June 15, 1977 in the Bronx, New York. He is a former student of La Guirdia School of Performing Arts and was involved in the City Kids Repertoire Company and traveled with them around the country to perform at charitable functions and for the President of the United States. Mario Vazquez made news in 2005 when he left the television show American Idol after making it into the final 12. Many speculated that he quit the show to avoid signing the restrictive contract all contests must sign to participate on the show. However, Vasquez says that it was more of a need to control the sound he has worked to perfect since the age of 13. The day after country crooner Carrie Underwood was crowned the next American Idol, Vazquez was in music executive Clive Davis' office, auditioning for the label head. Davis was impressed, and signed the young singer to a record deal, making Vazquez the first young male Latin artist on Arista. Vazquez's first single, "Gallery" was released in the spring of 2006. His debut album was released in the summer of 2006.