Trivia

Her mother Zelda is a former Motown backup singer.

Is of African-American descent on her mother's side and Puerto Rican descent on her father's side.

During American Idol season 7, she lost her voice in Hollywood Week and insisted on going on vocal rest and was seen communicating through paper and pen to the camera throughout the week. Her voice was later restored and she sang "Chain of Fools" and was chosen to be in the Top 24. She later went on to be the 2nd runner up behind David Cook and David Archuleta.

She is staring in the new Broadway revival national tour of Dreamgirls as Deena Jones, the role played by Sheryl Lee Ralph in the original and most recently by Beyonce in the 2007 film version.