It's good to do something a little different when it comes to American Idol, but is singing entirely in Spanish a step too far?
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MKY decided to take the risk and sing 'Sabor a Mi' for the Hollywood stages of American Idol. The song is a beautiful Mexican love ballad, and it gave him a chance to show off his guitar skills as well as his Spanish voice.
The song, which was entirely in Spanish, is a well-loved one in Latin America. For the millions of Latino fans out there, it would have been an instant winner. But whether it would impress the very much not-Latino judges is another thing altogether.
The risk was a calculated one for MKY. Speaking before his performance on his choice, he said, 'Sabor a Mí' is such a huge staple song of the culture, and it means a lot to me to be able to sing in Spanish on American Idol." He saw an opportunity and took it.
The fact that the song has so much meaning for MKY is also important. Listening to the performance, it is easy to hear the passion behind the words.
Spanish Paid Off
Despite the risk of singing in a second language, the Spanish anthem worked for the American Idol judges. The three judges were all impressed with his performance, with Richie and Underwood especially moved.
Taking a risk like that, especially in front of a live audience, showed them that he had range. It also showed them that he can impress a crowd even when most of them have no idea what the song is. He didn't need to rely on well-known music to get people going.
Before he stepped on stage, his anticipation of playing a song so important to him was evident. "I've waited my whole life for this opportunity. I'm hoping I can pull it off and maybe just show a different side of me," he said.
He was able to show off both his vocals and guitar playing with this Spanish track on American Idol. If we're lucky, we may see a few more Latino classics from MKY.
