Camile Velasco

Born in Makati City, Philippines, Velasco's family later moved to Haiku, Maui—located in the islands of Hawaii in 1993. Prior to American Idol, Velasco was a struggling songwriter/composer who worked at her parents' I-Hop Restaurant.

In 2003, Velasco auditioned for American Idol in Honolulu, Hawaii and became part of the second group of semifinalists. Velasco emerged as the top vote-getter in her group and advanced to the top 12 finals.

On the show, Velasco's trademark was a red, yellow and green Rasta wristband, which she always wore on her left wrist as a good luck charm and as an homage to reggae music and her idol Lauryn Hill. According to her, the colors red, yellow and green mean peace, happiness, and unity, respectively.

Vocally, Velasco differentiated herself by adopting a hip-hop interpretation to the various pop, soul and country songs chosen each week. The judges even compared her to New Jersey hip-hop artist Lauryn Hill but on April 7, 2004, she became the fourth person to leave American Idol 3.

Currently, Velasco is signed to one of the biggest names in the music industry, Motown Records. Her debut album, which will feature her own compositions, is expected to be released in the summer of 2005. She is currently taking classes at the Musician Institute in Hollywood, CA.