Mario Vazquez

{{short description|American singer}} {{About|the singer|the Kansas City public administrator|Mario Vasquez}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Mario Vazquez | image = | alt = | caption = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Mario Adrian Vazquez | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|6|15}} | birth_place = The Bronx, New York City, US | origin = | death_date =  | death_place = | genre = {{flatlist| *Pop *R&B }} | occupation = Singer | instrument = Vocals | years_active = 2005–present | label = Arista Records (2006–2007) | website =  }} '''Mario Adrián Vázquez''' (born June 15, 1977) is an American singer from The Bronx, New York City.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mario-vazquez-mn0000978231/biography|title=Mario Vazquez {{!}} Biography & History|last=Brown|first=Marisa|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> He competed on American Idol's fourth season, which aired on the FOX network in early 2005.

==Biography==

===Early life=== Raised by his single mother, Ada, in the Bronx, Vazquez is an alumnus of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. He was also involved in the CityKids Repertory Company in New York City, which enabled him to travel the country and perform in front of the President and at major charitable functions and shelters. In 2005, he was reunited with his estranged father, Mario Rivera, who discovered that his son was on ''American Idol'' while channel surfing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-03-19 |title=Ex-Idol Mario Vazquez Reunites with His Dad - Kids & Family Life, Mario Vazquez : People.com |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1543257,00.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319032818/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1543257,00.html |archive-date=March 19, 2008 }}</ref>

===''American Idol''=== {{Main|American Idol (season 4)}}

After making it into the final round of twelve contestants on the hit reality show ''American Idol'', Vazquez suddenly dropped out of the competition citing "personal family thing" a few days before the finals started.<ref name="realitytvworld 2005">{{cite web|url=http://www.realitytvworld.com/index/articles/story.php?s=3311|title=Mario Vazquez quits 'American Idol', Fox names Nikko Smith as new finalist|date=March 14, 2005|website=realitytvworld.com}}</ref> When the press contacted his mother regarding his decision, she was unaware why he had left the show.<ref name="realitytvworld 2005"/>

There was much speculation about his decision; Vazquez appeared the next morning on "Good Day New York" on WNYW ''FOX5'', and quashed rumors of a feud with "American Idol" producers or any of his competitors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1498063/mario-vazquez-quits-idol.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210073026/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1498063/mario-vazquez-quits-idol.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 10, 2012|title=Mario Vazquez Quits 'Idol' — 'It Wasn't Right For Me'|publisher=MTV News|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> "''American Idol'' was only positive. They were only wonderful to me, from the beginning through the middle, to the end," he told the show. "It had nothing to do with the contract or anything signed with J Records." J Records is the same company that manages Idol winners Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino. Vazquez later said that he wanted more artistic control and creating his own sound. He felt that since he was now known worldwide as a semi-finalist, he could end the competition and go solo. He believed that his musical success would not make a difference whether he quit as a semi-finalist or participated in the finals round.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/04/interview_with_.html|title=Interview with Mario Vasquez|last=Timmermans|first=Arjan|date=April 9, 2007|website=arjanwrites.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070422125729/http://www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2007/04/interview_with_.html|archive-date=April 22, 2007}}</ref> Vazquez was replaced on the show by Nikko Smith, who had previously been voted out.

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" style="width:90%; margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;" |+ '''''American Idol'' season 4 performances and results''' !Episode !Song Choice !Original Artist !Order # !Result |- |Auditions |"Whatever Happens" |Michael Jackson |rowspan=4|N/A |rowspan=4|Advanced |- |Hollywood Round, Part 1 |"Bohemian Rhapsody" |Queen |- |Hollywood Round, Part 2 |"I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" with Jamar Jefferson and Anwar Robinson |Four Tops |- |Hollywood Round, Part 3 |"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" |The Bee Gees |- |Top 24 (Top 12 Men) |"Do I Do" |Stevie Wonder |12 |rowspan=2|Safe |- |Top 20 (Top 10 Men) |"I Love Music" |The O'Jays |1 |- |Top 16 (Top 8 Men) |"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" |The Bee Gees |6 |Quit{{ref|1|1}} |} {{note|1|1}}Originally making the Top 12, Vazquez withdrew from the show for personal reasons. He was replaced by Nikko Smith.

===Music career=== In August 2005, Vazquez signed with J Records/Arista Records and worked on an album executive produced by Clive Davis.<ref name="people">{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1095705,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320024157/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1095705,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 20, 2008|title=''Idol'' Mario Vazquez Signs Record Deal|date=August 18, 2005|work=People|author=Carla Hay and Stephen M. Silverman}}</ref> Vazquez's manager was Arnold Stiefel, who also managed Rod Stewart.<ref name="people"/> He worked with Ne-Yo, Akon, Soulshock and Karlin, Lester Mendez, Scott Storch, and Luny Tunes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nochelatina.com/Articles/4732/QandA-Sessions-Mario-Vazquez|title=Interview with American Idol's Mario Vazquez|last=Otero|first=Navani|date=May 25, 2006|website=nochelatina.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1540976/20060915/storch_scott.jhtml|title='Idol' Dropout Mario Vazquez Shows 'Grittier' Side On Debut, Hopes For Spot On Christina Tour|last=Moss|first=Corey|date=September 18, 2006|publisher=VH1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224202912/http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1540976/20060915/storch_scott.jhtml|archive-date=December 24, 2007|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-07-29 |title=Mario Vasquez Interview {{!}} American Idol LatinRapper.com |url=http://www.latinrapper.com/mario_vasquez_interview.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729082559/http://www.latinrapper.com/mario_vasquez_interview.html |archive-date=July 29, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2006-09-05 |title=Ex-'Idol' Vasquez Readies Solo Debut |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ex-idol-vasquez-readies-solo-debut-57328/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref> Some of these artists' songs with Vasquez did not make the final cut on his album. His first single "Gallery" was released in May 2006, and reached number 35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.<ref name="billboard">{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/309481/mario+vazquez/chart?f=379|title=Mario Vazquez – Chart history {{!}} Billboard|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref> Vazquez's self-titled album was released September 26, 2006 by Arista Records.

Later that year, Vazquez performed on the Cartoon Network Friday block on August 25, 2006. A second single "One Shot" was released to radio in February 2007.

After leaving J Records in 2008, he worked with a few dance DJs, appearing on collaborations with Hype Jones and Ted Nilsson in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://soundcloud.com/mariovazqueznow|title=Mario Vazquez 4|website=soundcloud.com}}</ref>

==Controversy== In 2007, Magdaleno Olmos, an employee of Fremantle Media which produces ''American Idol'', filed a lawsuit against Fremantle Media, Fox Entertainment, and Mario Vazquez claiming wrongful termination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2007/03/12/fallen-idol-accused-of-masturbating-in-front-of-male-employe/|title="A.I." Contestant Accused of "Masturbating" in Suit|date=March 13, 2007 }}</ref> The lawsuit alleged that Vazquez sexually harassed Olmos by performing a lewd act in front of him and offered sexual favors.<ref>[http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0312_mario_vasquez.pdf Olmos court document] (tmz.com document)</ref> Olmos claimed that he tried to report the incident to a superior but was threatened with dismissal, and he was "terminated" a few months after the incident. Olmos' lawyer also suggested that ''Idol'' producers had forced Vasquez out over the complaint, and claimed that Nigel Lythgoe, the show producer, had said to Olmos, "we know that this happened and we are going to let Mario Vazquez go, and you're going to stay."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17629042|title=Lawsuit: 'Idol' producers forced Vasquez out|date=March 15, 2007|newspaper=TODAY.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002161033/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17629042/ns/today-entertainment/t/lawsuit-idol-producers-forced-vasquez-out/|archive-date=October 2, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=October 11, 2016}}</ref>

Vazquez was reported to be "very upset, almost distraught" over the claim and that he didn't even remember Magdaleno Olmos.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/mario-vazquez-is-not-a-bad-idol|title=Mario Vazquez Is Not A Bad 'idol'|first=Roger|last=Friedman|website=Fox News|date=March 14, 2007|access-date=June 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222143352/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258664,00.html|archive-date=December 22, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> He had previously denied that he is gay and that he quit the show for "artistic reasons".<ref name=":0" /> The judge later ruled that Olmos had signed an agreement to "arbitrate all disputes and not file a lawsuit," and sent the case to arbitration and put a hold on the lawsuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/ex-idol-employee-ordered-arbitrate-mario-vazquez-harassment-suit-5387.php|title=Ex-'Idol' employee ordered to arbitrate Mario Vazquez harassment suit|last=Rocchio|first=Christopher|date=June 20, 2007|website=realitytvworld.com}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Album details ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Sales |- style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="45"| US <ref>[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=mario vazquez|chart=Billboard 200}} Billboard – Album]</ref> ! width="45"| FRA <ref name="FRA">{{cite web|url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Mario%20Vazquez&titel=Mario%20Vazquez&cat=a|title=lescharts.com – Mario Vazquez – Mario Vazquez|website=lescharts.com|access-date=October 25, 2022}}</ref> |- | 2006 | align="left"| '''''Mario Vazquez''''' * {{small|Released: September 26, 2006}} * {{small|Label: Arista}} | 80 | 104 | align="left"| * US: 56,000<ref name="Billboard 20 Jan 2007">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kBIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA25 |title=Billboard |publisher= Nielsen Business Media |date=January 20, 2007 |page=25}}</ref> |}

===Singles=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="5"| Peak chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US <ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/american-idol-top-100-hits-of-all-time/mad-world-adam-lambert-hot-100-peak-no-19-2009/|title=Top 100 'American Idol' Hits of All Time|magazine=Billboard|last=Bronson|first=Fred|date=May 12, 2015|access-date=October 25, 2022}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS <ref name="charts">{{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Mario+Vazquez&titel=Gallery&cat=s|title=Mario Vazquez – Gallery|website=australian-charts.com|access-date=October 25, 2022}}</ref> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| FRA <ref name="FRA"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| SWE <ref name="charts"/> ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| SWI <ref name="charts"/> |- ! scope="row"| "Gallery" | 2006 | 35 || 42 || 15 || 27 || 35 |- ! scope="row"| "One Shot" | 2007 | — || — || — || — || — |- ! scope="row"| "You Are the Only One" {{small|(with Hype Jones)}} | 2012 | — || — || — || — || — |}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|1867602}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vazquez, Mario}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from the Bronx Category:American Idol participants Category:American male pop singers Category:American musicians of Puerto Rican descent Category:21st-century American singers Category:21st-century American male singers