Melissa Sgambelluri
Melissa Sgambelluri (born 1984, New York) is an American actress, dancer,and singer, most famous for her appearances on American Idol Seasons 5 and 6 as the "fountain girl". She was raised in the Capital District and now lives in New York City.
Early career
Sgambelluri acted in local theater in Albany's Washington Park, and was a runner-up for the Albany Tulip Queen beauty contest. She attended Bishop Maginn High School and the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. She was the opening act for American Idol Season 5 runner-up Bo Bice, and sang locally at other gigs in the Capital District of New York, while also working as a receptionist at a hair stylist's boutique.
American Idol
In 2006, Sgambelluri unsuccessfully tried out for Season 5 of the American television reality show, American Idol; she returned in 2007 for Season 6 auditions.
Sgambelluri appeared in the first few minutes of the "Best of the Rest" episode of American Idol Season 6, where she sang Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man and Ira Gershwin's Someone to Watch Over Me. She also appeared in the opening credits and a promo that season jumping up and down in a fountain in Memphis with her "Golden Ticket" to Hollywood, but was contractually required to keep her final status a secret.
Sgambelluri was eliminated from the competition in the Hollywood round. She did, however, make it into the Idol Final 100, received kudos from Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, , was feted in Albany, and was able to perform in Hollywood.
Subsequent career
Sgambelluri has recorded a video at Quad Studios in New York City, which is now shown at You Tube and other viral video web sites. Since mid-2007, she has performed as an R & B singer around the Capital District, as well as the New York City area. She currently lives in New York City.