Jasmine Trias is a Pilipino-American recording artist who gained fame through finishing in third place on the third season of popular television show American Idol. Trias was born in Hawaii on November 3, 1986. She has expressed much pride for her home state. While she was in high school, she competed in a few singing tournaments (Brown Bags to Stardom 2001, Road to Fame 2003) that she won. However, she didn't receive her big break until she auditioned for the third season of American Idol during 2004. Trias was invisible to the public until her first live performance in a group of eight semi-finalists. However, her quirky spirit and powerful cover of "Run to You" by Whitney Houston propelled her into the Top 12. During her run in the Top 12, Trias was praised by the judges, but was also harshly criticized, especially by the public. Many fans of the show claimed she was making it through the rounds based on state support rather than talent. Trias fell under much negative publicity when she made it to the final three of the show, beating out contestant LaToya London, who was believed to be a much better contestant than Trias. In the end, Trias would just fall short of the finale, finishing in third place. After the show, Trias signed with the independent Clockwork Entertainment and released her debut album, Jasmine Trias, on July 12, 2005. The album went on to sell 14,000 copies in the United States and over 50,000 worldwide. In addition, Trias signed a deal with Universal Records to have the album released in the Philippines, where the album fared much better. It was certified platinum there. After Idol, Trias has become a celebrity in the Philippines and her home state of Hawaii. In 2004, she won the Asian People magazine award for People of the Year. In 2005, she won Entertainer of the Year at the Hawaii Music Awards, and also won Best New Artist and Best Pop Album at the same awards in 2006. In addition she was nominated for two PARI's Awit awards (considered to be the Pilipino equivalent to the Grammys) for her single "Lose Control" (Best R&B Song, Best Vocal Arrangement). ~ Matthew Chisling