17-year-old Jaime Lindow sings Celine Dion song and wins 1,000
gallons of gasoline
By Rachelle Gines Staff Writer
Gilroy – Tears of joy ran down Patti Gresham’s face and she covered her mouth with her hands when she heard that her 17-year-old granddaughter Jaime Lindow was crowned the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s first Garlic Idol.
“I just wanted to thank my grandparents for getting me up out of bed and to that Friday audition,” Campbell resident Lindow said to the crowd before her winning rendition of Celine Dion’s “Seduce Me.” “I would be nothing without their support.”
Clutching the gold spray-painted garlic bulb she received after Sunday’s contest, Lindow said she has been driving for about a year and plans to go to the beach now that she has won the contest’s grand prize: 1,000 gallons of gas to be paid in a gift-certificate or gas card.
“Yeah! I’m going to go to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk,” Lindow said.
Grandmother Patti Gresham said Lindow’s victory was a great confidence builder.
“It was breathtaking to find out she won. This may help her prepare for ‘American Idol,'” Patti Gresham said.
Dressed in a black and cream scoop-neck shirt, Lindow bested Garlic Idol semi-finalists 31-year-old San Jose resident Janiah Gomez and 21-year-old Marina resident Hector Vargas-Perez.
“I was surprised to win because these two guys are amazing,” Lindow said as she hugged fellow contestant Gomez.
Similar in format to the television show “American Idol,” five Garlic Idol contestants qualified the week before by singing live over the air waves of San Jose-based radio station, Mix 106.5, and the remaining five qualified at a final on-site audition the Friday of the Festival.
Seven finalists were eliminated in the semi-finals Saturday, as determined by three Garlic Idol judges, Donald “Elvis” Prieto, former 2003 Garlic Queen Melissa Noto and Mix 106.5 radio personality Tim “Slappy” Babb. Celebrity guest judge Bud E. Love joined the other judges for the final round Sunday. Contestants were awarded up to 10 points each on vocal talent, stage presence and entertainment appeal, for a maximum score of 30 points.
Lindow dropped to her knees while she belted Dion’s lyrics, to the cheers of festival-goers seated on hay bales at the Festival’s Gazebo Stage.
Celebrity judge Love gave Lindow what he called constructive criticism, to which the audience disagreed.
“You have a lot of vocal range, but you were a little off,” Love said to boos and jeers from the audience. “Hey, I say this because I’m a professional singer. But, if you get over your nerves, you’ll have a career in show business.”
San Jose radio personality Babb said judging was tough.
“I can definitely say I picked Jaime as the winner, but it was very close and a great show,” Babb said referring to semi-finalist Gomez’s performance.
Gomez, who sang Mariah Carey’s recent hit, “We Belong Together,” took her performance off stage, even luring Gilroy resident Pete Betancourt into her performance, as she sang and danced with him, much to the delight of the audience.
“It was my first and definitely most memorable Garlic Festival ever,” Betancourt said about his Garlic Idol experience with Gomez, who is a married mother of two girls. “It was a great idea, and it was fun to participate.”
Judge Love said Gomez’s performance shined.
“Out of all three performers, I believed you the most. When you sing a song, you tell a story, and you related that story to us. You had great interaction with the audience,” Love said.
Cheerful and smiling after the contest, Gomez said she’ll be back next year. She said that she is often asked to sing at weddings and family events, and that she has loved to sing since she was a girl.
“It was awesome, and I definitely am going to come back and try out again next year. It was worth every moment,” Gomez said as she gently tucked some hair behind the ear of her 5-year-old daughter Jazz Myriah.
Vargas-Perez chose Marc Anthony’s ballad “You Sang To Me,” but failed to recapture the favor he had with the judges when he sang Marc Anthony’s more upbeat “I Need to Know” at Saturday’s performance.
“There were a couple of ‘oops’ and ‘outs,’ during your performance,” Judge Elvis Prieto said to Vargas-Perez, who was dressed in a black and white shirt bearing the likeness of actor Al Pacino.
Babb also said he was disappointed with Vargas-Perez’s performance.
“Your song choice was off. I really enjoyed your fast stuff, because that’s when you really shine,” Babb said.
Former Garlic Queen and Judge Melissa Noto felt differently about Vargas Perez’s choice of songs.
“I like that you picked a slower song, because it showed your versatility,” Noto said.
Saying he had to get back to Big Sur for work immediately after his performance, Vargas-Perez shrugged off his loss.
“I had a lot of fun, and I will be back next year,” Vargas-Perez.
Gilroy resident Stacey Cantu, 23, said that she thought all of the contestants did well, though she had a recommendation for next year’s Garlic Idol.
“They need more space, and more seats, so people can sit and watch,” Cantu said.
