'American Song Contest': Who is Sisqó? Meet Maryland artist behind the 2000 hit 'Thong Song'
With 56 artists taking on the 'American Song Contest' stage, fans have seen undiscovered talent, rising stars, and legendary icons singing their hearts out in the hopes of winning the show. Hosted by Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson, the show celebrates the depth, style, and genres of music in America.
As the show enters Week 5 of the Qualifying Rounds, states and singers that have made the cut thus far are: Week 1 - Hueston from Rhode Island, AleXa from Oklahoma, Christian Pagán from Puerto Rico, and Michael Bolton from Connecticut. Week 2 - Jordan Smith from Kentucky, Broderick Jones from Kansas, Jonah Prill from Montana, and Chloe Fredericks from North Dakota. Week 3 - Tyler Braden from Tennessee, Ni/Co from Alabama, Grant Knoche from Texas, and Riker Lynch from Colorado. And in Week 4, the judges picked Allen Stone from Washington State to make it to the Semifinals, while the public's choices are yet to be revealed.
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Who is Sisqo?
Representing the state of Maryland is musician Sisqó. While he calls Baltimore, MD home, he currently resides in Minnesota. The artist goes by his stage name Sisqó, but his real name is Mark Althavan Andrews. He graduated from Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School. In a conversation with VICE, he spoke about the story behind his hit song 'Thong Song' which found its way on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2000. "I went on a date with this young lady and after the date, I'm hanging out; I'm getting to second base. Next thing she takes off whatever clothes she had on. And for the first time in my life I saw a thong or what was expressed to me as a thong," he explained.
"I didn't know what it was. All I knew was that it was glorious. I was at a loss for words. I was like, “What? What is… what is this? What is that? What is this?” She was like, “You know, like a G-string; a thong,” and I was like “Ow! it’s called a thong?” Pretty much, I don't even remember what happened for the rest of that night because I could not wait to get back, you know, like around my friends and tell them of this glorious material that I witnessed," he further added.
As per his NBC bio, "Sisqó, longtime frontman of the multi-platinum group Dru Hill and a Grammy Award-nominated solo artist, is a 25-year music veteran whose hits include "Tell Me," "Incomplete," "In My Bed," "5 Steps," "How Deep Is Your Love," "We're Not Making Love No More" and the smash single "The Thong Song." In 2000, he won six Billboard Music Awards, including Male Artist of the Year. He was born Mark Althavean Andrews in Baltimore, a city synonymous with drugs and extreme violence, and it served as the rearing site for an artist who has exceeded expectations throughout his life. At a time when charismatic singers who can really sing and dance is a rarity, Sisqó shines as the consummate showman fearless in his pursuit to push the limits of creativity."
'American Song Contest' airs on Mondays, at 8/7c on NBC. You can vote for your favorite performances on the NBC website, the NBC app, and TikTok. You can also stream your favorite artists' songs on your preferred music streaming app.