The only reason, and I mean the ONLY reason Jessica didn't win is because a bunch of teenage girls thought Phillip was hot. That is literally the only reason.

She should have won

And yet, she's so underrated. :(

No disrespect to Phillip Phillips, but he has nothing at all on her. Incredible.

I was in the audience when she performed this... still gives me chills

American Idol jumped the shark after Jessica Sanchez lost to Phillip Phillips. Now, look at the ratings. If Jessica won, American Idol's ratings would have fared a lot better

Watching it now March 2016 and I still believe she is the one who really deserved to win

I used to be so obsessed with her covers when I was a teenager😭

The finale SHOULD have been Jessica and JOSHUA!!!!! THAT would have been the most epic finale in AI HISTORY.....go back and look at their duet of Knew You Were Waiting......RIDICULOUS!!!

Came back in 2022 bc I randomly thought of her. I remember as a kid watching this with my parents as soon as this episode came out. She should of won for sure..

I'd rather pay to see Jessica Sanchez in concert at a small or rundown venue than to pay to see Phillip Phillips at a large or state-of-the-art venue.

I freakin' love Mary J. Blige's squeak at 0:33. That's how good Jessica is.

wish Steve Harvey was the announcer for American idol

Beautiful..does Whitney justice

If the original American Idol judging panel was on board, Jessica Sanchez would've won and Phillip Phillips would've never made it past the auditions.

It makes me pretty mad that talent like this is not successful or known. There's so many talented people on the Internet and they do not get notice, while there's famous people that honestly don't really sing.

so pure :) love the emotion in every word

The last few notes alone is perfection.... I hope for the last season they acknowledge this performance as one of the best

How did the guy with two of the same name one plural win over this insanely good singer? She was fucking magnificent. The judges had to use their only save to keep her on the show because people weren't voting. People don't care about the talent, it's a popularity contest and they obviously favor the country white guy (I honestly don't know wtf he did I didn't care) over the Mexican (in their minds I know she's only half and half Filipino)

This is one of the Top 5 BEST sung song on American Idol. Singing a Whitney Houston song is not easy. I don't think even Whitney before she died could have sung that song any better. I don't think she could have even hit those high notes any longer. Jessica can sing. That's natural talent.

I stopped watching american idol because she didn't win

*it's 2020 and i'm still watching this!* _oh! i'm in the future btw_

She mentioned in an interview that she learned vibrato through whitney. I learned vibrato from Jessica. :)

Her vocal control is out of this world

WAIT SHE DIDNT WIN WTF

This is the best version of Whitney Housten 'I will Always Love you' I ever heard. it still is! I remember watching this episode where Jessica sings this and me and my mom cried our eyes out cuz it was so good. I still cry when I watch it lol. Amazing.

To me it doesn't matter what ethnicity, this child came out with Jenifer Hudson and blew it out the water. Her stage presents was impeccable, she should have won hands down Her age along should have helped her win, 17 and singing like that, I wouldn't care if she was a black, blue, red, green. yellow, orange, the show is based on how you sing, THAT GIRL CAN SANG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

she's the real winner.

My wife and 6 yr old daughter met Jessica today at the Dallas zoo...she is very kind and gracious to her fans. You made my daughters day for sure Jessica...Thank you~

I don't know why...I used to watch American Idols back in the day, now, I don't watch American Idols anymore or any other singing competition reality shows, but this ONE song, this ONE performance by this ONE crazy talented young girl always gives me goosebumps whenever I watch it. Somehow I couldn't forget her name and the song she performed on that day....I will Always love you by Whitney Houston performed by Jessica Sanchez is truly my fav most RANDOM memorable singing performance in my entire life of enjoying arts and music. It's crazy that she didn't win...this one performance is enough to wipe out the entire newbies from the latest seasons of American Idols which I don't even bother watching, I've seen some of them tho but they were forgettable. Jessica Sanchez is truly have an amazing gift and a very talented young girl, but, instead Phillip Phillips won and the previous one was Scotty Mcreary, I don't know why but somehow I feel like most of the winners from American Idols won based by their looks.

Perfect! I crid then and now! She was amazing! Hope, JS has e good life. Actually, that seson was the last season when I have to watch. After that AI has changed to worst, I think. But JS was perfect! :)

still having goosebumps whenever i play her renditions of the songs .. wtf jessica you always nailed those songs!!!!!

I won American Idol using only sign language

The only one that comes CLOSE to Whitney.

I was moved when Whitney's "I will always love you" was sung by Jessica. This is the hardest song in the universe and Jessica nailed it!!!! I had to search this video again on you tube just so I can listen to it. After watching so many tv shows (the voice , X factor and all, nothing can ever compare to this song. Wish you all the best Jessica!!!

literally just as good as whitney

She should have won, I mean Phillip Phillips, is a good singer, but Jessica sang one of the hardest songs in the world.

Personally, I love Phillip Phillips. He has a style I simply can't deny. But for fuck's sake, Jessica Sanchez obviously had the most vocal talent on that season. She deserved to win.

Revisiting this performance in 2023 and still pissed she did not win. This performance alone should have locked her in.

Still watching up until now this is how I love Jessica so much #blujays forever

Perfection. One of the best singers ever on American Idol.

I'd rather pay an arm and leg to see Jessica Sanchez in concert than to pay a small penny to see Phillip Phillips in concert.

Who else comes back and watches from 0:28 again and again... 2024 baby and counting

she's the best singer agree it's 2022 timeless video of all time

American Idol X Show Winner: Scotty McCreery American Idol X Real Winner: Haley Reinhart American Idol XI Show Winner: Phillip Phillips American Idol XI Real Winner: Jessica Sanchez American Idol XII Show Winner and Real Winner: Candice Glover American Idol XIII Show Winner: Caleb Johnson American Idol XIII Real Winner: Jena Irene American Idol XIV Show Winner: Nick Fradiani American Idol XIV Real Winner: JAX American Idol XV Show Winner: Trent Harmon American Idol XV Real Winner: La'Porsha Renae

gives me goosebumps she is a damn good singer, she got a awesome career ahead of her! way to go Jessica whitney Houston was one of my singing idoles and I know for a fact she would be very very proud of you!

It’s 2021 and I’m still watching this ❤️

Damn, shes better than Ariana Grande actually...

Steven Tyler hasn't even finished his comment and they cut him LMAO

She is like Charice, she enchants her voice and that's beautiful.

This girls vocal ability and range so good. why hasn't she become famous..She is way better then any latest British female contestant on xfactor n the voice.

Jessica the Best singer of the history of american idol and she was only 16 years old ! She is so talented!

The best contestant idol ever had!

Lovely voice she has, enjoyed hearing her.

Im the furthest thing from an Idol fan...and Im not saying that because its the trendy thing to say. Im about as old school as it gets, when it comes to my music and who I like to listen to. But when you got folks like Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson commenting on the production of the show, and how its run, along with them feeling that the winners come out of a microwave..then you pay attention. But I can honestly say, every show that Jessica competed on, I watched it. She has a gift..plain and simple. She doesn't know where it comes from...she just knows that when she opens her mouth, this sound comes out. Yea, she's invested and she worked really hard. But she is proof that some folks have "it"...and many folks, dont. Whatever "it is..she's got it.

She hit that spot on. Very pure voice.

i watch this video over and over again ... almost a 100 times but this is my first comment... amazing :)

they gave her beautiful notes

Honestly this is my favorite cover of this song ever. I've watched many other great artists try to cover this and this is still my favorite.

2022 and I'm finding myself looking back to her performances. Amazing vocal quality and range. She was the most deserving to win in this season.

I’ve never heard this song covered better than this. She absolutely should’ve won

I watched American Idol from beginning to end and their were very few people that stood out. It's currently 5 almost 6 years later and I'm still checking for this girl. SHE'S THE TRUTH.

Jessica Sanchez would’ve won instead of Phillip Phillips if: • American Idol did not permit power voting. • Simon Cowell was on the judging panel in season 11. • The Philippines never became an independent nation. (The Philippines used to be an American colony.) • All the American viewers of season 5 voted in season 11. • Season 11 ran fairly. • The voting viewers thought like record producers instead of consumers. • Jessica Sanchez’s audition aired in full during the San Diego audition episode. (Phillip Phillips’ audition did so.) • Everyone took everything into consideration.

There is so much passion in her voice that I cannot believe she is not everyday talk. It really saddens me that I rarely see this much talent shown through an individual throughout America that everyone knows about. I am speechless now.

This is the only cover I've ever heard of this song that could compare to the original. Jessica is so amazing she should've won and this is definitely in my top 5 idol performances ever

2022 Yep! Beautiful voice! The judges were on point with their advice. Plus MJB is so cool.

this was perfection and the ending was epiccc

Came back to find this 💎 was sad when she didn’t win!!

AWESOMENESS WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VOICE!

2 days after the season 15 finale, I am celebrating Jessica's talent and beauty

It’s been 11 years and I will never move on from the fact that Jessica was ROBBED! This performance especially was where I was SO SURE she was the winner😭

came back to remind everyone: Jessica Sanchez was robbed of the American Idol title, she deserved to win her season, and I think we are ALL salty and angry that this legend did not win.

Breathtaking, heartbreaking, forever unparalleled exhibit of human perfection.

I'm proud for being Filipino it is because of you Jessica . amazing!

Watching this now (July 2019) and I can tell that she was the best among her batch. Sad that she didn’t win.

The best song i hv ever heard on american idol..you nailed it jessica.!

she made mee cry!!!!!!!!!!!! omg shes such a fucken good singer

It's been nine years and still watching this beautiful performance

She sounds great, but the difference is that when Whitney sings she doesn't overdo the runs, they are placed perfectly without losing focuse of the emotion. I feel that when Jessica sings the focuse is to sound pretty with cute runs while Whitney connects with the song and sings it with raw emotion not only the technical notes.

I remember Jessica singing this song, my jaw dropped. As many have attempted to sing a Whitney Houston song, In my opinion usually fell short. When Jessica sang this I was in tears. So beautiful and much more mature than a 16 year would be expected to do. Wow! Loved watching it again, thanks for sharing this.

i got chills from this omg it's so good

This show went downhill once Randy left.

She have been the best Singer in the world since she was 10 wow

The best American Idol contestant ever!

I'd listen to her sing all day... Of all the singing competition I've watched. Of all the filipina singers... She has the most beautiful voice.

This is my favorite performance of all in American Idol history! She should have won!

Jessica is AMAZING!!!i'm so happy she is being recognized!!!! I was sooo angry when she didn't win! been rooting for her since i saw her on here when she was young! Congrats!! fyi i never make comments:)

If Simon was still on the show this season he would’ve loved Jessica and she would’ve been his favorite

that just gave me chills..you are amazing!!!

omg watching this live for the first time I literally scREAMED. I can't believe this was already 4 years ago omg

A previous commenter said that Mary J had an "eargasm", I agree!

I just watched this again for the first time in a while. It amazes me that the music industry has not signed this amazingly talented woman!! She has to have one of the best voices I have ever heard. She's beautiful and marketable. Why hasn't someone signed this woman yet????

still givin me goosebumps. and its already 2020. simply amazin

Damn, Jessica is such a talented girl. lt sucks to know that she couldn't reach her full potential on this show. Phillip doesn't have anything on this girl. You saw how the judges reacted. Whitney would have been proud. That shit was crazy and yet Phillip won?! Phillip is trash set on fire compared to her. Shocks me to know that people couldn't see that.

When Jlo said, Jessica God bless you! I was like. "Oh yes he did and more!"

So beautiful . She did Whitney proud! Makes me want to cry thinking bout Whitney!

Holy fuck this has to be my favorite video on the Internet 😍

I'm not a fan of American Idol, nor a Whitney Houston's fan, but, I must say, when my mom switched on the tv and American Idol was on and this song played, I thought wow!! Whitney Houston? but, when I looked again, it was a girl, I don't remember her name, so, I've been looking for this certain video from the season on youtube, and I found it, her name is Jessica Sanchez! seriously, I've been watching Kelly Clarkson, or Scotty Mcreary or whatever his name performed live but none of the past singers surprised me, this one, surprised me A LOT!! and I'm a metalhead! clearly, she needs more than just a 2nd place, she should've won this thing! Phillips Phillips won because he's a heart-rob, sure he can sing but his voice is plain country so clearly most people (girls) voted him not because of his talent which is unfair..

watched this 10 years ago. the only song i could've remembered is this one sang by jessica

Still don’t kno how she ain’t win but I’ll always remember this performance