Skip to Content

Joanne Borgella was one of four American Idol contestants eliminated last night, along with Amy Davis, Garrett Haley and Colton Berry.

Still, it’s worth reporting that Borgella and season seven favorite David Archuleta actually have a connection to another institution almost as popular as Idol: High School Musical.

According to High School Musical star KayCee Stroh (a.k.a. “the pop and lock girl” in those movies) she and contestant Archuleta performed together at a Park City, Utah, benefit years ago.

David Archuleta and Garrett Haley performed together last night. Guess which one was voted off American Idol before the evening was over.

“I think I was about 18 and he was about 12,” Stroh said at the American Idol Top 24 party on Thursday night in Hollywood. “Both of us are from Salt Lake City, and there was a benefit concert and the [organizer] needed young kids to be the backup singers for a gospel piece. I remember we were rehearsing one day and he had a solo part. I expected him to have this cute little boy voice.”

As Stroh found out then – and Idol fans known now – this was anything but the case: “I was blown away! He packs such a powerful punch when he sings. I remember thinking instantly, ‘Boy, this one is going to be a star someday,'” she said.

Oddly enough, Stroh also models for Torrid, a hip plus-size clothing line. Another model with a past contract with that company? You guessed it: Borgella.