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鈥淪he looked like she had a ray of light behind her."

That鈥檚 the way San Diego State kinesiology senior Marvin Calderon describes the first time he saw 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� judge Mariah Carey during his audition for the reality singing competition last November.

For Calderon, who began singing and playing piano when he was 10, the journey from aspiring singer to 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� contestant has been a longtime coming.

He sings for his church choir and acts and dances for a San Diego-based Filipino performing arts company that performs at the Lyceum Theatre downtown.

鈥淐onstantly being able to sing and dance on a lot of super cool stages in San Diego has pushed me to be a performer,鈥� Calderon said.  鈥淭o move from there to the 鈥楢merican Idol鈥� stage is amazing.鈥�

Perserverance and will

But Calderon鈥檚 passion for music isn鈥檛 the sole reason he has made it to this season鈥檚 Hollywood Week. Perseverance and the will to continue gave him the opportunity to audition for the fifth time on 鈥淎merican Idol.鈥�

鈥淭here were times where I wanted to quit,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淏ut I knew I wanted to be a part of it. 鈥楢merican Idol鈥� is the biggest opportunity for a regular person to be seen as a singer because it鈥檚 considered to be the golden standard of this type of show.鈥�

Calderon said even though rejection was hard, he learned from each time he didn鈥檛 make it to the next round. He explained there is a long road to travel before being given the chance to audition for the celebrity panel of judges with the beginning rounds moving at a rapid pace. Potential contestants fill a stadium and have, 鈥渓iterally seconds to sing,鈥� before a decision is made Calderon said.

But there鈥檚 one experience he will never forget.

Fifth time's the charm

鈥淭he previous year when the auditions were held in San Diego, I tried out and I know I did good. At the first stage of the competition, they never really talk to you. Normally they just say, 鈥榮tep forward鈥� and it鈥檚 a no,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淏ut this time, they said, 鈥業t鈥檚 a no, but we want you to come back next year.鈥� They told me there was something there and that I just needed to find myself as an artist.鈥�

That was the year Calderon focused on becoming more diligent with rehearsals and practicing. He used his performing arts company to gain valuable stage experience and when he came back the following year, the disappointment of previous rejection disappeared into a unanimous 鈥測es鈥� from the panel of celebrity judges.

鈥淩ight when I finished, Nicki Minaj winked at me,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淚 figured that was a good thing.鈥�

Upon hearing the final 鈥測es,鈥� the crowd of approximately 20 family members and friends who came with Calderon rushed to the stage and embraced him.

鈥淚 was lucky to have them there with me throughout the experience,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淲hen I ask them for advice they just say, 鈥楤e you.鈥� They鈥檙e very inspiring to me.鈥�

Hollywood Week

After contestants receive their golden ticket, it鈥檚 off to Hollywood Week, where they are tested to the best of their abilities. This was the chance Calderon had been waiting for, and the busy nature of the week would not deter him.

鈥淗ollywood Week is the ultimate test. The schedules are crazy because it鈥檚 one audition after the next,鈥� Calderon said. 鈥淏ut you enjoy every moment of it because you鈥檙e surrounded by people who are just as passionate as you. That鈥檚 what motivated me to keep going. It was a blessing to be a part of that.鈥�

The shared passion contestants bring to the table made Calderon鈥檚 experience that much better and even though it鈥檚 a competition, contestants always bring the best out of each other.

To find out how Calderon鈥檚 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� journey continues, tune in at 8 p.m. this Wednesday and Thursday on Fox for 鈥淗ollywood Week.鈥�

This story originally appeared in .