2004: As a student at Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Center, Mercado played the Sour Kangaroo in a production of "Seussical, the Musical." One of her castmates as Horton the Elephant was Charlie Barnett, who has gone on to star in numerous TV shows including "Chicago Fire" and "Tales of the City."
2005: As a high school senior, Mercado had the female lead of Ti Moune, the central figure in the musical "Once On This Island" at Booker. She graduated that spring.
2005: She entered the freshman class at the University of Miami as a theater student.
2006: She left college after one year and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. She was cast as one of 12 contestants on the ABC music competition series “The One: Making of a Music Star.” No one would be named the winner because the series was canceled after several episodes due to low ratings.