Cristina Eustace, Our Latin American Idol

Jessica Simpson and Kelly Clarkson are no longer North Texas’ only claim to fame when it comes to belting beauties. Welcome Cristina Eustace to the mix. In May, the 28-year-old Dallasite was crowned winner of the fifth season of Objetivo Fama, the Latin equivalent of American Idol. (More than 10 million viewers from the United States and Puerto Rico devote their Sunday nights each week to following the battle for No. 1.) “My life has changed forever,” Eustace says. Before the show, she was busy seeking a career in marketing and enjoying the cozy life she and her husband, Scott, had established in Dallas. But singing was her lifelong passion. That led the Mexican-born Eustace to audition for the fifth season of Objetivo Fama in Miami, where she was cast as one of the 20 contestants. While winning the show obviously has its perks (including a one-year contract with Univision Music Group), it also takes her away from the city she calls home and dearly misses. “For the next several months, I don’t belong to myself,” Eustace says. “However, once my contract is up, I hope to move back to Dallas and share my first CD with all of my adoring fans.”