Anoop Desai

Anoop Desai

It’s American Idol season yet again and it’s time for all the hidden talents of America to come out from wherever they are hiding. Every year, the contestants are somehow categorized into different stereotypes. There are the all-American boys and girls. There are the sensitive guys who play the guitar. There will be a rocking chick with tattoos. And then, there’s the geek who surprises everyone by actually being able to sing well.

This year, the geek is one of the most unlikely contestants. He is Anoop Desai, a 21-year old graduate student at the University of North Carolina, majoring in Folklore. He auditioned in Phoenix, where last year’s Idol winner, David Cook, is from. Anoop is of Indian heritage.

Anoop came into the audition room in a checkered shirt and beige shorts which made Simon Cowell quip that he must have come from a meeting with Bill Gates in Silicon Valley. And when he further shared that he was a graduate student, studying folklore (of all things), he was basically stamped a geek, a nerd. However, he showed a little bit of humor by telling judge Randy Jackson that he can call him “Anoop Dawg.”

But all the judges, including American Idol’s newest judge, Kara DioGuardi, were all caught off-guard by the soulfulness of Anoop Desai’s voice as he sang his rendition of “Thank You” by Boyz II Men. Based on the judges’ reactions, nobody really expected Anoop to sing as well as he did and he was given four yeses to get through to Hollywood week.

It turns out that Anoop Desai, now American Idol’s resident cute geek, has had a singing background by being part of a rock-acappella group called “Clef Hangers” in the University of North Carolina. Anoop’s entrance to Hollywood couldn’t have been better timed as “Slumdog Millionaire,” a movie set in Mumbai, has taken the film world by storm.

Anoop showed his chops when he was able to go through the tough Hollywood week where they had a series of performances in groups and individually. He became part of the Top 36 from whom the Top 12 would be chosen from.

The Top 36 contestants were then divided into three groups. Anoop’s group performed first. Out of the 12 in his group, only three would go through. Anoop sang Monica’s “Angel of Mine.” The judges commented on his pitch problems during the performance but Simon Cowell did say that Anoop had “massive likability” to his favor.

During the results show following the performance night, it was revealed that Danny Gokey, Alexis Grace, and Michael Sarver got the highest votes and became part of the 12 finalists. Host, Ryan Seacrest, however, also had let it known that only 20,000 votes were separated Michael Sarver and Anoop Desai.

Anoop has garnered a lot of fans. There are quite a few number of blogs dedicated for him as well as Facebook groups. All is not lost for American Idol fans rooting for “Anoop Dawg” as he still has a chance to be included in the Top 12 if he is chosen in the wildcard round.