Being Indian set me apart: Anoop Desai

Anoop Desai might be out of American Idol but there is a lot to look forward to for this Indian-American who managed to reach the top seven slot on the show. He will soon tour with other singers who made it to the final ten, in nearly 50 cities across America.
“I will continue making my kind of music— pop and R&B. And plan to come out with my record soon,” says the 22-year-old, who’s been called a cultural icon with merchandise like t-shirts with his face on it selling like hot cakes in the US. 

But Indian music doesn’t figure in his scheme of things. “I don’t think I can do Bollywood music. I don’t think my voice suits that kind of singing. My parents have always listened to Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh. And it has influenced me too. But I’d like to come to India and sing my kind of music,” he says, adding, “I want to do a South East Asia tour.”

The second Indian-American to join the contest, Anoop was considered by many to have more potential than previous season’s Sanjaya Malakar. But his simplicity and lack of flamboyance has been touted as one of the reasons for his ouster. “I could have done a better job of performing on stage,” he agrees. “But I don’t think that my type of music lends itself to that sort of flamboyance.” 

But he disagrees that being Indian was a drawback at the contest. “I think my being Indian set me apart from everybody else. They didn’t expect my kind of music to come from an Indian kid. But that’s what American Idol is all about. You can come from anywhere.”