American Idol Finalist Sanjaya Malakar Tells All in New Book
MUMBAI: One of the most popular contestants ever to appear on American Idol gives his fans an all-access pass to the wildly successful television show - and opens up about how becoming an Idol star changed his life forever.
Best known for his impressive hairstyles and screaming young fans--Fanjayas--, Sanjaya Malakar quickly became a one-name sensation and "the people's idol." His unique style and ingenious song selections made him a media fixture and led to a huge and devoted fanbase that still remains today. Sanjaya takes readers back to where it all began, in his new memoir DANCING TO THE MUSIC IN MY HEAD: Memoirs of the People's Idol (Pocket Books; February 2009; $19.99).
Sanjaya treats readers to a behind-the-scenes look at his unlikely rise to fame on one of the biggest shows on television. Among his revelations:
- a step-by-step recount of his audition process and week-by-week analysis of his time on the show
- pointers and inspiration from musical mentors Diana Ross and Jennifer Lopez
- the ponyhawk: did consecutive ponytails save him from elimination?
- "J" the anti-fan who went on a sixteen day hunger strike to vote Sanjaya off
- Ashley Ferl: why she couldn't stop crying during Sanjaya's performances
- Whether attending a dinner at the White House or being the subject of parody on Saturday Night Live, Sanjaya has captured
- national attention in a way that far exceeds that of most ordinary suburban teenagers-- now, Sanjaya sets the record straight.