Sanjaya Joseph Malakar was born on September 10, 1989) was a finalist on the sixth season of American Idol. Malakar gained national attention on American Idol advancing to 7th place with public votes, despite being badly received by the show's judges, particularly Simon Cowell.
Sanjaya Malakar was born in the Seattle metropolitan area, the son of a Bengali Indian father, Vasudeva Malakar, who had emigrated to the United States as a Hare Krishna pujari, and an Italian American mother Jillian Recchi Blyth, who are both followers of the Vaishnava Hindu religion. His parents filed for divorce when he was three years old and had been separated for a year prior to filing for divorce. When the divorce was filed, the family had almost no money coming in. His mother and the children were living in a Seattle apartment, and her only income was from welfare. His mother remarried, but his stepfather died soon afterwards. In 1995, Malakar's middle name was changed to Joseph to honor his late grandfather Joseph Paul Recchi Sr., whom Malakar cites as his hero. Although Malakar spent the majority of his formative years in the Seattle area, he has also lived in California and Kauai, Hawaii[10] where he performed with the Hawaii Children's Theater group. While in Seattle, he spent three years with the Total Experience Gospel Choir.[11]
Malakar's father is a classical Indian musician.[12][13] Other singers in his family include his older sister Shyamali,[14] and his cousin Camila Recchi.
Malakar attended the Seattle Waldorf School and Northshore Junior High School for middle school in Bothell, Washington. He attended Shorecrest High School in Shoreline, Washington during freshman year, and Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, Washington during sophomore year. After his sophomore year, Malakar passed the General Educational Development test, in order to leave high school early and focus on a music career and on his participation in American Idol.
On September 19, 2006, Sanjaya Malakar, a shy teen,[15] entered the open audition for American Idol at the Seattle Center in Seattle, with his sister Shyamali (who was a student of The Evergreen State College). Simon Cowell commented that Sanjaya had a better voice than his sister. Both were advanced to the Hollywood round unanimously by the judges. Malakar cited Stevie Wonder as his idol, and sang one of Wonder's signature songs, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" at his Seattle audition.
For his next performance, in Hollywood, Malakar sang "Some Kind of Wonderful". He was shown tearfully embracing his sister when she was cut, though he progressed to the Top 40. Next, Malakar sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The judges were largely critical of his performance, though Simon Cowell admitted that Malakar is popular with the voters while Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul gave a more positive appraisal of his "You Really Got Me" performance in the Top 11.[citation needed] A 13-year-old girl named Ashley Ferl was highlighted repeatedly during Malakar's performance in the Top 11 episode, crying tears of joy, although Ferl also cried for Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, and many other contestants.[16]
On March 27, 2007, Malakar sang No Doubt's "Bathwater" wearing a strikingly peculiar fauxhawk made from multiple ponytails. The style was called the "ponyhawk" by host Ryan Seacrest.[17] While singing, Malakar hesitated with some of the words to the song.[18] The following night, host Seacrest walked out on stage wearing a wig with the same hairstyle, parodying Malakar.[17]
On April 3, Tony Bennett was the featured celebrity on the show, and he met with each performer. Malakar sang "Cheek to Cheek", wearing a white suit, donning a slick hairstyle (with a recent cut), and dancing with judge Paula Abdul. Abdul commented " I get it. I get why people love you. You are charming." [19] On the following April 4 results show, it was revealed that Malakar had finished in the "middle three," among nine contestants.
Malakar's performance of "Bésame Mucho" in the Top 8 on April 10 was his first unanimously well-received performance by the judges in the finals of the competition. During rehearsals Jennifer Lopez remarked, "I like this kid. I love Sanjaya!" after hearing him sing in Spanish, the only one of the remaining eight contestants to do so on the Latin-theme night.[20] Randy Jackson commented, "You’re one of the smartest contestants I've ever met. That was actually really good. It was.", while Simon Cowell offered the halting, "I'm going to hate myself for this. It wasn't horrible."[21] Malakar continued on, entering the Top 7, following that performance on the April 11 results show.
After performing Something to Talk About on the previous night, Malakar was placed in the bottom three and was subsequently eliminated in 7th place on April 18, 2007.[22][23][24] Singing his farewell performance, after the line "let's give them something to talk about", he ad libbed "other than hair" in place of "how about love".[25]
American Idol's ratings dropped 9% in the episode following Malakar's elimination, which was Idol Gives Back, a charity episode featuring many celebrity guests. The music news website Moldolva.org that reported this directly correlated it to Malakar's departure.[26]
On the May 23 American Idol finale show he performed with the top six males, introduced Smokey Robinson in the medley. Sanjaya Malakar performed "You Really Got Me" with Aerosmith' musician Joe Perry on guitar, being the only contestant below 3rd place to be featured in a solo on an American Idol finale.[27]
Week
Song Choice
Original Artist
Result
Open Audition
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
Stevie Wonder
Advanced to Hollywood
Top 40
"Some Kind of Wonderful"
Grand Funk Railroad
Made Top 24
Top 24
"Knocks Me Off My Feet"
Stevie Wonder
Top 4 Guys
Top 20
"Steppin' Out With My Baby"
Irving Berlin
Safe
Top 16
"Waiting on the World to Change"
John Mayer
Safe
Top 12
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Bottom 2
Top 11
"You Really Got Me"
The Kinks
Safe
Top 10
"Bathwater"
No Doubt
Safe
Top 9
"Cheek to Cheek"
Irving Berlin
Middle 3
Top 8
"Bésame Mucho"
Consuelo Velázquez
Safe
Top 7
"Something to Talk About"
Bonnie Raitt
Eliminated
Sanjaya Malakar was the season's most talked about American Idol contestant, based on articles and searches conducted on the Internet. [28][29]
One American Idol fan on MySpace claimed to be on a hunger strike until Malakar was voted off. She later admitted that she was canceling her strike, after Sanjaya's stay was longer than expected. In her YouTube video, an advertisement was prominently displayed, causing speculation her hunger strike was really for profit.[30] Other members of the MySpace online community created a page entitled Team Sanjaya in support for him. However, members of the online community have contributed semi-fictional web sites such as Sanjaya-Idol, appearing to portray Malakar in a more satirical but supportive way. Websites parodying Malakar's success have recently appeared.[31][32]
Simon Cowell told Extra that had Malakar won, he would not have returned as a judge to the show,[33] even though he is contractually obligated to return.[34] The show's executive producer predicted that Malakar would not win.[34] Some commentators have remarked that the judges seemed to have stopped giving thoughtful critiques of Malakar's performances.[35][36][37] Randy Jackson went as far to remark that "I cannot even say anything on the vocals anymore", in his critique of Malakar after his performance during the top nine. Some believe that it would have been a turning point leading toward decline and eventual cancellation for American Idol if Malakar had won.[38] Others, however, believe that the franchise is benefiting from the publicity, which is more than in any recent season of Idol.[39] On the April 17 broadcast of American Idol, Simon Cowell further said of the controversy, "I know this has been funny for a while, but based on the fact that we are supposed to be finding the next American Idol it [Malakar's performance] was hideous."
The weblog Vote for the Worst had Malakar as its current "pick" for the sixth season top 12 until he was eliminated. Previous candidates Antonella Barba and Sundance Head were supported by the website, but were eliminated nonetheless.[40] On March 19, 2007, Howard Stern campaigned for his radio show listeners to join the weblog in voting for Malakar "to corrupt the No.1 show on television".[41][42][43] Some Stern regulars claimed to have voted for Malakar over 300 times -- largely in hopes of tormenting American Idol traditionalists on the show.[44][45] (Later, when asked for a reaction, Malakar told Jimmy Kimmel that his aunt had voted 1,100 times.")[46][45]
The fan reaction of Ashley Ferl was satirized on the March 24, 2007 broadcast of Saturday Night Live, during the Weekend Update segment. Malakar was portrayed by Andy Samberg, and the crying girl was portrayed by Kristin Wiig. Also feigning tears in the audience were Fred Armisen and Dan Aykroyd. Samberg portrayed Malakar again during the monologue of the April 21, 2007 episode, singing the song "Something To Talk About" as a duet with host Scarlett Johansson.[47]
The controversy spawned colloquialisms associated with Malakar's name, such as a "Fanjaya" to denote a Sanjaya fan.
Shortly after being eliminated, Malakar was invited to the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner as a People Magazine guest, where he met President George W Bush.[48] Malakar was popular among the press and fans at the dinner, and was even prompted for an autograph by New York Governor Eliot Spitzer.[49]
Malakar was featured in US Magazine's April 20, 2007 issue in an article entitled "Sanjaya Speaks",[50] where he was asked about his reactions to the parodies, Simon Cowell, Howard Stern and to his new celebrity status.
Malakar was featured in the May 7, 2007 issue of People Magazine, where he talked about his American Idol run, his younger years, and future aspirations. The article mentions that he was raised vegetarian, a diet he still mainly follows.[51]
Malakar ranked third in TIME Magazine's 2007 TIME 100 POLL for The Most Influential People of the Year, based on online public votes, but was not mentioned in the magazine's official list.[52]
Nominated by TV.com's Fashion Awards, Sanjaya Malakar won in the categories of ON AIR: Best Hair - Male,[53] and OFF AIR: Best Trendsetter - Male, by public votes.[54]
Malakar was nominated for "Best Reality Show Star" in AZN Television's annual Asian Excellence Awards,[55] and was a presenter at the awards ceremony[56] aired May 24, 2007 on E!, and May 28, 2007 on AZN-TV.[57]
The Federal Way City Council, initially unable to find his address or whereabouts,[58] announced plans to honor Malakar. Sanjaya Malakar was greeted by screaming fans at The Commons at Federal Way,[59] and was praised by the city's Mayor Michael Park and King County Council member Peter von Reichbauer for serving as a great role model[60], with Park stating "Sanjaya's charismatic personality, contagious smile, positive attitude and enthusiastic pursuit of his dreams are qualities to be admired."[61] Malakar was presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the city[62] and declaration of "South King County Sanjaya Malakar Day". In May 2007, he was also honored at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington, [63] where he was greeted by fans, signed autographs and answered questions.[64] The council had received 200 e-mails from around the country asking the city to honor Malakar.[65]
In addition to American Idol, in the months following, Malakar made after-show appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Best Week Ever, The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet, Extra, The Early Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live[66] and The Rachel Ray Show.[67] Additionally, he appeared as a guest on Nickelodeon's afternoon block, ME:TV, where he "got slimed".[68]
Malakar appeared with the rest of the Top 10 on both Larry King Live[69] and Access Hollywood.
Since Malakar placed in the top 10, he qualified to perform as part of the 2007 American Idol Concert Tour,which, within three months, visits over 50 cities in Canada and the US.
Malakar and his sister, Shyamali, are planning to sing together in the future.[25] Although he also eventually plans on going to the Berklee College of Music with her, Malakar would like to have "the full entertainment business and career,"including music, acting, modeling, and any other opportunities that arise.
Upon meeting Billy Ray Cyrus, Malakar reported discussing a guest spot on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana in an April 20, 2007 interview with Access Hollywood.
On May 22, 2007, a one-minute short "I Am Art", co-produced with Will Ferrell, was released online with Sanjaya Malakar playing Bill Vendall, a 25 year-old graduate student of the arts, who created the character 'Sanjaya Malakar', who appeared on American Idol, as an installment of his thesis.[76] Malakar released a follow-up video explaining it was a joke, since some believed Bill Vendall was real.
Sanjaya Malakar's American Idol CD album 'Sanjaya Malakar', and some singles were offered on iTunes starting June 10th, 2007. The Sanjaya Malakar album has reached Top 100 Pop Albums in sales.
