Sanjaya Malakar

Sanjaya Malakar is a 20 year-old (September 10th, 1989) American (half Bengali Indian and half Italian) who became popular as a contestant on the sixth season of American Idol, where he experienced much controversy and online chatter before being voted off after making the top 7. He was born in Seattle, Washington where he was part of the Total Experience Gospel Choir for three years. He has also lived in California and Hawaii where he performed in the Hawaii Children's Theater Group and was formally trained in Hawaiian dance. Sanjaya's dad is a classical Indian musician who along with his mother instilled in him and his sister Shyamali a love for music since they were born.