Showing posts tagged “Anoop Desai”
Eric Tullis ·
29 Oct 2009, 12:26 PM ·
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Settle? Who? Me?
On Monday, UNC’s Carolina Union Activities Board made the last-minute announcement that hip-hop artist Fabolous will headline its Homecoming 2009 concert Sunday, Nov. 1, at Memorial Hall. Now, just days later, two members of Student Congress are questioning the decision to bring Fabolous. Last year Gym Class Heroes and The Avett Brothers co-headlined the homecoming concert on separate dates, but this year, after a failed attempt to get Kid Cudi and Girl Talk to co-headline the concert, the CUAB had to “settle” with Fabolous as the only headliner. The night before he performs at UNC, Fabolous will also be in Greensboro, N.C. on Halloween night, performing alongside Gucci Mane, OJ Da Juiceman and Nicki Minaj for NC A&T’s Homecoming Concert. Convenient, huh? Continue reading »
Live Actions: New Bills Anoop Desai, Fabolous, UNC
Jennifer Strom ·
22 Apr 2009, 1:24 PM ·
1 Comment
Anoop Desai, from Newsday.
Time is running out for Chapel Hill’s hometown American Idol: Tonight, two of the remaining seven singers will go home, and the race is tightening at the top. With strong frontrunner Adam Lambert surprising and delighting the judges and the voting public week after week, it’s turning into a race for second place as the pop music show winds down to its grand finale late next month.
But don’t count our local contestant out just yet. After a few vanilla performances in a row, he’s turned up the spice in recent weeks, taking more risks with his song choice and his style (debuting this week: the hint of a mustache, a modern hairstyle and a slightly less frat-boy wardrobe). For this disco-themed week, Desai took on “Dim All The Lights,” the 1979 Donna Summer megahit. He eased the tempo and won over three of the four judges with his personal spin. (Simon Cowell gave him the thumbs down, but that’s not much news.) In an episode that featured judges joking about fellow (male) contestant Kris Allen “shopping in the women’s department” after he successfully reconfigured another Summer hit, “She Works Hard for the Money,” Desai got off pretty easily in the judges’ comment portion, collecting kudos for hitting the hard notes with only minimal cracks about his carnation-pink sweater.
But Desai has an uphill battle—and tough competition—for the top slot, but he’s certainly grown as a singer and a performer since squeaking into the top 13.
News flashes Anoop Desai
Jennifer Strom ·
13 Mar 2009, 2:18 PM ·
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C'mon, bro, put on a leather jacket or something.
OK, Chapel Hill homeboy, here’s the deal: Now that you’ve been deked into thinking you missed a shot at the Top 12 (which turned out to be a Top 13, with you in it), and then stood, Wednesday night, in the spotlight of possible elimination as that field was narrowed to 11, it’s time to get serious. Continue reading »
News flashes Anoop Desai
Jennifer Strom ·
10 Mar 2009, 1:26 PM ·
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He thought he was out. His friends back home thought he was out. With one spot allegedly left in the Top 12 last Thursday night, Chapel Hill’s Anoop Desai heard the other guy, Matt Giraud, called to take the final silver stool. But wait! Those drama-engineering producers of American Idol had yet another Season 8 surprise up their sleeves. Rather than a Top 12 this year, they named a Top 13, and gave the last slot to Desai. Judge Simon Cowell delivered the news to the crestfallen UNC grad student, who lit up with a big “What?!” before clutching his face in his hands. His parents embraced each other in the audience.
The soulful singer had performed a rousing romp of Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” Desai followed the tune with a sober shout-out of empathy to fellow Tar Heels back home who were watching in support while mourning on the one-year anniversary of the death of former UNC-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson, who was murdered on March 5, 2008. Desai has credited the slain popular student leader for motivating him to try out for the hit show.
Desai and his 12 competitors sing tonight at 8; one will be sent packing tomorrow night.
News flashes Anoop Desai
Jennifer Strom ·
5 Mar 2009, 3:21 PM ·
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UNC-Chapel Hill grad student Anoop Desai snagged the last of eight wild card slots for tonight’s American Idol sing-off that will fill the remaining three seats in the hit show’s Top 12 contestants. Called from a group of two dozen last-ditch hopefuls at the end of last night’s competition, Desai was awash with emotional relief as he took the stage to be congratulated by host Ryan Seacrest.
A former member of the Clef Hangers a cappella group, Desai, 21, has drawn a loyal local following that began clamoring for a wild card slot for him upon his elimination from the voting portion of the competition three weeks ago. Idol viewers have chosen the first nine of the final dozen from among the top 36 to make it through “Hollywood Week”; the last three are at the mercy of judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Season 8’s new judge, sharp-tongued songwriter Kara DioGuardi.
Tune in to Fox at 8 p.m. for the one-hour show, or just wait until tomorrow to read Entertainment Weekly blogger Michael Slezak’s usually hilarious recap.
News flashes American Idol, Anoop Desai
Jennifer Strom ·
18 Feb 2009, 8:12 PM ·
2 Comments
You gotta give this to Chapel Hill’s Anoop Desai, who made it into American Idol’s Top 36: He is a really sweet guy, even if, after tonight, he’s not a part of the show’s Top 12. After his first live performance drew less-than-stellar reviews from the judges Tuesday night, even the usually sharp-tongued Simon Cowell noted the UNC grad student’s good nature, assuring Desai that he’s got a very high “likeability” factor. Unfortunately for Desai and his disappointed supporters back home, that wasn’t enough to draw the votes he needed to secure a place in the Top 12 contestants for Season 8 in Wednesday night’s results show.
Continue reading »
News flashes American Idol, Anoop Desai
Elizabeth Lilly ·
18 Feb 2009, 3:39 PM ·
7 Comments
Around 7:50 p.m. last night, a University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Clef Hanger stood in front of a group of people in the Franklin St. nightclub Players and announced that the bar had drink specials. Soon, he added, his bow-tie-wearing, all-male-a cappella group would host its winter concert. Attendance was encouraged.
Though the smells of stale beer and cigarette smoke from evenings of clubbing past hung in Players’ air, this was no normal bar night. Clefs, friends and strangers gathered to watch former Clef Hanger and UNC masters student Anoop Desai perform on American Idol. The owners turned off the strobe lights and sequestered the approximately 100 Desai fans into a small corner of the club. Beside a few round tables, stools and booths that lined the windowed wall overlooking Franklin St., they stood, awaiting their local vocalist made good. Continue reading »
News flashes American Idol, Anoop Desai, Clef Hangers
