Name	Anoop Desai
Height	6' 2
Naionality	American
Date of Birth	20 December 1986
Place of Birth	Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Famous for

Anoop “Noop Dogg” Desai is a finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Anoop was selected when the four judges could not decide between him and contestant Matt Giraud and chose to admit both — leading to a first-ever “Top 13.” Anoop has credited his decision to audition for American Idol to the death of a friend, Eve Carson, who was murdered. During the broadcast of the wild card round on March 5, 2009, he gave a “shout out” to his alma mater and mentioned Eve, as it was the one-year anniversary of her death.

Anoop, an only child, grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He went to Fuller GT Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. His parents both work in North Carolina’s Research Triangle. His mother is a biochemist with a Ph.D. degree in molecular biology; his father is a software engineer and designs software. Anoop’s father was born in India, and his mother, also of Indian descent, was born in South Africa.

Anoop attended the East Chapel Hill High School, graduating in 2004. While in high school, he founded the Chiefs of Staff a cappella group. He was awarded a four year academic merit scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was the Haywood W. Hinkle Carolina scholar from 2004 to 2008.

After being accepted and planning to attend college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Anoop auditioned for and was accepted as a member of the UNC Clef Hangers, a long-standing male a cappella group founded in 1977. He was the first member of the UNC Clef Hangers to be accepted as a senior in high school with the understanding that he would begin attending the University in the Fall of 2004. Anoop served as the group’s Music Director during his junior year and as the group’s president his senior year. He remains President Emeritus of the UNC Clef Hangers. Anoop’s performance as a soloist, along with the Clefs, on the song “She Has No Time” was recognized with the BOCA 2007 (Best of College A Cappella).

Anoop graduated from UNC in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Political Science and American Studies. He was awarded the 2008 Peter C. Baxter Memorial Prize in American Studies, as one who exemplified “intellectual excellence, personal warmth and creativity.” He is currently a graduate student in field of cultural anthropology, working towards a Master of Arts degree in Folklore at UNC.

Anoop rose to national fame with his participation in the eighth season of American Idol. He auditioned for the show on August 8, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri, and was selected as a semifinalist following his “Hollywood Week” performances.

Although he was not one of the three finalists chosen out of his semifinal performance group, he returned as a “Wild Card.” Simon Cowell saved Anoop for last on Wild Card night and after announcing that Matt Giraud had made the Top 12, he then revealed the twist of Season 8 that Anoop would also move onto the finals, making it a Top 13.

Anoop subsequently made it through both the Top 13 and Top 11 rounds (there being no Top 12 as two contestants went home in the Top 13 week) and will now be going on the American Idol Tour, since he made the Top 10.