Sanjaya Malakar

Sweet-faced and sweet voiced Sanjaya Malakar was only 17 years old when he and his sister Shyamali auditioned for the 2007 season of American Idol in Seattle, WA. Both siblings made it past the judges and flew to Hollywood, but unfortunately, Shyamali didn't make the cut into the top 40 contestants, and the two parted tearfully. Sanjaya's wide smile, doe-eyed face, and cheerful timbre initially earned him a loyal following, but this earned him no concessions from the judges, who pushed him both to pick songs well suited to his style and to work on his energy and stage presence. - Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide