For someone who became a one-named wonder on American Idol in just a matter of weeks earlier this year, Sanjaya (Malakar) is remarkably well-grounded.
Or so he sounds down the line from an American Idols Live tour stop near Chicago recently.
"It's definitely been an adjustment," said Sanjaya, who arrives with the other top ten Idol finalists tonight for the only Canadian stop of American Idols Live at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.
"I went from being completely anonymous -- no one knew who I was, no one cared -- to everyone wanting to know as much as they could about me. But I think it's worth it in long run.
"I think that my family definitely helps," he continued. "I think that the other contestants definitely help a lot. I'm the youngest boy (on the tour), so of course they're going to tease me. It's definitely a family so although I will always love them all, I don't necessarily have to like them all but that doesn't mean that the next day I won't."
The soft spoken 17-year-old, who grew up in the Seattle suburb of Federal Way, became this season's unlikely sensation mainly due to his big smile, charming disposition and ever-changing hair -- who could forget the ponyhawk? -- as opposed to his actual singing voice which was considered among the weakest.
In the end, Sanjaya -- who is currently working on writing music with his older sister and Idol audition reject Shyamali for a new album he hopes to have in stores next year -- said he was just having fun with his long, flowing locks.
'I JUST RAN WITH IT'
"We had hair stylists so I wanted to utilize that and look presentable but I didn't really care what my hair looked like," he said. "But then America adopted this niche for me as 'the hair guy,' so I just ran with it 'cause I figured, 'I might as well, we have hair stylists to do it for me.' I might as well just have fun with it."
Sadly, on the American Idols Live tour, there are no follicle follies on Sanjaya's part.
"We don't have a lot of time for really drastic changes but I try to change it up a little bit," said Sanjaya, who plans to move to L.A. in October and still wants to go to college to pursue culinary arts or marine sciences, maybe even in India.
On American Idol, Sanjaya's performance famously caused a 13-year-old fan, Ashley Ferl, to burst into tears in the audience.
The reaction wasn't typical.
"It was really weird," said Sanjaya. "It was really, really awkward. I've never had that kind of effect on anyone."
"She's still out there," he added. "I think she came to the Anaheim (show) but I haven't really seen her since the show."
But, so far, nothing like that has happened during the American Idols Live tour, which is broken into two halves with both solo, pair and group turns by the Top Ten finalists including 17-year-old winner Jordin Sparks.
"I haven't seen anyone crying," said Sanjaya.
"A couple of people have cried for just everyone just because they're excited but not during the show. Usually they're just jumping around and dancing and laughing and having a good time."
