He may be affable and looks very approachable, but the Indian-American finalist of American Idol is more than just a friendly face. Beneath Anoop Desai’s cheerful appeal lies a heartbreaking story that prompted him to pursue singing after college. After making it into the finals last week, Anoop Desai, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina, revealed his reason for being on the show. He announced to millions of American Idol viewers, “It’s been a tough day. We’re all thinking of Eve, and I love you, Chapel Hill.” Anoop Desai was referring to Eve Carson, the student body president of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was kidnapped and murdered last March.

Apparently, Eve and Anoop were close friends. She encouraged him to pursue his musical talents and to try out for American Idol. In a conference call interview with reporters last week, Noop Dawg (as he is fondly called) talked about how he thinks of Eve Carson every time he performs on the show. He shared, “When we graduated in May, they passed out to the entire senior class these big buttons that just say ‘Eve’ in Carolina blue letters on them. The buttons are black, and I carry that in my pocket every time I go onstage or go on to a results show just to remind myself that I’m doing it for her.”

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