2009 was a big year for Anoop Desai.  After finishing sixth on American Idol, he toured the country with the show and started working on his music.  Now in 2010 he's ready to take things to the next level, with a new album and new aspirations.

We spoke to Anoop about his songwriting and first album, what it's really like to be on American Idol, and his thoughts on Paula Abdul, Ellen Degeneres and Simon Cowell.

Listen to the full interview:



-Anoop Desai is currently working on his first album, tentatively titled All is Fair, and he plans to have it released in April with the first single coming out in late March.

-The album is classic Anoop in style, with lots of R&B with a slight pop flare.

-Anoop himself is writing most of the songs, though he's collaborating since he doesn't actually play any musical instruments.  The album is also being created independently, meaning he has a bit more freedom.

-This also means the album doesn't have a major studio making everything happen, so Anoop isn't sure yet about plans for a music video or a tour to promote the album.

-On American Idol, Anoop thinks Ellen will do just fine, but that losing Paula Abdul this season will be a real blow.  As a fellow performer, Anoop felt Paula had a better understanding of what the contestants were going through during the shows and could relate to their situations more than Simon Cowell.

-Speaking of Simon, Anoop was less sure how Idol would do without Simon, since he's what most people think of when they think of the show.  However, he's also certain that Cowell's new show, The X Factor, will be a huge hit thanks to Cowell's involvement.

-As a former Idol contestant, Anoop pointed out that it's not just a signing competition, which is something most viewers might forget.  There were around 100,000 people who auditioned last season, and Anoop does not believe that he was the sixth best singer out of all of them, so it's important to remember that personality and charisma play a big role.

-The other important thing Anoop wants fans to remember about American Idol is that the contestants are real people with real dreams.  Viewers might start to think of them as TV characters like the flamboyant glam rocker  or the "aw shucks" country boy next door, but Anoop points out that the singers are real people who are fulfilling their dreams.  It's not just a reality show for them.



(Image courtesy of FOX)