"Anoop has just gone, has gone from zero to hero," remarked judge Simon Cowell, who last week said he regretted putting college student into the top 13.

22-year-old Desai, fondly nicknamed 'Anoop Dogg' tried "Always on My Mind,” slowing down the tune Willie Nelson famously covered and turning it into a winning, velvety R&B ballad.

“Anoop is back!” another judge Paula said, praising Desai's interpretation of the tune after his failure to capture the magic during Michael Jackson week.

"This is the reason we really wanted you in the competition. I like the arrangement," Randy said.

"Untouchable song; but you did it; the biggest surprise," Kara added.

And the performance yesterday made Desai "safe."

Following the voting which saw over 31 million choosing their favourites, Desai roared back as a favourite. He is among the10 remaining contestants, following the elimination of one.

This round of eliminations was pretty crucial as it is only the top ten finalists who go on the ‘American Idol’ summer tour, showcasing all their talents at venues all over the place.

Desai is the second youngest Indian-origin singing sensation on the American idol show after Sanjaya Malakar, a recent finalist.

The R&B singer was recalled as a wild card and he snagged a spot in the finals during a special wild card episode, which saw eight finalists vying for the last three spots, when the judges decided to make it 13 finalists this time instead of 12.