Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Whether it’s a performance show or a results show, Anoop Desai is never alone at center stage on American Idol.

In a pocket, he always carries a commemorative button bearing the name Eve.

The buttons were passed out to graduating seniors at the University of North Carolina in May in memory of fellow student Eve Carson, who was murdered last March.

“Every time I go out on stage, I go out to make her proud,” Anoop said during a Friday afternoon conference call with the media.

The button is “just a reminder that I’m doing it for her,” the 21-year-old from Chapel Hill, N.C., added.

And as it turned out, Thursday’s wild card performance was particularly special because it came on the anniversary of Eve’s death.

Back in Chapel Hill, more than a thousand people gathered to remember the former student body president in a ceremony that included a performance by The Clef Hangers, an a cappella group Anoop performed with while attending UNC.

Anoop called the coincidence of being asked to perform on the anniversary date “really difficult.”

“But I was lucky enough to … they streamed it online, so I was lucky enough to go online and see the ceremony.”

Before the evening was over, Anoop would get lucky in a couple of more ways — albeit far less poignant.

First, he followed Tatiana Del Toro to the stage, right after she had been chastised for singing “Saving All My Love for You.” Chastised because she had performed the song earlier in the competition, and the judges said they wanted to hear something different.

Anoop Desai looked on, realizing he had chosen to perform “My Perogative,” a song he had done earlier in the competition.

Somehow, he received a far gentler critique.

Then came the end of the show. Eleven spots in the Idol finals had already been filled. He and Matt Giraud were the last candidates for spot number 12, and they were standing center stage together.

And Ryan Seacrest announced that Matt Giraud was finalist number 12.

Only after several more moments passed did Simon Cowell drop the bombshell. Idol had decided to expand this year’s finals to 13 contestants.

Anoop would be advancing as well.

“I’ve been telling everyone, it was the difference between having all your dreams dashed and, seconds later, they’re alive again,” Anoop said. “It was a shock, a genuine shock for me. I’m just glad I’m still here.”

So for now, he’s finalist number 13.

And he’ll be back performing in the first round of the finals Tuesday night.

With that button bearing the name Eve in one pocket.