Priyanka Chopra has shown Indian girls can go places, says Alyssa Raghunandan

Alyssa Raghunandan, American Idol contestant of Indian origin, discusses her pop star dreams and role models

Though she could not make it to the top 14 of American Idol 16, Alyssa Raghunandan believes the show gave her career the jumpstart it needed. Having earned words of praise from the judges — especially Katy Perry, the 15-year-old says the reality series is the first step towards realising her dream of being a pop artiste. "Being on American Idol means the country gave me a chance. The celebrities and people I'm working with saw some potential in me," gushes Raghunandan.

Alyssa Raghunandan

Though the singer of Indian origin has never visited India, she credits her father for helping her stay connected with her roots. "My dad and our family is super Indian. I would love to incorporate the Indian culture into music that I release in the future. I want to learn Indian classical music because I think it's interesting."

That she idolises Rihanna has been evident in her performances. Talking about her role models, she says, "I like music that's meaningful, so I idolise Beyoncé and Rihanna. Priyanka Chopra is my Indian role model. She's an amazing actor, singer and performer. She's a big reason why I like to perform. She has shown that Indian girls can go places."

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