Indian American teenage singer Sanjaya Malakar moved a step closer to becoming the "American Idol", literally locking his position among the top nine in the contest with his hair and not his voice.

One blogger "J" is on hunger strike to see him out of the show and judge Simon Cowell has vowed to quit if he indeed becomes the idol, but Sanjaya backers again voted Wednesday to let Malakar, 17, son of an Indian father and an Italian mother, to keep singing his own tune.

Malakar's hair playing a ponyhawk - seven ponytails in a row to look like a faux-hawk - totally upstaged idol guest Gwen Stefani Tuesday night to become the talk of the town if not the toast of the town with everyone going gaga over the 'Idol's Mane Man".

Rated "atrocious" to "horrific" by those who know their music "he sang a Stefani tune about wanting to wash in some chick's used bathwater because she's so naughty and hot, but came across like a shy little child who didn't really understand the lyrics, while his ponyhawked hair flounced and strutted like a drag queen," as one critic put it.

Judge Randy Jackson said he was once again left speechless by Sanjaya but added a tellall, "Come on, man," about his singing.

"If you have the gumption to come out with your hair all done up like one of the Lipizzaner stallions, why did you sing like a frightened pony at the petting zoo?" wondered judge Paula Abdul.

"I presume there was no mirror in your dressing room?" judge Simon Cowell asked rhetorically only to have Sanjaya snap back, "You're just jealous because you couldn't pull it off."

Said an exasperated Cowell, "I don't think it matters anymore what we [the judges] say. I genuinely don't. You are in your own universe. If people like you, good luck."

"Well, thank you!" Sanjaya shot back.

Cowell and other judges have been critical of Malakar's performances from day one, but they have only themselves to blame for the original sin - it's they who narrow down the field from a few hundred to the top 24 before the voters take over.

Malakar's antics on the show have spawned spoofs galore on YouTube seeking to "Send Sanjaya Home", but his "hair raising" performance Tuesday night pushed him centre stage with mainstream news channels discussing if the Desi kid wasn't making it all a big joke.

"We want to run our collective fingers through the versatile tresses of "American Idol" hair god Sanjaya Malakar. One night they're fluffy; the next, flat.

One night, spiral curls; the next, pin-straight," said the Washington Post offering readers a chance to "fool around with his gorgeous locks" with seven cut and paste styles.

Coming from a family of singers, he auditioned for Idol in Seattle, Washington with his 19-year-old sister Shyamali, and both received invitations to the Hollywood round.

However, Shyamali was cut from the show at the end of the round. When he learnt that he made the top 40, Sanjaya did not celebrate. Instead, he hurriedly went to console his sister.

Malakar cites Stevie Wonder as his idol, having sung Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" at his Seattle audition. He made it to the top 24 with another Stevie Wonder song, "Knocks Me Off My Feet".

Malakar moved to the second round with Irving Berlin "Steppin' Out With My Baby" and the next one with John Mayer's "Waiting On The World To Change". He sang to Diana Ross' theme of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" to make it to the final 12.

Originally conceived as the US version of Britain's Pop Idol, the show has contestants belt out stirring renditions of classic pop songs each week, while enduring the slings and arrows of the judges before America votes to decide who will be the next American Idol.