Sanjaya Malakar

‘IDOL’ MUSIC DIRECTOR ON SANJAYA: Rickey Minor says Malakar can win the whole shebang.

*Not only did “American Idol’s” little-contestant-that-could impress Simon Cowell and Jennifer Lopez this week, but the show’s musical director Rickey Minor now says it’s possible that Sanjaya Malakar can win the entire competition.

"You know what? I think that he could win the show," Minor told The New York Post. "He's gotten this far because he really is what he is - he's got this huge smile, he's a handsome guy and is really likable. People are pulling for him - and people really care about him."

For the first time since the show entered the final 12 phase, folks got a glimpse of the pipes that impressed the judges during auditions during Tuesday night’s performance of a song in Spanglish.

"I can tell you he can sing," says Minor, now in his third season as "Idol" musical director. "I think there are people who are naysayers, but I've run into a lot of credible people who really enjoy his voice. He has a connection to the lyrics and people are pleasantly surprised.

“This isn't a singing competition alone. It's for a star to emerge," he says. "Sanjaya has a huge likability factor. I think it's possible for him to win based on the way he's moving through the competition."