Lee DeWyze Wins American Idol!
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
And the winner of American Idol's ninth season is...
Lee DeWyze!
"This is amazing!" DeWyze said once host Ryan Seacrest announced his name. "Thank you guys so much for everything... I can't believe this... I'm so happy right now. I've never been happier in my life!"
The 24-year-old Mount Prospect, Ill. native bested fellow competitor Crystal Bowersox during Wednesday night's live finale. Choking back tears of joy, he ended the evening by singing his debut single, "Beautiful Day."
PHOTOS: Find out what the judges were like before American Idol
After being told he lacked confidence in his performance the previous night, DeWyze admitted to reporters it wasn't easy singing in front of 7,000 people.
"Throughout the season, the word 'confidence' has come up with me a lot. I think looking confident and being confident are two different things for me," he said. "If I wasn't confident, I wouldn't be able to do this."
Despite the criticism, he remained optimistic. "Thinking about winning... I'm lying to you if I said I'm not," he said. "But what can you do? You put everything out there and hope for the best."
VIDEO: Watch season nine's worst American Idol auditions
And in the end, DeWyze's positive attitude and stage presence managed to impress the toughest of the four judges, Simon Cowell.
"If you'd of asked me [who should win] five or six weeks ago, 100 percent I would have said Crystal," Cowell told Ellen DeGeneres earlier in the week. "But now I've changed my mind... he's talented. He hasn't had any real breaks in life and this has given him a shot and I like that."
The night was also a milestone for Cowell, who is leaving Idol after eight years to become a producer and judge on the American version of The X Factor, set to debut in 2011.
"I didn't think I was going to be this emotional, but I genuinely am," Cowell said as he joined past Idol contestants onstage. "The show will go forward, it'll be different, but I just want to thank you for the support, the fun and... everyone, your sense of humor, thats what's been the best part."
PHOTOS: Look back at season nine's Top 12 contestants
Also on hand to bid the acid-tongued Brit farewell? Former Idol judge Paula Abdul, who left the singing competition in Aug. 2009 after a much-publicized stall in contract negotiations.
"I've worked with a lot of people over the years... but the truth is, none of them hold a candle to you, my friend," Abdul said. "I've loved all the fun we've had together. I love all the laughter we shared together. American Idol is not going to be the same without you, but as only I can tell you: it will go on."
Seven former Idol winners -- including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood -- paid tribute to Cowell when they performed the song "Together We Are One." (Noticeably absent: season seven winner David Cook).
The two-hour finale also brought out a number of surprise collaborations from musicians such as Christina Aguilera, Alice Cooper, Janet Jackson, Alanis Morisette, Hall & Oates and others.
Tell Us What You Think
55I LIKE CRYSTAL. She deserved it but i am happy lee won. They are both great, and i happy for them both!
Over the past two years, American Idol has become American GuyDoll. Female contestants arguable over-dominated in the early years when most of the top young male talent seemed to stay away, maybe thinking Idol was a girly thing to do. I recall some media backlash when Jordin Sparks prevailed over Blake the beatboxer in 2007, then it all began to change. Top male talent came onto the show in greater numbers, and at the same time some older more mature viewers stopped watching and/or voting. This left more of the voting to teenie boppers who go for the cute rocker boys. The good news for the girls on American GuyDoll is that early i-Tunes results suggest Crystal is outselling Lee and might become the real star after all. Future female contestants may do better on the new X-Factor show which will have no age limits and should appeal to older audiences.
Congrats to Lee.... While I admit Crystal had to best performances the night before (just like last year with Adam, both of their careers will flourish. They were both my favorites from the start....
Lee can't sing!! How the bleep did he win? And Simon was the most annoying ever this season. You could tell he didn't want to be a part of this season. Ellen is soooo much better than that dumb Kara lady! I hate Kara! She is horrible! Ellen rocks! She's hilarious! Get Kara off the show! Her comments are so lame!
And, here we have another winner due to the texts from teenage girls who know nothing about music, and voted for him solely based on his looks. There is no doubt that Crystal should have won---she ran circles around every other contestant in that competition. She shouldn't feel sad though---I am sure that some record compnay is going to come forward and snatch her up with a record deal. She is immensely talented, has a great voice and plays several instruments. AI really needs to change the voting methods, and take the "majority vote" away from the hands of the teeny-boppers. Maybe it's a good thing that Crystal didn't win---now she can proceed with her career without the contraints that American Idol place on its winners. She can make an album that is totally her style, without having to "conform" to the AI standards. I really used to like this show, but I have to say that this season was a HUGE disappointment---the group of contestants as a whole were very weak. The last show before the season finale SUCKED--they usually have the person who sings the "goodbye" song sing it live simultaneously with a video montage of the entire season (which is always one of the best parts of the whole season), and they didn't even do that!! Last night, they had some totally queer group numbers, which were really ridiculous. Plus, the "special guests" were awful---Hall & Oates? The Bee Gees? Chicago? Give me a break!! Those guys are older than dirt? Where was Shania Twain, Harry Connick, and the other "mentors" from the entire season? How about some more "current" artists? Carrie Underwood was good, and the AI group song to Simon was good. But, overall, this entire season sucked. Next season, without Simon, will be its last season, I think. Like Simon said last night, "You have to know when to leave the party", and he made the right decision. I think AI will meet its demise next year.
PERFECT ENDING TO AN ABYSMAL SEASON...the least deserving WINS! Ellen was a disaster, Ryan with his off-the-chain antics was like a "mosquito buzzing my face", weak top 12...Simon's timing is impeccable. The tweens and perimenopausal viewers have hijacked the results for a second year in a row. The show will remain tainted until they change the voting format...1 vote 1 person. Lee sang 3 songs well all season and wins....PLEASE! Re-title the show to "Tween-Perimenopausal Idol".
ps kimberly dumba$$ dimwit....Crystal does not suck....you must be tone deaf and like to be entertained by one of the most boring "singer"s (and I use that term loosely with Lee) I have ever watched. He just stands there with that deer caught in a headlight look....he is not a true performer.
Mama Sox rocks!! But Lee, you both are gonna shine!!!!!
Congrats to Lee but this seasone was horrible and he's just the best of a bad season which doesn't say much. None of the male winners have successful. Hope he can do better than they have.
congrats to lee! he's grown so much on the show and it's been amazing to witness his success! i wish him the very best :) p.s. crystal SUCKS
Nikki I hope you get hit by an ice cream truck!!!!
Nikki I hope you get hit by an icecream truck on your way out of The Stupid Store.
lets be real...lee is the best!
1.She should have won. 2.Paula did a great job even if she did not get that kind of respect from fox, she went there to show her respect for Simon. she did a great job. Love her.
this is such bullsh*t. crystal should have one. she's the most unique. and besides one bad performance, she's consistantly fantastic. i'm never watching this show again.
Well this outcome didn't surprise me. Crystal should have won....it was just like last year when Adam should have won....America must like boring, lame a$$ singers....Kris Allen and Lee Dewhatshisface are both lame and boring! Of course America's vote is only a percentage of who wins....Idol really chooses who wins.
Yet again, America has spoken and chosen the less talented more commercial hungry-boy fittin' himself into the AI mold. Crystal - again - sang circles around Lee last night. But if you look closely the one thing she didn't do is sell her soul and beg for it; she leveraged the platform like a pro while never compromising herself. That's what real confidence looks like, not shuckin and jivin. Her raw talent - like Casey James' - will open her own doors and take her much further and endure much longer than Paintball's without the AI albatross around around her neck. Yup, in this case mediocrity and conformity to the party-line trump talent every time.
CONGRATS LEE!!!!!
@Anon, Agreed!!! That's when it was a good show....but, Good for him. So, does this mean Crystal will get better deals, more publicity, make more money???? Thought so. Idol is definetely going down the crapper
Doesnt matter anyway Crystal will still make it far- he just won the show that's all