Caleb Johnson has won American Idol! And the shocked contestant was so overwhelmed he could barely sing his own song.
Fox's hit musical competition celebrated the end of season 13 with a two-hour live special, featuring showstopping performances by Lady Antebellum, Demi Lovato, Phillip Phillips, Richard Marx and even host Ryan Seacrest!
But it was Johnson and fellow finalist Jena Irene who were the true stars of the much anticipated finale, and when the results were finally announced, 23-year-old North Carolina native Johnson was in shock.
"I was like, holy smokes, I can't believe that I won this," Johnson told Us Weekly after the show. "I'm probably the antithesis of what American Idols have been!”
“It's funny because Jena's mom couldn't picture me as the American Idol, she told me that,” he continued. “I mean, seriously, look at me, it's so crazy to me!"
Despite being crowned American Idol, Johnson insists his future music will remain true to his rock 'n' roll roots.
“There's so much amazing music out there that nobody hears," he said. "Rock 'n' roll is the kind of music that I want to make. I want to do a rock opera. I want to do something crazy like a zombie rock opera. You have to stay true to who you are, be unique and not give a s–t."
