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"She
is an awesome singer," finale performer Smokey
Robinson said backstage. "She sings so good, it's
hard to believe she's 17. To sing like that you would
have to have lived for a long time. She's an old soul."
The
finale pulled out the stops and the stars, with Gwen
Stefani, Tony Bennett, Bette Midler, Green Day and more
singing.
The
two-hour show opened with Lewis and Sparks dueting on
the Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There," followed
quickly by a touring Stefani singing "4 in the
Morning" via satellite from Massachusetts.
Midler
took the stage as the show came toward its close, singing
"The Wind Beneath My Wings."
Past
"Idol" winners and this season's contestants
got a hefty share of attention, starting with first-season
winner Kelly Clarkson. She performed her new single
"Never Again," with the gritty rock song matched
by her black dress and thigh-high boots.
Carrie
Underwood, the fourth-season idol, sang "I'll Stand
by You" and was honored by legendary music mogul
Clive Davis for reaching 6 million in sales for her
debut album, "Some Hearts."
Taylor
Hicks, last season's winner, also had his moment in
the finale sun, as did Ruben Studdard, the winner from
year two.
Robinson,
a Motown great, performed "Being with You"
after the top six male contestants, including fan fave
Sanjaya Malakar, sang "Ooh Baby Baby," a hit
for Robinson and his group the Miracles.
Blake,
whose beat-boxing scored with viewers, performed with
veteran rapper Doug E. Fresh on his old hit, "The
Show." It was a signature moment for a contest
that has introduced young viewers to Gershwin and other
standards.
"True
originals," host Ryan Seacrest said of the duo.
Gladys
Knight took the stage with the six female finalists,
belting out "I Feel a Song" and "Midnight
Train to Georgia." Bennett performed a mellow version
of "For Once in My Life" that ended with a
big finish.
"A
true idol, Tony Bennett, ladies and gentlemen,"
Seacrest gushed, with good reason.
Melinda
Doolittle, arguably the best "Idol" contestant
to miss out on the finale, returned to impress the crowd
again as she sang "Hold Up the Line" with
gospel stars BeBe and CeCe Winans.
"She
has proven in the last few months to be spectacular,"
BeBe Winans said backstage of Doolittle.
The
show took a serious turn when Green Day performed "A
Working Class Hero is Something to Be," a single
from "Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur,"
a fundraising album for the embattled region.
The
finale also had its share of filler, including bits
such as the "Golden Idols," an award saluting
the oddest of odd auditions, or the worst. The winners
included Margaret Fowler, who proudly accepted her trophy
and recited poetry after smooching Seacrest.
Hundreds
of "American Idol" fans lined Hollywood Boulevard
leading up to the theater before the show.
"I'm
obsessed with the show. I auditioned for it this past
season. I'm just coming out to show my love," said
Sarah Blackmon, 19, who drove more than two hours from
San Diego County to attend the finale.
"I
don't like picking favorites. They say it's a music
competition, so Jordin's going to win," Blackmon
said, but added, "I think Blake's really hot."
One
of the series' executive producers, Cecile Frot-Coutaz
of FremantleMedia North America Inc., said Tuesday she'd
be happy with either contestant as the new idol.
"These
are some of the most commercial finalists we've had
since Carrie Underwood," Frot-Coutaz said. "Either
one will make a great winner for the show and the brand.
They both have the potential to sell many records."
For
their final performances, both contestants sang "This
Is My Now," the tune picked by viewers in an online
"American Idol" songwriting contest introduced
this season, along with two other songs of their choice.
On
Tuesday, judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson made
their choice clear. Diplomatic Paula Abdul kept her
counsel as usual, praising both singers. Although the
judges didn't have a say in the decision their opinions
have the potential to sway voters.
"You
were the best singer tonight. You deserve it all, baby!"
Jackson told Sparks.
"You
just wiped the floor with Blake," added Cowell,
who then told Sparks he was wrong for initially thinking
she wasn't good enough to win the Fox talent show.
Before
the finale, Cowell spoke warmly of Doolittle and what
wasn't to be.
"I'm
pleased for the two of them," Cowell said of Sparks
and Lewis. "They're nice kids. But I would have
liked to have seen one of them up against the big singer."
AP
Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this
report.
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