Phillip Phillips' 'Idol' Victory And The Cry Heard 'Round The World
When his tears fell during Wednesday's 'American Idol' finale, Phillips instantly became the most relatable champ in the show's history.
By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ)
Phillip Phillips
Photo: Michael Tran/ FilmMagic
The lights were dimmed, the votes were counted, and Phillip Phillips became the new "American Idol."
As
expected, Phillips beat out Jessica Sanchez on Wednesday's (May 23)
Season 11 "Idol" finale, live at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre. Phillips
topped Sanchez after a reported 132 million votes were cast — "a new world record," according to host Ryan Seacrest.
Phillips teared up while performing his winning
song "Home," while confetti rained down on the stage around him. The
Leesburg, Georgia, native has been a cool cucumber all season long, but
he broke down in the moment, just as he did during his hometown visit
last week.
Phillips didn't finish the song, but strolled off stage
and into the arms of his family, who were waiting in the first few
rows. As streamers fell and the band played on the stage behind him,
Phillips hugged his family members, and later judges Randy Jackson,
Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
Phillips
came out of Tuesday's performance episode the heavy favorite to win it
all and was celebrated by the judges for his "Home," which was tailor
made for his laid-back style. On the other hand, Sanchez's would-be
winning song, "Change Nothing," was sloughed off by the judges and even
Sanchez herself, who acknowledged the song wasn't really in her
wheelhouse, and said she'd aim to put more of herself in her future
recordings.
Heading into this season, the buzz was that a woman
would win "Idol," becoming the first female winner since Jordin Sparks
in 2007. Four of this year's top six contestants were female, but
Phillips proved unbeatable in the stretch.
Sanchez was an early
favorite in the season, stepping out in front with her show-stopping
rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" on the March 7
episode. But she hit her stumbling blocks along the way, and was voted
out on the April 12 episode, and had to be saved by the judges to stay in the competition.
Phillips was steady throughout the season. His name — that name! — made him an instant
standout, and he played it cool all season long, never letting much of
anything — including the season-long illness he battled — ruffle his
fathers. (On Thursday's show, he joked — he was joking, right? — that he
got nine and a half to 10 hours of sleep the night before.) He was
often criticized, and fairly so, for his similarities to Dave Matthews,
but he came alive in the final two weeks, knocking out Bob Seger's
"We've Got Tonight" and his winning "Idol" song, "Home."
Phillip Phillips Wins 'American Idol'
Wednesday's
finale packed the usual array of medleys, group performances and guest
appearances. Stars on the roster included Rihanna (who hit the stage to
perform "Where Have You Been"), Chaka Kahn (who joined the female
finalists on "I'm Every Woman"), Neil Diamond (who did "Sweet Caroline"
with the male contestants) and Reba McEntire (who sang "Turn on the
Radio" with Skylar Laine). Josha Ledet sang Elton John's "Take Me to the
Pilot" alongside Fantasia Barrino, whom he introduced as "the biggest
inspiration in my life" and who hit the stage in a wild, form-fitting
catsuit and long hair, while another former "Idol" winner, Jordin
Sparks, took the stage with Hollie Cavanagh on "You'll Never Walk
Alone." John Fogerty teamed up with Phillips on the
The show also featured "Idol's" first live
wedding proposal, when fifth season finalist Ace Young proposed to third
season runner-up Diana DeGarmo while the dramatic "Idol"
suspense-building music played in the background. (DeGarmo accepted
despite Young's tacky jewelry store plug mid-proposal.)
Phillips and Sanchez were also given new Ford automobiles for their efforts.
Next
up? After the finalists make the media rounds, the "American Idol"
summer tour — featuring the season's top 10 finalists — kicks off July
6 in Detroit.
The lights were dimmed, the votes were counted, and Phillip Phillips became the new "American Idol."
As expected, Phillips beat out Jessica Sanchez on Wednesday's (May 23) Season 11 "Idol" finale, live at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre. Phillips topped Sanchez after a reported 132 million votes were cast — "a new world record," according to host Ryan Seacrest.
Phillips teared up while performing his winning song "Home," while confetti rained down on the stage around him. The Leesburg, Georgia, native has been a cool cucumber all season long, but he broke down in the moment, just as he did during his hometown visit last week.
Phillips didn't finish the song, but strolled off stage and into the arms of his family, who were waiting in the first few rows. As streamers fell and the band played on the stage behind him, Phillips hugged his family members, and later judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
Heading into this season, the buzz was that a woman would win "Idol," becoming the first female winner since Jordin Sparks in 2007. Four of this year's top six contestants were female, but Phillips proved unbeatable in the stretch.
Sanchez was an early favorite in the season, stepping out in front with her show-stopping rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" on the March 7 episode. But she hit her stumbling blocks along the way, and was voted out on the April 12 episode, and had to be saved by the judges to stay in the competition.
Phillips was steady throughout the season. His name — that name! — made him an instant standout, and he played it cool all season long, never letting much of anything — including the season-long illness he battled — ruffle his fathers. (On Thursday's show, he joked — he was joking, right? — that he got nine and a half to 10 hours of sleep the night before.) He was often criticized, and fairly so, for his similarities to Dave Matthews, but he came alive in the final two weeks, knocking out Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" and his winning "Idol" song, "Home."
Phillip Phillips Wins 'American Idol'
Wednesday's
finale packed the usual array of medleys, group performances and guest
appearances. Stars on the roster included Rihanna (who hit the stage to
perform "Where Have You Been"), Chaka Kahn (who joined the female
finalists on "I'm Every Woman"), Neil Diamond (who did "Sweet Caroline"
with the male contestants) and Reba McEntire (who sang "Turn on the
Radio" with Skylar Laine). Josha Ledet sang Elton John's "Take Me to the
Pilot" alongside Fantasia Barrino, whom he introduced as "the biggest
inspiration in my life" and who hit the stage in a wild, form-fitting
catsuit and long hair, while another former "Idol" winner, Jordin
Sparks, took the stage with Hollie Cavanagh on "You'll Never Walk
Alone." John Fogerty teamed up with Phillips on the The show also featured "Idol's" first live wedding proposal, when fifth season finalist Ace Young proposed to third season runner-up Diana DeGarmo while the dramatic "Idol" suspense-building music played in the background. (DeGarmo accepted despite Young's tacky jewelry store plug mid-proposal.)
Phillips and Sanchez were also given new Ford automobiles for their efforts.
Next up? After the finalists make the media rounds, the "American Idol" summer tour — featuring the season's top 10 finalists — kicks off July 6 in Detroit.
