The newest American Idol is 17-year-old small-town boy Scotty McCreery, who impressed the judges with his deep tenor voice, incongruous with his wiry teenage build, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
More than 100,000 contestants were eliminated over the season, until only two remained. McCreery faced off against 16-year-old small-town girl Lauren Alaina, making last night’s show (May 25) the first time that the finals have taken place between two country singers.
McCreery is the second 17-year-old to take home the prize, following Jordin Sparks’ win in season six. Sparks was the youngest winner in Idol history. Her 2007 win, coincidentally, also marked the last time a female contestant was awarded the top prize.
The two-hour finale featured performances from many of the celebrities who had served as mentors throughout the season, including Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Carrie Underwood, Marc Anthony, Tim McGraw, Judas Priest, Kirk Franklin and Gladys Knight.
U2 musicians Bono and The Edge put in an appearance to promote their upcoming Broadway musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.