The new American Idol: Hicks is it!

From the moment Chris Daughtry was eliminated in the final four of the finals of American Idol (AI), there was no longer any doubt as to who will become the next American Idol.

And so it came to pass that 29-year-old country boy with soul Taylor Hicks whose prematurely gray hair helped him stand out from the pack is the new American Idol.

Hicks, the "Soul Patrol" man with his signature epileptic moves and nasal voice, wooed American audiences and went on to defeat lovely Katharine McPhee in a celebrity-filled grand finale which was aired live on ABC 5 yesterday. The two-hour finale had as guests big names like Prince, Al Jarreau, Toni Braxton and Mary J. Blige among others.

As testament to how big the grand finale was, more than 63 million votes were cast after the very last performance night which, according to host Ryan Seacrest, was "more than any president in the history of our country has received."

In the final Kat-Taylor showdown (which aired Wednesday, 10 p.m. on ABC 5), the American Idol winner was already obvious for judge Simon Cowell. "Assuming I was right that the competition was tight, then you have just won American Idol," the acerbic judge told Hicks following his last performance. If you think that wasn’t a clear indication of who the winner will be, then you don’t know Simon Cowell.

McPhee, who was lovely in a silky blue dress barely smiled as she performed an original composition entitled My Destiny. This is to be her debut single. The stunning beauty whose voice was too big for the song seemed totally at peace with whatever the outcome would be in the finale. She seemed to already have an idea of how the voting will turn out.

Taylor, on the other hand, sang Do I Make You Proud which suited him so well. He performed it as if he knew that he already was the American Idol.

Nevertheless, Kat put up a really good fight and she’s also an Idol in her own right. She may not have been the grand winner but for a lot of people she’s already a star and they know that she will go far. McPhee was the first Los Angeles native to make it big on American Idol. The beautiful McPhee looked and sounded groomed for success.

The world stopped to watch the most-anticipated season finale ever. ABC 5, the home of American Idol and soon Philippine Idol, stars and employees were glued to their seats to witness this momentous event of the year.

Philippine Idol judge Ryan Cayabyab, who is himself a self-confessed American Idol fan, has this to say about the newly-crowned winner: "From the moment I saw him in the Las Vegas auditions, I knew right away that Taylor Hicks is a genuine musician, not only a singer but a ‘soul on wing.’ He gives his all, he bares his soul and he is original. He was my favorite but I never thought he would even reach the finals! Up until the finals, I couldn’t guess who Americans voted for. It was a relief! This season’s crop is outstanding! Inspiring!"

For Philippine Idol host Ryan Agoncillo, "Taylor’s victory is a triumph of the underdog. Remember, Simon didn’t approve of him in the auditions and there have been negative remarks about his looks, voice and movements. But what is good about him is that when he sings, he makes the song his own. He’s got his own style and that is distinctly Taylor!"

Poet, essayist, freelance journalist and AI enthusiast Marra PL Lanot: "Ganda ng two-hour show. Galing at ang charming-charming ni Taylor. Very good season."

Shall We Dance? judge Audie Gemora, in turn, has this to say: "I think Taylor deserves to win. He’s unique and he’s an old soul reborn. Katharine is beautiful and has a great voice but it’s simply ‘a-dime-a-dozen’ kind of thing."

Even super singer Regine Velasquez has something to say about the results: "My bet has always been Taylor! He’s got character, charisma, talent and is such a babe in his own right! I think the finale has it all – suspense, comedy, action and most of all drama.

"The competition is intense but I see how they have matured as performers and bonded as a group throughout the whole journey. I’m such an AI fan! This show has kept me glued to the TV set wherever I am. I’m so entertained by the surprise guests and performances. I always love to see their grace under pressure and their raw emotion. The fact that it’s live makes it all the more exciting," Regine adds.

Even the big local stars have been following American Idol and some of them are indeed satisfied with the results. Surely, though, there are those who were not so happy with how things turned out – especially the Filipinos who felt helpless about the whole thing.

So to those of you whose bets didn’t make it to the top, don’t be so sad. After all, it’s not our own Idol – they were looking for America’s Idol. Soon enough, we will have our very own Philippine Idol and this time we will have a say in the voting. So, as American Idol bids farewell for now, let’s welcome the newest Idol competition in the world, Philippine Idol soon on ABC 5.