Fantasia Barrino combined tears with cheers as she celebrated her "American Idol" win last night, surrounded by the show's other finalists. In the foreground are Hawaii's Top 12 contestants Camile Velasco, left, and Jasmine Trias.
Idolized
Fantasia Barrino is named
the new "American Idol"
Tears streaming down her face, bobbing up and down in a snowstorm of fluttering confetti strips, "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino sang the words, "I've been waiting all my life for this moment to arrive, and finally, I believe."
It was easy to believe her.
Fox's popular talent show, featuring amateur singers competing for a multimillion-dollar record contract, wrapped up its third season last night, having narrowed an original pool of 70,000 hopeful contestants to 12 and then a pair, Barrino, a 19-year-old from High Point, N.C., and 16-year-old Snellville, Ga., native Diana DeGarmo.
After a record 65 million phone and text-message votes were cast following Tuesday night's final sing-off, Barrino took home the top prize, joining Kelly Clarkson, the show's first winner, and last season's pick, Ruben Studdard.
"I broke my shoe!" the emotional Barrino said over the enthusiastic cheers of a packed house of screaming fans and celebrity guests at Hollywood's Kodak Theater. "I always say I've been through some things, but I worked hard to get to where I'm at. Thank y'all so much, man. Oh, I'm a crybaby."
DeGarmo continued smiling through tears in defeat, telling her fans: "I'm so proud to have come here with Fantasia. She's my girl and you guys will treat her well."
Barrino and runner-up Diana DeGarmo sang together, then embraced. "I'm so proud to have come here with Fantasia," DeGarmo said.
Barrino told reporters backstage that she wanted the win for herself and for her 2-year-old daughter, Zion. "I want to be able to take care of my own child, I want to be a good mommy and now I can do it."
The judges of the Fox TV singing contest had pretty much crowned Barrino the winner the previous night, when she dazzled them with her three songs.
But judges don't pick the winner -- America does, through phone and text-message votes. Host Ryan Seacrest said the 65 million phone votes cast were up from 24 million for last season's finale.
Barrino receives a recording contract. Her first single will be a song she and DeGarmo both tried out Tuesday night: "I Believe," written by Tamyra Gray, a contestant from season one.
Jordan Segundo, Hawaii's "American Idol" semifinalist from season two was satisfied by the outcome, although he had believed DeGarmo would be crowned. "I think Fantasia's a great performer and I thought she deserved to win, but I really thought Diana was going to get the votes."
He said he though thought DeGarmo would draw more votes from younger fans, although "Fantasia is probably the better performer and she was good throughout the competition. She had a lot more emotion and a lot more soul to her performance whereas Diana had more of a sweet, pure performance."
Jasmine Trias sang "Midnight Train to Georgia" in the show's opening. Trias finished third in the contest.
KUMU-FM radio personality Lee Kirk said listeners lit up his switchboard yesterday, wanting to know the winner in advance. Most, he said, were pulling for Barrino.
He says season two champion Ruben Studdard, runner-up Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson, the winner from season one, have all made their way to his station's playlist recently. The appearance of DeGarmo and Barrino on the airwaves, he thinks, is probably a short time away.
"Fantasia, at this point, may be more radio-friendly than Diana because a lot of radio these days is hip-hop and R&B oriented and Fantasia's definitely got that groove," he said. "But Diana is somewhat in that Celine Dion mode and would be more inclined to take the adult-contemporary and light-rock route, like Clay Aiken, who is a phenomenon."
Star-Bulletin writer Shawn "Speedy" Lopes, the Associated Press and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram contributed to this report.
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Kapahulu woman wins
‘Idol pursuits’If you thought it was impossible two months ago to have predicted Fantasia Barrino, Diana DeGarmo and Jasmine Trias would win the top three slots in "American Idol," you'll appreciate Nancy Clark's ear for music.
The Kapahulu resident beat out hundreds of entrants to win of our "Idol Pursuits" contest. Her name was drawn from a trio of music lovers who made the same picks.
Clark said she had forgotten who she picked back in March when balloting for our contest closed with 11 left in the game, but said she went with her favorites.
Of winner Barrino, she said, "I love her voice. She reminds me of Nell Carter."
Clark wins a selection of CDs and a Jasmine Trias T-shirt.
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