Candice Glover wins "American Idol" In The Season 12 FInale; All Four Judges Say Goodbye
Candice Glover was crowned the new "American Idol" after defeating country singer Kree Harrison in the show's 12th season.
Candice, the 23-year-old R&B vocalist from St. Helena Island, S.C., auditioned for the show three times before making it as a finalist this season. Glover sang her new single "I Am Beautiful" after she was announced the winner of the singing competition.
"It fits her like a Glover," joked Keith Urban of Glover's empowerment ballad.
Candice was awarded a record deal and the chance to follow in the footsteps of such chart-topping winners as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
Former "Idol" finalist Jennifer Hudson returned to the show for Thursday's finale to duet with Glover on Natalie Cole's "Inseparable." Frankie Valli, Emeli Sande, Jessie J, Aretha Franklin and "Idol" judges Keith Urban and Mariah Carey all performed for the show's finale. Even Randy Jackson, who announced his departure after 12 seasons, performed playing bass.
Randy Jackson, a judge on Idol since day one, said an emotional farewell speech during the show's finale.
"I love everybody that walked on this show," said Jackson. He added, "Hopefully, I touched their lives a little bit. They certainly touched mine."
The "Idol" finale was especially emotional this season due to all four judges not returning to the show.
After a year of bad reviews and worse ratings yet, fired all four "American Idol" judges. Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, Nicki Ninaj, and Keith Urban area all getting the boot from the Fox singing competition.
Ratings for "American Idol" were down 22 percent this season and reached a series low when it managed to only get 11 million viewers, a good reason to ax the current judges.
The only reason"American Idol" hasn't gotten canceled yet is the $836.4 million in ad revenue a year the show still manages to pull in.
This is the biggest change to the long-running program since Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul left the show.
"None of the four judges on the singing competition will be asked to return next season, an individual with knowledge of Fox's plans told "The Wrap." "All four are gone," the insider claims. "They feel they've lost their core audience and they want it back."
Randy Jackson confirmed last Thursday that he's giving up the talent-show gig.
"Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season," Jackson said in a statement."
"I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry," he said. "It's been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures."
Judge Nicki Minaj told Ryan Seacrest in an interview:"I have to say this all the time, but I want people to know it's genuinely from my heart. I love the people on Idol. I genuinely do. If I had to do this all over again, I would have done Idol. Because it's fun, it's laughs. It's kind of sad that what people read all the time is only when something is negative. But they don't realize that we built a family. I feel happy here and I have to thank them for giving me this chance. They could have picked anyone in the world. And they picked me. So that's all I'll say about that."
Interestingly, judge Mariah Carey has fired Randy Jackson as her personal manager. Jackson helped Carey win a $18 million contract with American Idol. And now she fires her co-judge?
Carey isn't just battling with Jackson. Mariah's dramatic feuds with Minaj all season have overshadowed the talent on the show. It is caddy and takes away from the integrity of the competition. "Idol" has strayed away from it's initial goal, focusing more on the judge's drama than the singers. More people can recount the Carey/Minaj quarrels than are familiar with Glover's singing.
Do you think "Idol" has run it's course and the network should give the program the boot?