Wow, American Idol’s ratings must be down because I can only imagine that their wardrobe budget has been drastically cut. Why else would they have chosen to dress Lee and Crystal in clothes from a thrift store? Seriously, Crystal in particular looked dreadful as she entered the huge Idol theater for the final performance show. What was that tattered-looking dress and weird belted coat? And why were Lee’s clothes so ill-fitting? Fashion fail.

So who would perform better, Lee or Crystal? Let’s looked at the performances:
Round One – Encore Performances

Lee DeWyze – The Boxer
A great song, and a great performance but I’ve always hated how the artists repeat performances for the final show. They fight tooth and nail to make it to the finals, they’re supposed to be the best of the best…and then it all culminates in something we’ve already heard? Lame.

Crystal Bowersox – Me and Bobby McGee
A good choice for Crystal’s encore performance and she sang really well. “Me and Bobby McGee” should be on her album. It was Crystal doing what she does best and it was a really strong performance.

Round One went to Crystal.

Round Two – Executive Producer’s Choice

Lee DeWyze – Everybody Hurts
I didn’t think Lee sounded off during the performance. I actually thought he sang really well. “Everybody Hurts” was a great choice for Lee, and I thought he performed the song with great emotion and skill.

Crystal Bowersox – Black Velvet
OK, I’m sorry but could Crystal’s dress have been any less flattering? I hated everything about Crystal’s performance. The outfit, the arrangement, the lack of a guitar. She was belting it like an R&B singer, but she’s not. It was an OK song choice, but it would have been better if she’d done it in jeans with an acoustic guitar.

Round Two went to Lee, by a hair.

Round Three – The Singles

Lee DeWyze – Beautiful Day
Wow, no more brutal original singles? They get to release covers for their first singles? Interesting. Very interesting. I liked “Beautiful Day” for Lee as a performance, but I’m not sure if it’s his best shot for a single. It was a great fit for his voice, though, and he rocked it.

Crystal Bowersox – Up to the Mountain
I didn’t know this song. I had to Google it. I’m not sure if I love it as a choice for Crystal’s single or not – not being well-known could work for or against her. She sang it beautifully though, it was a fantastic performance.

Round Three went to Crystal.

Overall, it was just an OK finale. Crystal outsang Lee, but I’m still rooting for Lee to win. I’ve enjoyed him more overall this season and I loved watching the progress he’s made and how he always seems in awe of the fact that he’s there. Crystal has always been a professional. She said she came on the show so that she could get a better life for her son, and I’ve never felt like she’s really wanted to be on American Idol.

That said, they’re both VERY talented and deserving of the title. Personally, I prefer Lee. I like his style of music better – I find Crystal to be a bit of a one trick pony – and I find him to have a more down-to-earth personality. Who are you rooting for?

The Rankings

1. Crystal Bowersox – Up to the Mountain
2. Lee DeWyze – Everybody Hurts
3. Crystal Bowersox – Me and Bobby McGee
4. Lee Dewyze – Beautiful Day
5. Lee DeWyze – The Boxer
6. Crystal Bowersox – Black Velvet

Will Young (the original Pop Idol in England) was very good at the end, though, singing the season’s exit song. I’d slide him in somewhere between number three and four.