American Idol Finale: And the Winner Is...

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Both Clark Beckham and Nick Fradiani are hoping to become the winner of American Idol Season 14, but only one of these talented, hot, fantastic musicians will prevail.

Who will it be? Tennessee boy Beckham or Connecticut's own Fradiani? After a star-studded two-hour finale, we'll find out! So let's get to it!

Clark Beckham and Nick Fradiani Photo - American Idol

Fall Out Boy help Nick and Clark open the show and it's maybe one of the most high-energy openings we've had. The mixing isn't great and both Clark and Nick are overshadowed by the music behind them, but they both look great on the stage. (For what it's worth, Fall Out Boy lyricists are overshadowed too.)

Nicely done, guys. Nicely done.

Quick note: I really covet Jennifer Lopez' hair. I'm not really willing to do the work to have her body past 40, but I could sit in a chair while someone added some glorious locks like hers. That's a compromise I'm willing to make. 

Clark and Nick join Ryan and the judges on the judges' platform where Ryan asks Nick what the first thing was that he thought about this morning. 

"To be honest, I overslept," Nick answered. Clark woke up at 5:30 and thought he overslept. So that's how their day was.

Tyanna Jones is back as the first Season 14 contestant besides the finalists to perform tonight and she's singing alongside the remaining members of the Jackson 5, which has to be INSANE for her. 16 years old and she's singing a medley with the Jacksons. That's nuts!

She's great. I miss her.

The ladies of the season, Maddie, Adonna, Serena Joi, Jax, Tyanna, and Joey join the stage with Chic and Nile Rodgers. Serena Joi looks and sounds better than she did when she was competing. So does Adanna. 

Maddie FINALLY ditched the red tips on her hair. Joey is lovely, as always. Their medley is followed by one Mr. Ricky Martin!

He does not open the segment with "Livin La Vida Loca." He does, however, look amazing in his shiny suit. NONE of this season's guys have his swag. 

Oh, there it is. "Livin La Vida Loca" is his SECOND song, and the guys join him on the stage with Qaasim and Quentin taking point next to Mr. Put It Down himself while Clark and Nick dance awkwardly in the background with Rayvon. 

"She Bangs" is a total bomb.

Janelle Monae and Jidenna are up next with "Yoga." Adanna Duru gets her moment in the spotlight with Janelle Monae. It's going to take a lot of practice before I'm able to concentrate during yoga class from now on.

Prince Royce, whom I've never heard of, is getting stage time with Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull tonight. My feet hurt for her feet in those heels. 

This performance is NOT, most likely, actually occurring in real time. J.Lo's typically don't. But the producers, in an attempt to make it seem live, cut in a clip of Keith Urban watching the performance, despite the fact that J.Lo, Prince Royce, and Pitbull are dancing on the stage where the judges' table usually sits. And Keith wasn't dancing along. And WE KNOW Keith is a chair dancer.

Just...don't fool us, Idol.

Joey Cook gets her moment in the spotlight with Echosmith, another group I've never heard of, probably because I have kids and that means Taylor Swift is one of the few universally acceptable musical acts on which both children and moms agree.

OH WAIT. I do know this song! I suddenly do not feel so old and out of touch! Hooray! 

FYI: The judges have no idea who is going to win. Keith thinks Nick might have it by a hair. Jennifer thinks Clark will take home the prize. Harry won't choose.

We're pretending again that this performance is happening live and welcoming Keith Urban to the stage to play his 18th #1 hit. It's quite understandable really why Nicole Kidman married him and had his babies. And Nicole is in the audience tonight. Awww!

Jamie Foxx is at the piano now. Rayvon gets this one, which is perfect because Rayvon has such an amazing voice. Someone's going to make music with him, right? I mean, Idol was just a stepping stone for him. The guy's voice is just too good to go unheard.

Awww! Nick and Clark get to give their mentors new cars courtesy of Ford. And they get new cars too!

Daniel Seavey is probably a big man on campus right now, and if he's not already, he will be after tonight. Except the Mrs. Robinsons might be after him. He's singing with none other than NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.

He looks like such a goofball!! People are totally going to eat this up. Is Donnie Wahlberg wearing a leather skirt? Who dressed these guys for this? Fire that person. ASAP.

Quentin Alexander's looking as eclectic as always during his appearance with Vance Joy. 

Scott Borchetta says he'll be proud to take either one of them back to Nashville with him. It would be easier to take Clark back with him since Clark already lives there. He has big plans to get their faces out there, which is smart. This guy's going to make a star out of one of these guys yet.

Pitbull, Chris Brown (BARF), and Qaasim Middleton are debuting Pitbull and Brown's newest "international" single, "Fun." Chris Brown used to be somebody I liked listening to, and everything that has happened to him in the past, what, 7 years, is tragic, particularly that no one has really been able to help him and he beat up his girlfriend. 

So much talent. Such a waste. Let's just give Qaasim a career and let him be all that Chris Brown can't be anymore.

STEVEN TYLER ON THE STAGE! Steven Tyler, guys! I don't care what anyone says. He was a super fun judge. Also, he's Steven Freaking Tyler. I will love him until the day I die. #AerosmithForever

​Jax gets to sing with him. So now I have to hate her. (JK. I don't hate her.)

Clark Beckham's going to duel on the piano with/against Michael McDonald. Clark Beckham wins this round. For sure. And we don't even need to take it to the street to make sure I'm right. You guys can just trust me.

Nick Fradiani gets to sing with Andy Grammer. If we were voting right now, this would win it for Nick. 

And now, before the show can end, the judges take the stage together to sing "Diamonds." So that J.Lo can wear a diamond/crystal/sparkle encrusted dress, no doubt. Why can't we let Harry croon? 

Oh, okay, so now we're going to do that? No, not yet. First Keith Urban's going to serenade us with "Locked Out of Heaven." Again, it's very clear why Nicole Kidman married him. Harry looks so, so uncomfortable and over it, like "I'm a freaking pro and you have me playing THIS?"

Harry doesn't get to sing. Boo.

And now. The moment we've waited TWO HOURS for. The winner...of American Idol Season 14...is...

NICK FRADIANI!

Two points to Keith Urban for picking the winner! Way to go, Nick! And now the fun is over for us until next January when we start the journey over again for American Idol Season 15!

Thanks for reading, TV Fanatics!

Review

Editor Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
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Miranda Wicker was a Staff Writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in 2017. Follow her on Twitter.

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