surprise.

I actually woke up at 4 am to watch the last hour of the AI finale results show. I enjoyed some of the numbers and felt a little sad during the tributes to Simon. Then, without much ado, Ryan Seacrest announced the winner of Season 9. Crystal looked quite calm and happy while Lee looked like he was ready to throw up with excitement and dread at any moment. I turned off the TV after Lee's name was called. I didn't want to listen to him struggle to sing Beautiful Day again.

Crystal and Lee were the two people I wanted to see as the top two. They both deserved to be there; Crystal for her indisputable talent and Lee for his continued growth during the competition. And when it came down to the wire, I couldn't help but root for the person who ideally should win in a singing competition and not for the person who was more popular. Lee's perpetual "aw, shucks" look and blue eyes captured the hearts of female mainstream pop music fans and they're the ones who gave him the win.

Oh, well. I'm looking forward to see how Crystal does after AI. I read some articles that said she's better off being the runner up because she'll be able to get a record out faster, she'll have her artistic freedom and will probably go the way of Chris Daughtry who has become more successful than the rest of his AI season 5 contemporaries. I hope Lee does well, too, especially with his win, and that he'll be far more successful than Kris Allen has been.

And the biggest question as the season ends: how long will AI survive without Simon? I'm giving it a year or two before it goes down into the annals of TV history.


Mood Music: Restless Farewell by Joan Baez