April 8, 2016

The singing competition television show “American Idol” crowned its final winner last night as it ended its 15-year run. Trent Harmon, 25, from Mississippi, beat out fellow Mississippian La’Porsha Renae to become the winner of the show’s final season, to the apparent surprise of judges Harry Connick, Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban.

“American Idol” finalists Kelly Clarkson, second from left, and Justin Guarini, second from right, competed during the show’s first season in 2002. Ryan Seacrest, far left, and Brian Dunkleman, far right, hosted the show. “American Idol,” which aired until 2016, attracted some of the biggest audiences in television history. © Fred Prouser, Reuters/Landov

But the people had spoken, a theme emphasized in a special opening segment featuring United States President Barack Obama. Pointing out the voting power of the “Idol” audience, Obama congratulated the show on its long run as he urged Americans to vote: “For over a decade, this show has motivated millions of young Americans to vote…. We should do the same in our lives as citizens of this country we love…. Not all of us can sing like Kelly Clarkson [the show's first winner] but all of our voices matter. This show reached historic heights not only because Americans watched it, but because you participated in its success, and the same is true of America.”

“American Idol,” which had aired on the Fox network since 2002, discovered new singing talent through a series of auditions and televised performances. While the judges commented on each contestant’s performance, the viewers determined which contestants would advance to the next round of the competition. Viewers voted by calling a special telephone number or by text messaging after each performance show. The results were announced during the following night’s broadcast. After several weeks of performances and voting, the competition was eventually narrowed down to two finalists. The winner received a recording contract and the title of American Idol for the show’s season.

Last night’s show also featured special segments and appearances by several former contestants. Clarkson, who later became a Grammy Award winner, prerecorded a medley of her hits for the show’s audience. Season 4 finalist Jennifer Hudson, who went on to win an Academy Award as best supporting actress for her performance in the motion-picture musical  Dreamgirls (2006), took the stage, as did season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, who performed with judge Urban. Original judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul also made appearances, as did Season 1 co-host Brian Dunkleman and 21st Century Fox Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch.

Throughout its long history, the show saw many other judges, including the singer, songwriter, and record producer Kara DioGuardi; the comedian and TV personality Ellen DeGeneres; the rock musician Steven Tyler; the singer Mariah Carey; and the rap artist Nicki Minaj. Some of show’s other notable contestants included Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, David Cook, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Adam Lambert, Jordin Sparks, and Ruben Studdard.

Ratings for the “American Idol,” which once attracted some of the biggest audiences in television history, had been down in recent years. A decade ago, “Idol” drew up to 40 million viewers. Last night’s show drew nearly 13 million viewers, the best ratings for an “Idol” finale since 2013.

“American Idol” was based on a popular British program called “Pop Idol” and started out with the name “American Idol: The Search for a Superstar.” Other national versions of “Idol” include “Australian Idol,” “Canadian Idol,” and “Indian Idol.” “American Idol” spawned many other singing competition shows, including “The Voice.”

“American Idol” creator Simon Fuller was said to be already planning a reboot of the show that he described as being more “interactive” with a “youthful glow.” “‘Idol’ will certainly be coming back,” Fuller said. Ryan Seacrest, who had hosted the show since its first season, hinted at that hope last night when he signed off by saying, “Goodnight America, for now.”

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Tags: american idol, television