Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell -- Together Again on American Idol!

Lots happening with the American Idol final!!

First, there will be the highly talented vocals by Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze. Just that would be plenty enough!

But former judge Paula Abdul, who is slated to host "Got To Dance" next season, will show up for judge Simon Cowell's farewell -- Christina Aguilera too! Simon and Paula delighted fans during past seasons with a weekly comedy routine -- of playfully giving each other jabs back when Paula sat right next to Simon on the judges panel.

There has also been speculation that best friends Simon and Paul might work together on Simon's "The X Factor" next season. Cowell has been vocal in admitting that he has missed Paula on Idol -- and opined that at least part of the reason for American Idol's drop in ratings this season is Paula's absence.

What a team -- Simon and Paula. Next year could be quite a year with American Idol returning -- and Simon and Paula with shows too! Sphere: Related Content

The Soul Singer vs. the Gritty Rocker -- Crystal Bowersox vs. Lee DeWyze in American Idol final

Head-to-head competition -- The American Idol final 2010 promises to be one of the most powerful and exhilerating battles in the show's history.

Lee DeWyze, straight from a goosebump inspiring semi-final performance of Leonard Cohen composed "Hallelujah", seems the front-runner as the competition nears the finish line.

But how can powerful Crystal Bowersox -- seemingly a reincarnation of packed-with-soul Janis Joplin -- be counted out! During the competition Bowersox indeed wailed the Joplin mega-hit, Me and Bobby McGee -- and did Joplin proud.

One has to believe that a Bowersox performance of Joplin's "Cry Baby", if she should perform it, could illuminate the studio audience and voters equally as much as DeWyze's powerful "Hallelujah." Certainly, short of Joplin, no one could sing "Cry Baby" better than Bowersox!

Indeed, Bowersox and Joplin not only exude that gritty and bluesy "soul" in their style and their performances, but at the very heart of their music they seem "soul sisters." Even without sound, their faces clearly display the emotion of songs -- love, heartache, sorrow or happiness. Their intensity and edginess cannot be matched.

But Bowersox will need to be at her best next week, taking every risk and pulling out all of the stops, to overtake DeWyze, already labeled by many as the season winner.

DeWyze's task will be to remind fans of his finest "moment" -- his performance of Hallelujah -- by following it with equally impressive compositions. He has the talent -- and he has the edge. So for him a win will come easier than for Bowersox to has to overtake his lead in the stretch.

The American Idol final next week should be a once-in-a-lifetime battle of two equally talented performers. Both Bowersox and DeWyze have shown their willingness to pour heart and soul into their numbers -- and it promises to be entertaining and interesting to see who will capture the coveted American Idol crown.

The only thing that is clear today: no matter who wins -- Bowersox or DeWyze -- either has the magic to sit on the American Idol royal throne and be counted among the most talented artists in American Idol show history!

Let the battle begin! Sphere: Related Content

Crystal Bowersox, Holy Toledo

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Lee DeWyze -- Gritty Rocker American Idol finalist

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Crystal Bowersox. American Idols' "Soul" artist, American Idol finalist

crystal 2 @ Yahoo! Video

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Curtains for Casey James on American Idol

Did anyone think that Casey would survive this week's American Idol cut? Notes posted around the Internet overwhelmingly opined that it was time for Casey to leave -- and, indeed, the Idol judges seemed to be ready to lead him to the door.

But what a run it has been for North Texas' Casey James!

"I'm so thankful for the opportunity," smiled James -- even after his elimination. "It's been an amazing, amazing journey and I'm so thankful that I'm here.

As with departing contestants, James got to sing a farewell song. He chose John Mayer's Daughters -- which had been judges Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi's choice for him in this week's competition. Confident, smiling and seemingly still happy, James delivered the song with ample tenderness and style.

There was a sense that Casey may have expected that it was his week to go -- and that he was ready to move on to the Idol tour and showing America that he deserves to be a star.

Indeed, elimination from the American Idol competition often signals less about defeat and more about moving ahead in a career. Runner-up Adam Lambert has become a super star -- as has Chris Daughtry. And how about Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Clay Aiken and Kimberley Locke -- none of whom won the American Idol coveted crown!

“I never thought I'd get this far,” Casey admitted to host Ryan Seacrest. “But to me, it's like winning $10 million in the lottery and $100 million in the lottery. It's so much more than I expected, so it can't be bad.”

As the Dallas News reports: "For a guy who doesn't own a TV — and drove all night to auditions in Denver at the urging of his mom, who lent him her truck because there was no way his would make the trip — landing in the semifinals of the world's most popular talent show proved a bit overwhelming. As James Casey watched footage of last week's screaming-filled visit to North Texas Dallas/Fort Worth and his hometown of Cool, he fought back tears." Sphere: Related Content

Ellen's song choice for Crystal Bowersox -- a song meant for a man to sing to a woman!

Singers often opine that it is important to "feel" a song, to relate to the lyrics.

It was probably a bit difficult for Crystal Bowersox to relate to the words of the song that judge Ellen DeGeneres selected for her to sing on this week's show -- a song composed by Paul McCartney for his wife Linda and meant to be sung by a man to a woman.

But Bowersox, the ultimate artist, was unflappable.

She belted out "Maybe I'm Amazed" -- and was so powerful and "amazing" that she rose far above any difficulty with the words. Good for her!!

Words to the chorus:

“Baby, I’m a man, baby, I’m a lonely man who’s in the middle of something
“that I don’t really understand,
“Baby, I’m a man, baby, you’re the only woman who could ever help me,
“baby, won’t you help me understand.” Sphere: Related Content

The Singer Jam-Packed with "Soul" -- vs. The Judges' Annointed One

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Two "American Idol" top talents will battle for the crown and the throne -- but after last night's performance, it seems that the royal title might actually be determined by the shows judges instead of the performances of the contestants themselves.

Casey James, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze each opened the show with a song they chose themselves. James delivered a bland "OK, It's Alright With Me." The judges twisted their faces and words into an eventual assessment that while he sang well, the song choice was not the best and not equal to this stage of the competition when he needed "a moment."

Bowersox, complete with guitar and harmonica holder, belted a powerful version of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window." As judge Simon Cowell opined, it was classic Bowersox -- who is always true to herself. The judges said that they generally liked the performance, but felt it was not the best version of the song and at times the song seemed so big that it got away from her.

DeWyze sang "Simple Man" -- and judge Randy Jackson enthused that the singer not only lived up to the song, but showed that he had confidence that he could really win. The judges handed to first round to DeWyze.

But there was still another chance to shine -- as the vocalists performed songs chosen by the judges. And this seems where results might actually have been solidified -- by the judges.

On "Do or die night," James sang a "sensitive" "Daughters" -- because his fans are largely women and girls. He sang well -- nothing wrong, but the song, chosen by Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi, was not impressive or powerful enough to offer James a shot. What could he do? It seemed that there was never meant to be a "moment" in the song.

Bowersox belted Ellen DeGeneres' choice of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed." She filled the stage with an emotional journey, a captivating Janis Joplin-soulful version that brought the audience to its feet. Jackson declared that that it was terrific and proved that she was "in it to win it." Wow!

But DeWyze had the deck stacked in his favor -- last spot, the memorable spot and judge Simon Cowell, legendary for his talent in song choice, picking for him. During the break, Cowell chatted with DeWyze -- and it was obvious that the pair had strategized with Lee likely receiving the best in advice and guidance from Cowell all week. Cowell gave DeWyze what is probably the greatest song choices of all time -- Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." DeWyze's version was gritty, magical -- and he was the only performer backed up by a multi-member, volume-raising choir. The song, the "help" from Cowell and the choir gave DeWyze an absolute edge -- and the judges responded by oozing compliments and declaring that the evening belonged to DeWyze.

With that one song, Lee DeWyze surged into the spot of front-runner, and Bowersox suffered from being out-manuvered (thanks to an assignment of Ellen as her judge instead of Simon) despite a spectacular performance. Although DeWyze clearly was up to his task, there was a sense that the most powerful performance and win of the evening was orchestrated by Simon Cowell who was a king while the other players performed for their singers as pawns.

Clearly Cowell groomed DeWyze to win -- and DeWyze became the luckiest songman in the world, for that evening at least!

Except for a freaky surprise, Bowersox and DeWyze will be the contestants with the final shot at the American Idol title and crown! Sphere: Related Content

Changes for American Idol next fall

"American Idol" will see some major changes next fall. Not only will the world's arguably most talked about tv reality judge, Simon Cowell, be missing, but the time alloted to segments of the talent show will offer some changes as well.

Performance night on Tuesday will most often be 90 minutes long, and the results show -- often called the "kick-off night" -- will be sliced to just 30 minutes. The show's ratings have declined 9 percent this season, according to reports, and the hope seems to be that tightening the schedule will return ratings to match its highest ratings levels.

Fox revealed that an energetic search will begin this summer for a Cowell replacement.

"We have to find a judge to replace Simon that provides both music credibility and incredible entertainment value," explained Peter Rice, chairman of entertainment for the Fox Networks Group.

Some fans, though, wonder if the show can retain its luster without Cowell and his generally blunt critique of contestant performances. Cowell is leaving Idol to prepare "X Factor" for a U.S. debut. Sphere: Related Content