"Soul Patrol!" Taylor Hicks screamed as he claimed the recording contract and the title of American Idol after his win last night over the Katharine McPhee in a finale that included surprise appearances by Prince and Mary J. Blige. After his victory, Hicks told FOX news: "It's an exhilarating feeling. I am flabbergasted. I can't believe I'm the next American Idol." He admitted that when his name was called he had to tell himself: "Don't fall to the floor. Don't let your knees buckle."
The two-hour finale episode, which host Ryan Seacrest said was being watched by 200 million people around the world, kicked off with Hicks, McPhee and the 10 losing finalists sang a Barry Manilow number, "I Made It Through the Rain."
Most notable of the duets was the pairing of Clay Aiken (in a newer, hipper hairdo) and wannabe Idol Michael Sandecki, who had been invited back to accept a Golden Idol award given to the most dismal washout. Sandecki had billed himself as the "next Clay Aiken" was singing Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" when the real Clay came out on stage and brought down the house. Other idol finalists performed with established stars including: Hicks with Toni Braxton, McPhee with Meat Loaf, Chris Daughtry with Live, Paris Bennett with Al Jarreau, and Elliott Yamin with Mary J. Blige.
As for the winner's career plans after 'Idol', Taylor says that he'll be doing an album which will be "a really good representation of who I am as an artist. There are things that I want to do creatively that I've never been able to get to do before American Idol – possibly (something) a little bit cutting-edge."
