Idol crowns a winner

Young singer Jordin Sparks has become the sixth American Idol, beating runner-up Blake Lewis to the highly coveted title.

A record 74 million votes were cast for the finale, which aired live in the US on May 23. After American Idol host Ryan Seacrest announced the result, 17-year-old Sparks broke down in tears, thanking her fans for their votes.

Sparks's first single will be the track This is My Now, a song written by the winners of a special song-writing competition.

"You just wiped the floor with Blake on that song," judge Simon Cowell told Sparks after both finalists belted out the winner's single in an episode of American Idol that aired the day before the final.

Though it's the top rated program in the States, American Idol has not been without controversy. Earlier in the season, 17-year-old contestant Sanjaya Malakar made headlines around the world after Cowell declared that he would quit Idol forever if he won.

The latest season of American Idol was not broadcast in Australia, but fans of the televised karaoke contest don't have long to wait to get their fix: the fifth season of Australian Idol is slated to kick off on Network Ten later in 2007.