I’ll love you long after you’re gone, gone gone.

I don’t think Phillip Phillips will mind me stealing that line when talking about Season 12 of American Idol. This journey always wears me out, but in such a magnificent way. I watch every second of every show, sometimes twice. From mid-January to mid-May, American Idol owns me.

So when Candice Glover was crowned Season 12 champion Thursday night I was both ecstatic — because she deserved it — but rather sad at the same time, because it will be eight months until we start this all over again.

Can I just say it one more time this season — I absolutely love American Idol.

YOUR NEW AMERICAN IDOL

And so it ends …

Candice Glover

Candice Glover is the new Idol. Pat yourself on the back, America. This was an obvious choice and you nailed it. Rock on, Candice.

I always love to watch the parents and close friends of the winner at the end, because emotion is so much a part of this show. That was also illustrated in the relationship between Candice and runner-up Kree Harrison. Their friendship has seemed genuine from the start.

Candice fittingly closed the show and this marvelous journey with her new single, “I Am Beautiful.” She managed to sing just about the whole number, despite the tears, the hugs and all of that blasted confetti.

This was one of those rare Idol seasons when all the right dots were connected in the proper order.

Next up will be the offseason fireworks when we get to find out how many judges there will be next season (probably three) and who they will be. Reports on Thursday indicated Nicki Minaj has opted not to come back, along with Randy Jackson. Hopefully, Mariah Carey takes a hike, too. I’d like to see next season’s panel built around Keith Urban — but we’ll have all summer, fall and part of the winter to discuss that and other issues.

TRIBUTE TO THE DAWG

Randy Jackson

It was great to see Idol give Randy Jackson a nice send-off. I have made a lot of fun of The Dawg over the years, but I loved the guy. Randy was the last of the original judges. In recent years, we’ve bid adieu to Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, but I thought The Dawg would stay with the show until there was no longer a show to stay with.

The beginning of next season will be exciting as always, but there will be a void on the judges’ table. Randy was our final link to the glory days, and he will be missed.

THURSDAY NIGHT RECAP

It was the usual cavalcade of stars during the two-hour finale. Here were my favorite performances:

1. Jesse J performing with Angie Miller: If Angie had strutted her stuff all season like she dud during those five minutes with Jesse J, she may have won the whole thing.

2. Emile Sande and Amber Holcomb: I’m becoming a big fan of Emile — and an even bigger fan of Amber’s. She may wind up being the biggest star from Season 12.

3. The tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: Yeah, Frankie is ancient, just like Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger, but what we need to remember is what these aging rock stars have contributed through the decades. It is a musical blessing just to be able to see them perform.

4. Keith Urban and Kree Harrison: It’s easy to forget what a dynamite artist Keith is after watching him sit behind that judges’ table all season. He showed us why he is Keith Urban with a pair of songs.

5. Candice Glover and Jennifer Hudson: Their “Inseparable” was the stuff of legends.

AMERICAN IDOL CHAMPIONS
2013: Candice Glover
2012: Phillip Phillips
2011: Scotty McCreery
2010: Lee DeWyze
2009: Kris Allen
2008: David Cook
2007: Jordin Sparks
2006: Taylor Hicks
2005: Carrie Underwood
2004: Fantasia Barrino
2003: Ruben Studdard
2002: Kelly Clarkson

IDOL NATION RANKING OF CHAMPIONS
1. Carrie Underwood, 2005
2. Candice Glover, 2013
3. Ruben Studdard, 2003
4. David Cook, 2008
5. Kelly Clarkson, 2002
6. Scotty McCreery, 2011
7. Phillip Phillips, 2012
8. Fantasia Barrino, 2004
9. Taylor Hicks, 2006
10. Kris Allen, 2009
11. Jordin Sparks, 2007
12. Lee DeWyze, 2010

FINAL SEASON 12 RANKINGS
1. Candice Glover
2. Angie Miller
3. Amber Holcomb
4. Kree Harrison
5. Burnell Taylor
6. Devin Velez
7. Janelle Arthur
8. Curtis Finch Jr.
9. Lazaro Arbos
10. Paul Joelley

RANKING OF IDOL RUNNERS-UP
1. Jessica Sanchez, 2012
2. Adam Lambert, 2009
3. Clay Aiken, 2003
4. Kree Harrison, 2013
5. Bo Bice, 2005
6. Crystal Bowersox, 2010
7. Kat McPhee, 2006
8. Blake Lewis, 2007
9. David Archuleta, 2008
10. Lauren Alaina, 2011
11. Justin Guarini, 2002
12. Diana DeGarmo, 2004

TOP 10 PERFORMANCES OF SEASON 12

1. “I’ll Stand By You,” Angie Miller
2. “Don’t Make Me Over,” Candice Glover
3. “I Who Have Nothing,” Candice Glover
4. “Love Song,” Candice Glover
5. “It Hurt So Bad,” Kree Harrison
6. “When I Was Your Man,” Candice Glover
7. “What The World Needs Now,” Kree Harrison
8. “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” Kree Harrison
9. “The Power Of Love,” by Amber Holcomb
10. “Maybe,” Angie Miller

TOP PERFORMANCES OF SEASON 11

1. Joshua Ledet (“Imagine”)
2. Joshua Ledet (“When A Man Loves A Woman”)
3. Jessica Sanchez (“I Will Always Love You”)
4. Joshua Ledet (“It’s A Man’s, Man’s Man’s World”)
5. Jessica Sanchez (“Stuttering”)
6. Joshua Ledet/Jessica Sanchez  (“I Knew You Were Waiting For Me”)
7. Joshua Ledet (“Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”)
8. Joshua Ledet (“To Love Somebody”)
9. Elise Testone (“Whole Lotta Love”)
10. Joshua Ledet (“If You Don’t Know Me By Know”)

TOP PERFORMANCES OF SEASON 10

1. James Durbin (“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”)
2. Paul McDonald (“Maggie May”)
3. Haley Reinhart (“What Is And What Should Never Be”)
4. Haley Reinhart (“House Of The Rising Sun”)
5. Haley Reinhart (“I Who Have Nothing”)
6. James Durbin (“Uprising”)
7. Pia Toscano (“I’ll Stand By You”)
8. Haley Reinhart (“Rolling in the Deep”)
9. Haley Reinhart (“Piece of My Heart”)
10. Scotty McCreery (“I Love You This Big”)

Normally, I measure how “good” of an American Idol season it has been by how fast the weeks go by.

This year just flew, so it must have been a great year. Considering all the peripheral material surrounding judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey — and lately, even Randy Jackson — that’s kind of amazing. There have been years when the sidebar issues have greatly weighted down the overall Idol product, but this was not one of those cases.

By the time Season 12 had reached the finals, it was obvious we had a stellar cast — and there was not one week when I felt like we had been let down. From Wednesday night’s finale between Candice Glover and Kree Harrison to some of the names we lost along the way — Burnell Taylor and Amber Holcomb, to name two — it has been a splendid year. No, wait. It has been a great year.

America itself deserves a lot of credit. The fact the judges never had to use their save was a testament the voting was pretty much accurate. There were a few weeks in the middle that were a little frustrating, back when Lazaro Arbos hung around a little too long, but that wound up being a mere blip on the radar.

There will undoubtedly be some major offseason changes in the show’s lineup, and possibly even its longstanding format. But we’ll worry about that in the coming weeks and months. For now, let’s just enjoy what has been a great year in terms of talent and entertainment.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RECAP

OK, no secret here. Candice Glover has earned the right to be the next American Idol, the first female winner since Jordin Sparks in 2007. (Do you find it at least slightly interesting that she sang a Jordin Sparks song Wednesday night?)

Can Kree Harrison pull of an upset? Of course, because anything is possible in such a fickle voting arena as this. Heck, remember when the talent-less Lee DeWyze won the title one year? And then there was the Taylor Hicks season. So, yeah, anything can happen. But will it?

No. Candice Glover is your next American Idol winner. Take it to the bank.

1. Candice Glover

Songs: “Chasing Pavements,” by Adele; “I Am Beautiful” (her coronation single, if she wins); “I Who Have Nothing,” by Jordin Sparks

Comment: Candice definitely won the night, in terms of overall performance. I especially enjoyed “I Am Beautiful” and her reprise of “I Who Have Nothing.” She appeared so confident, and I think the audience sensed that intangible. Candice should wear the crown come Thursday night. There is no question.

Nicki Minaj: “That girl can plumb flat out sing. Yo. This is how you do it. That’s like a winning performance. You just shot this whole night to a whole ‘nother level.”

2. Kree Harrison

Songs: “Angel,” by Sarah McLachlan; “All Cried Out,” (her coronation single, if she wins); “Up The Mountain,” by Patty Griffin.

Comment: Kree’s best effort of the three was “All Cried Out.” That will sound good on the radio. The other two were rather forgettable. Sorry, Kree. You had a great run, but Candice will be the champ.

Randy Jackson: “Don’t be afraid to show your soul.”

FROM ACROSS THE IDOL NATION

From The Hollywood Reporter: Some thoughts on departing American Idol judge Randy Jackson:

Naima Adedapo (season 10): “I love Randy’s spirit and was happy to have experienced him as a judge. My favorite moment: after two pretty harsh weeks of criticism from him, I had finished performing ‘Dancing in the Street’ and he said, ‘Finallly tonight, all of Naima showed up!’ I was proud to have won him over! It’s going to be crazy not to see him at the judges’ table reciting his infamous phrases. I’ve got much love for Randy and will miss seeing him on Idol each week.”

Lauren Alaina (season 10): “Randy always had my back.  He was a wonderful judge.  His spunk, encouragement, and smile will be missed on the judging panel.”

Bo Bice (season four): “I’m sad to hear Randy is leaving American Idol. He’s not only inspired me and helped make my dreams come true, but he’s done the same for over a decade of other contestants as well. I was truly amazed when this super musician and producer would say encouraging things about my performances; it was very validating for me and I’ll always appreciate his support and honesty. We’ll miss you, Dawg.”

Crystal Bowersox (season nine): “Randy Jackson has been such an important part of the American Idol journey for so many.  I have an immense amount of respect and love for him, and wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.”

Jason Castro (season seven): “Randy was always a pretty fair judge. He could definitely be tough, but when he gave you props, it was awesome because you knew he meant it. I remember when I performed ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’… I think we were down to the final eight … and Randy said ‘Jason Castro is back!’ that was ‘blazing molten hot!’ He’s a major figure in the music industry, so when he said that, it really gave me confidence and meant a ton.  He will be missed on Idol.”

Kevin Covais (season five): “I had an amazing Idol experience seven years ago. I had the pleasure of performing in front of the original judges: Simon, Paula and Randy, all of whom I respect immensely. But I would have to say that my favorite judge was Randy Jackson. I felt like Randy always saw me for me and knew exactly what I was about as a person. And I felt like any criticism I received from him was constructive. I recall my last semifinal performance before advancing to the top 12. I performed the Don McLean song ‘Vincent.’ I remember Randy saying that he wasn’t a fan of the song choice, but that he was a fan of mine. After my time on the show, I came across an interview from the night I got eliminated and Randy said how much everyone on the show loved me and how the future would be amazing for me. I might have been considered the underdog of my season of Idol, but I could tell Randy never thought of me that way. He knew that I was just an honest, real 16-year-old kid who loved to sing. He could see that because he is the same way. I’ve come across few people who are as genuine as Randy Jackson. He is an amazing dude. Idol will miss him when he’s gone.”

Bucky Covington (season five): “It will be hard to replace a talent like Randy, especially since he is such a beloved name in the music industry. He has great advice for the contestants no matter what he thinks of their chosen ‘genre’ and I always respected him for that. Very interested to see who will be chosen for the new panel of judges… I personally think Judge Judy would be great on the show…”

Melinda Doolittle (season six): “I credit Randy Jackson for encouraging the ‘Tina Turner’ in me. I went from not always being sure about the grit in my voice to embracing every second, thanks to his encouragement. As a huge fan of the original three judges, I will miss Randy dearly and am proud to have been one of his ‘dawgs!’”

FROM ACROSS THE IDOL NATION

From Reuters: Veteran American Idol judge Randy Jackson said on Thursday he was leaving the Fox TV singing contest to focus on his other business ventures.

“The Dawg,”, who has been a judge on the show since its start in 2002, made the announcement amid falling ratings and rampant rumors about the future makeup of the celebrity panel.

The Dawg

“Yo! Yo! Yo! To put all of the speculation to the rest, after 12 years of judging on American Idol I have decided it is time to leave after this season,” Jackson told entertainment news outlet E! News.

“I am very proud of how we forever changed television and the music industry. It’s been a life changing opportunity but I am looking forward to focusing on my company Dream Merchant 21 and other business ventures,” the record producer said.

Entertainment website TheWrap.com reported this week that producers were considering a major shake-up of the panel after the end of the season on May 16.

Citing unidentified sources, TheWrap said singers Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and country artist Keith Urban, who were brought in this year in a bid to refresh the show, would all be replaced as judges for the 2014 season.

Congratulations, America. You (almost) got it right.

It will be Candice Glover vs. Kree Harrison in next week’s American Idol finals. Angie Miller was eliminated on Thursday night’s results show.

Idol is guaranteed to produce its first female winner since 2007.

All things considered, I felt Angie had earned the right to meet Candice for the championship, but as I write this it’s hard to complain too much about Kree getting that second spot.

Two weeks ago, I said this was the best final four in Idol history, and I stand by that. Candice emerged as the top overall talent among those four, and the other three (including Amber Holcomb, who was dismissed a week ago) were pretty much on equal footing down the stretch. I felt Angie had pulled slightly ahead the past two weeks, but it wasn’t as if Kree had been lapped.

Next week’s finale is Candice’s to lose. And I don’t think she will.

AMERICAN IDOL CHAMPIONS
2013: ???
2012: Phillip Phillips
2011: Scotty McCreery
2010: Lee DeWyze
2009: Kris Allen
2008: David Cook
2007: Jordin Sparks
2006: Taylor Hicks
2005: Carrie Underwood
2004: Fantasia Barrino
2003: Ruben Studdard
2002: Kelly Clarkson

FROM ACROSS THE IDOL NATION

Host Ryan Seacrest, center, is flanked by the American Idol judges — who may all get fired at season’s end.

From Sonya Sorich, Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer: A news report says American Idol is cleaning house.

Every year I vow not to watch the stories about the final three on American Idol returning home. I tell myself I’m going to fast forward to get right to the singing.

But I never can.

Wednesday night’s stories about the trips back home for Angie Miller, Kree Harrison and Candice Glover were all magnificent, but the one that I enjoyed the most was Angie returning to Boston a little more than one month after the tragic terrorist bombings.

“Boston Strong.” It was hard to miss those signs, and yes I had to reach for the Kleenex to wipe away a tear or two. It’s the moments like that which will always separate American Idol from all of the imposters.. The emotional attachment we draw to these people over the course of more than four months is a kind of tie The Voice, X Factor or Dancing With The Stars will never be able to match.

American Idol is an American tradition. We grow to care about these people, and that’s what makes year special. There is a reason why this show has been around 12 years. Wednesday night was a prime reason

CANDICE, ANGIE WIN THE NIGHT

I think we have our two finalists for next week: Candice and Angie. They seemed to separate themselves from Kree during Wednesday’s two-hour semifinal.

Each of the girls sang three songs, one picked by uber judge Jimmy Iovine, one from the judges and one from the Idol production crew.

Angie, Candice and Kree.

Candice and Angie were both incredible. Kree was fine, but on this night “fine” was not good enough. The night was punctuated with Candice’s jaw-dropping “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.”

“What was THAT?!” exclaimed judge Keith Urban.

“Four words — see you next week!” fellow judge Nicki Minaj said.

“Thanks for making me cry again,” Mariah Carey added.

Yeah, it was that good.

Unless there is an unthinkable mistake on the part of the voters, it will be Candice vs. Angie next week.

Here’s my take on Wednesday night:

1. Candice Glover

Songs: “One,” by U2; “Next To Me,” by Emile Sande; “Somewhere” from West Side Story.
Comment: I was extremely worried about Candice tackling U2, but I shouldn’t have been. The girl chewed it up and spit it right back at us. I think even Bono would have been proud of that effort … She was even better with the Emile Sande number, returning a bit to the rocking version of Candice I enjoy the most … All I can add about “Somewhere” is Oh, Em, Gee.
Keith Urban: “You care, and you’re really committed to this.”

2. Angie Miller

Songs: “Sorry (Seems To Be The Hardest Word)” by Elton John; “Try,” by Pink; “Maybe” by Emile Sand.
Comment: First of all, Angie Miller looks exactly like my daughter, Kaysi. I’ve been waiting to offer that all season. That said, I enjoyed Angie’s take on “Sorry.” She seemed more comfortable than I anticipated standing in front of the mic and belting out the Elton John classic. It wasn’t great, but it was well above average … The judges’ choice of “Try” for Pink was perfect for Angie, because she is the only one of the three semifinalists who could convey Pink’s attitude with/for the song … Angie capped off a great night by returning to the piano for “Maybe.” She captured the emotion in perfect tone and performance. I think Angie sang herself into next week’s championship round. “You sang your heart out,” Randy Jackson said. “Tonight you became a complete performer.” I can’t argue that.
Nicki Minaj: “You clearly are bringing it, to win this competition.”

3. Kree Harrison

Songs: “Perfect,” by Pink; “Here Comes Goodbye,” by Rascal Flatts; “Better Dig Two,” by The Band Perry.
Comment: I didn’t connect at all with “Perfect” — the country spin just left me flat with that one … The Rascal Flatts song was a nice comeback for our country girl, but she had to follow Angie’s “Try” by Pink, and I think the rather somber “Here Comes Goodbye” may have hurt Kree, despite her powerful emotional attachment to the song. She simply was not able to follow the momentum-building performance from Angie. It’s one of those intangibles that may show up in the voting … Kree’s tribute to The Band Perry was fine from a technical standpoint, but it was rather boring and paled in comparison to her two rivals. I think Kree will be going home Thursday night.
Nicki Minaj: “The quality of your voice is … always filled with so much quality.” (What?)

Carrie Underwood

FROM ACROSS THE IDOL NATION

From Liz Raftery, TV Guide: Countless male football fans were disappointed last month when Faith Hill revealed she’d be retiring as the sexy opening number for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. However, they’ll no doubt perk right up again when they hear who her replacement is — it’s yet another country-music beauty and former American Idol champ Carrie Underwood.

The six-time Grammy Award winner who was officially named the new SNF opener, says she’s “thrilled” and “honored” that NBC chose her as Hill’s replacement.

“I have always loved football season,” she said. “It is so exciting to now become part of it every Sunday night!”

Sunday Night Football producer Fred Gaudelli confirmed that Underwood was their first — “and only” — choice to replace Hill. “She’s one of America’s most popular entertainers and the perfect fit for our show,” he noted. Gaudelli revealed in a conference call today that Underwood was also included the original line-up of considerations in 2006 when the show debuted.

Underwood will be performing the same number Hill made famous for the past five seasons: “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night,” which is set to the tune of Joan Jett’s classic “I Hate Myself For Loving You.” She’ll be recording her own version of the song, marking her first production for NBC Sports. “It’s the same song, same lyrics, but it’s going to be with my flair,” she explained.

FROM AROUND THE IDOL NATION

From Liz Raftery, TV Guide: The final three on American Idol and their weaknesses heading into Wednesday night’s performance show:

Candice Glover

Ever since Idol aired that behind-the-scenes package showing Candice and Burnell Taylor talking about playing a practical joke on Lazaro Arbos, Candice has found herself in the underdog position as far as likeability is concerned. Her innate shyness — especially up against Kree and Angie, both of whom ooze personality — doesn’t help matters either, even causing some viewers to pin her with that dreaded D word, diva (and not in a good way). At the same time, if she tries to change her demeanor this late in the game, it will just come off feeling forced and unnatural. Candice will have to rely on strong performances to pull her through if she’s going to take the title

Candice, Angie and Kree

Kree Harrison

Kree sometimes seems disconnected during her performances, as if her body’s on stage, but her mind is somewhere else, and the judges have told her as much in recent weeks. (Granted, she’s also been plagued by shoes that should come with a warning label, as well as a pinched nerve one week.) Our theory? Singing comes so naturally to her that she doesn’t feel the need to put any extra effort or emotion into her songs, and it shows. But at this stage in the game she needs to find some way to break out of her shell — or at least fake it.

Angie Miller

Like Kree, Angie often seems a little disconnected from her songs — and a little too connected to the cameras, according to judge Nicki Minaj. She’s the contestant who’s just there to have fun, as she told the audience after her much-derided take on “Shop Around” a few weeks ago, so when she tries to tackle swooping emotional ballads, her performances tend to lack credibility. And she’s been known to flub some lines, as on The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You.” That said, she’s clearly more in the “pop star” camp, while Kree and Candice would be considered more Singers with a capital S, so her perpetually sunny demeanor might not hurt her after all.

Harry Connick Jr.

FROM ACROSS THE IDOL NATION

From Rob Moynihan, TV Guide: As American Idol’s 12th season winds down toward the May 16 finale, speculation is growing about another judging shakeup, and a serious contender has now entered the race.

Crooner Harry Connick Jr. confirmed to reporters after Thursday’s results show that he has been talking with producers about joining next year’s panel. “They wanted to know if I would be interested and it’s a blast, but I don’t know, it’s hard to make a commitment like that,” Connick said backstage.

The actor and performer, who will release a new album called “Every Man Should Know” on June 11, served as an opinionated mentor to the Top 4 contestants this week and even had a heated argument at the judge’s table with Randy Jackson during Wednesday’s live show.

“You need to be completely honest and diplomatic,” Connick said of his judging method. “There’s no reason to be mean, but it’s called being a judge. You have to judge, that’s what you do.”

Connick previously mentored contestants during Season 9 and confirms he was also offered the role back then but declined because “it didn’t work out, there were a lot of things going on on their side and my side.” But his connection to Idol goes all the way back to Season 1, where he was an audience member for Kelly Clarkson’s victory. “I’m a big fan of the show, and Justin Guarini looked and waved at me!” he said with a laugh.

American Idol’s fantastic four is down to the talented three.

We bid adieu to Amber Holcomb on Thursday night, who for some reason never seemed to be on the same footing as Candice Glover, Kree Harrison and Angie Miller when it came to the weekly vote.

And I’m not sure why.

Amber could sing and she looked terrific week in and week out. In addition, she probably improved as much or more than anyone who qualified for the finals. We’ll just have to chalk her exit up to one of those inexplicable Idol vote things.

As much as I’ll miss Amber, I won’t lose any sleep, because the three who are left are well worth tuning in for the final two weeks of the season. But one final question pertaining to Amber — just how good was she? Where does she rank in Idol history? In terms of fourth-place finishers, I rank her No. 3 all-time. See if you agree:

Amber Holcomb

ALL-TIME AMERICAN IDOL FOURTH-PLACE FINISHER RANKINGS

1. Allison Iraheta (2009): She was good enough to win the whole thing.
2. Chris Daughtry (2006): Ditto.
3. Amber Holcomb (2013): Probably in at least eight of the Idol seasons, Amber could have been champion. That’s how strong this year’s class is.
4. James Durbin (2011): Remember when he sang “Uprising” by Muse song? Unforgettable.
5. Tamara Gray (2002): The first major Idol controversy when she was voted off the island in fourth place.
6. Jason Castro (2008): He appeared in Quincy about six months ago.
7. LaToya London (2004): She’s enjoyed a moderately successful post-Idol career.
8. Josh Gracin (2003): He’ll always be overshadowed by the Ruben Studdard-Clay Aiken battle in Season 2.
9. Hollie Cavanagh (2012): Like Amber, she had trouble connecting with the voters at home.
10. Lakisha Jones (2007): Most years, Lakisha would not have even made it into the top 10, but 2007 was a weak, weak season.
11. Michael Lynche (2010): His shining moment was “It’s a Man’s World.” Other than that, he was in A-Fed territory.
12. Anthony Federov (2005): Worst all-time member of a top four.

OK, I have no idea who may be going home Thursday on American Idol. I truly wish all four of these girls could advance to the finals.

Candice Glover, Kree Harrison, Angie Miller and Amber Holcomb have made this the most entertaining stretch run in Idol history. The field has never, ever been this balanced, this talented.

Who is leaving? A have no idea. Absolutely none.

Here’s my Wednesday night recap:

1. Candice Glover

Songs: “When I Was Your Man,” by Bruno Mars; “You’ve Changed,” by various artists.
Comment: I once said I preferred the Candice who pranced around the stage, but the more she just stands in front of us and simply belts out these classics the more I am changing my tune. Sing on, Candice. Sing on. The girl has earned a spot in the finals. Enough said.
Mariah Carey: “This girl is anointed.”

The final four — Kree, Amber, Candice and Angie — with host Ryan Seacrest.

2. Angie Miller

Songs: “Diamonds” by Rihanna; “Someone To Watch Over Mr,” by various artists.
Comment: As much as I brow-beat Angie a week ago for being way too over the top, I will praise her this week for pulling it back a notch. I absolutely loved her take on “Diamonds.” Angie also did a nice job on her standard, “Someone To Watch Over Me.” These two performances combined may have represented Angie’s best overall night of the season.
Nicki Minaj: “You always put me in mind of a Disney princess.”

3. Amber Holcomb

Songs: “Just Give Me A Reason,” by Pink and Nate Ruess; “My Funny Valentine,” by various artists.
Comment: I was a little worried when Amber picked by current favorite song with “Just Give Me A Reason.” I shouldn’t have been. She did a commendable job. Sure, it wasn’t Pink, but it worked. Of the four remaining contestants, she probably was the only one who had the voice to pull it off. As far as her second song was concerned, “My Funny Valentine” has always ranked among my top 10 least favorites. But Amber made it bearable. That’s more than most singers can do for me with that song.
Keith Urban: “I love the clarity … in your voice I am hearing.”

4. Kree Harrison

Songs: “See You Again,” by Carrie Underwood; “Stormy Weather,” by Lena Horne/Etta James.
Comment: How in the world are we going to eliminate one of these girls? Kree settled back into her comfortable country-bluesy feel for her first song, and then dropped a little 1940s noir on us for the nightcap. I could listen to her — and Candice, Angie and Amber — sing all day and night.
Keith Urban: “Your voice is faultless. It always is.”

TOP 10 PERFORMANCES OF THE SEASON

1. “I’ll Stand By You,” Angie Miller
2. “Don’t Make Me Over,” Candice Glover
3. “I Who Have Nothing,” Candice Glover
4. “Love Song,” Candice Glover
5. “It Hurt So Bad,” Kree Harrison
6. “When I Was Your Man,” Candice Glover
7. “What The World Needs Now,” Kree Harrison
8. “Help me Make It Through the Night,” Kree Harrison
9. “The Power of Love,” by Amber Holcomb
10. “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” Candice Glover