The Editors Of PEOPLE - PEOPLE The Best of American Idol: Farewell to TVs Greatest Talent Search

Contents

TRIO WITH BRIO Idols initial panel of judges set the tone for 15 seasons of spirited discussions about fame and talent.

THE BEST OF
AMERICAN IDOL

FAREWELL TO TVS GREATEST TALENT SEARCH

Becoming famous at 19... thats ridiculous, Kelly Clarkson told People.

RYAN SEACREST LOOKS BACK...

Idol Has Opened So Many Doors

REMEMBERING 15 SEASONS OF MUSICAL MAGIC THAT TOUCHED A NATIONS HEART by RYAN SEACREST

IT HAS
BEEN AN
INCREDIBLE
RIDE

Life without American Idol ? I cant imagine it. From the moment I first walked out onstage 14 years ago with my frosted tips, I was terrified. I had somehow gotten through the audition and persuaded Mike Darnell, Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick to take a chance on me, because Id never hosted a live prime-time show. I just wanted to walk out, do the show well, have the audience feel comfortable, try to support the contestants and figure out a way to get under Simons skin, of course. I mean, those were the things that I wanted to do.

The first season was incredibly specialthere was a magic about itmaybe because we didnt know what we were doing. The chemistry and chaos between Simon, Randy and Paula was undeniable. There was no script, and we all just sort of winged it. The culmination of all these ingredients was lightning in a bottle. We soon found success, and American Idol became a powerful platform for undiscovered, incredibly talented singers from around the country who otherwise might not have had a chance.

Our live shows have an energy you can feel, and because we are live, truly anything can happen. When the stage manager would say, 3-2-1, we were live, and there was no safety net. I love that rush.

A merican Idol makes superstars. The show takes singers on an incredible ride, and viewers get to watch them transform week after week. The contestants have access to some of the best music producers, choreographers and musicians in the business, who help support them through the competition. Kelly Clarkson was a waitress from Texas, Carrie Underwood had never been on an airplane before, Fantasia was a financially struggling single mom. These are real stories of contestants whose lives were changed forever.

Idol has opened so many doors, and contestants dont have to win in order to succeed after the show. Look at Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, Clay Aiken, Adam Lambert, Kellie Pickler.... The list goes on.

Our judges and producers have done a terrific job of finding talent on the road. We have traveled across the country to towns big and smallthough I was always blown away by the number of entertaining singers who believed they were the next Kelly Clarkson! They thought the judges were crazy when they didnt get a golden ticket, but people like William Hung found a place in our hearts. Even though he wasnt the best singer, you couldnt help but enjoy watching him.

I hope well always be remembered for some of the amazing things we did along the way, such as Idol Gives Back. We raised millions of dollars for charity, and we helped make a global impact. Im also proud that we put on a show that moms, dads, grandparents and kids could watch together in their living rooms.

Now that its all ending, of course I have mixed emotions. In the practical part of my brain, I knew this decision was coming at some point. In the heart-and-passion side of my brain, I never wanted to get that news, because Idol has done so much for me.

Thankfully, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. are the perfect group to wrap up the farewell seasonbefore they ever were judges, they all were true American Idol fans.

I still havent wrapped my head around the final episode. People ask me all the time if I think I will cry. I think we all will be crying, but not just because it is the end. There will be tears of joy to have known that we were part of something that will always play an integral role in the history of television. The last time I step onto that shiny floor and ask Kieran to dim the lights, I dont know how I will feel. It has been an incredible ride so far, and this show has changed my life forever. I hope that people enjoy this final celebration and remember this magic doesnt happen that often in life.

To the thousands of contestants and millions upon millions of viewers who watched and voted, I thank you. You helped change so many lives, including mine.

How Idol Changed The World

AMERICAN IDOL PERFORMERS WENT ON TO WIN MULTIPLE GRAMMYS AND AN OSCAR, TOUR WITH INTERNATIONAL ROCK STARS, LIGHT UP BROADWAY, RUN FOR OFFICE... AND EVEN SING FOR THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF

PRESIDENTIAL SWEET Barack Obama thanks Kelly Clarkson for her stirring rendition of America (My Country Tis of Thee) at his second Inauguration, on Jan. 21, 2013, as Vice President Joe Biden looks on.

OSCAR OMG! Just seconds after her 2007 Best Supporting Actress Oscar win (for her film debut in Dreamgirls ), Jennifer Hudson cant contain her disbelief. And yes, that blur in the tux behind her is George Clooneyhes the one who handed her that little golden man.

IM STILL IN
SHOCK.
DID I REALLY
JUST WIN?

JENNIFER HUDSON, backstage after receiving an Academy Award on Feb. 25, 2007

STAGE STAR Clutching an opening-night bouquet, Fantasia Barrino soaks in the love at her Broadway debut in The Color Purple. Critics raved about her headliner role as Celie during her nine-month-long stint.

GRAMMY GIRL Carrie Underwood nabs two trophies at the 2007 Grammy Awards, for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her hit Jesus, Take the Wheel. Over the next eight years shell win five more gramophones.

SOUL FOOD Taylor Hicks shows off the 2013 Taste of Home: Recipes Across America cookbook, which features his recipes for jalapeo poppers and gooey mac and cheese. Both are on the menu at his Alabama restaurant Saws Juke Joint.

AN IDOL I DO! Diana DeGarmo (season 3) and Ace Young (season 5) flash newlywed bling after tying the knot in June 2013. The pair fell in love during a 2010 Broadway production of Hair and got engaged on the season 11 finale.