American Idol: David Vs. David

America has voted. The final two contestants in season seven of American Idol are David Cook and David Archuleta. Who is going to win? Here is an analysis on the final two contestants.

David Archuleta

David Archuleta, a seventeen-year-old from Murray, Utah has an amazing singing talent. His voice melts through the hearts of teenagers who adore his looks and vocals. The songs Archuleta has chosen for each week's performance seems to leave the thought that maybe he can only handle ballads such as those that NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys would sing. It seems that Archuleta may be limited in the styles of music that he will sing. With Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson saying, "David Archuleta, you could sing the phonebook," the phonebook best be written with a ballad accompaniment.

From the beginning, Archuleta had portrayed an innocent "church boy" appearance by the way he dressed. Even with a leather jacket on, he still has the same innocent appearance. If his apparel changed from this point on, he would look out of place. He is being himself throughout the performances and has created a great idol image for teenagers to adore. His attire is much better than other teenagers whose "droopy drawers" hang down beneath their bottoms.

Aside from the way Archuleta dresses, his stage presence could improve. While he sings, he tends to close his eyes a lot. His eyes and smile are what shows the audience that he really believes in what he sings. Although Archuleta plays piano, it would impair his stage presence hiding behind the keys. He is no Stevie Wonder or Tommy Johnson so the music should be left to the professionals while he concentrates on what is most important - his singing. His stage movement has been far few and between. A choreographer in the future would be a great benefit for Archuleta.

With the adorable teen heart-throb baby face, black hair, tan complexion and sparkling eyes, David Archuleta has an attractive physical appeal. He is eye candy for the many teen and tween fans and viewers.

Will records fly off the shelf for Archuleta? Absolutely. But, the prediction would be that the majority of those purchasing his CD's and digital downloads will be in their teens and early to mid-20's which could keep his record sales down some.

As long as Archuleta can produce number one singles, he should continue his career for years to come. It much depends on what style of music David Archuleta pursues and whether or not his dad stays out of his musical career.

It would be better for Archuleta if he did not win American Idol season seven. He has not finished his high school education and has said that he does wish to attend college. With a musical career at this point, Archuleta would miss out on what he has left of his youth and should go for a major in music or whatever interests him just in case his musical career does not pan out. Everyone knows he will be offered a record deal regardless if he wins or loses.

David Cook

From bartender to a rocker idol, twenty-five year old David Cook of Blue Springs, Missouri has what it takes to win the competition. On americanidol.com, Cook was asked if he had any formal singing training. David Cook responded, "Just school choirs. Other than that, I'm just lucky." His singing has been above and beyond what I thought he could produce. He has an amazing vocal range and has proven his abilities with the various songs he has chosen.

Cook's stage presence has been fun to watch. He works the stage and on occasion plays his guitar which adds more to his on-stage abilities. The style of clothes he wears adds even more to his stage appeal.

David Cook's overall looks and style match his music. With a rocker hairstyle and clothes to match, he has and will capture the hearts of many. He continues to keep it real.

What is Cook's potential for selling records? With a distinct voice, anyone could easily turn on the radio and say, "Hey, that's David Cook!" His records will sell without a doubt. Teenagers and adults will purchase his music which will skyrocket his record sales well over Archuleta's.

David Cook's music career will be long-lasted. If he continues on with his ability to create different styles to a cover song and cuts it, he will be a major hit in the United States. After Cook's changes to the Michael Jackson song "Billie Jean" he has proven to be a wonderfully creative and brilliant music talent with an outstanding and profitable career ahead of him.

David Cook had high blood pressure during an episode of American Idol and was rushed to the hospital. According to Cook, the whole ordeal was blown out of proportion. I do not think that this incident helped or hurt his ratings on the show. Hopefully Cook will stay healthy, happy and continue an exciting career whether he wins or not.

Watching all of the American Idol episodes on my DVR, I have come up with the conclusion that the winner of American Idol's season seven will be David Cook. Cook's singing talent, stage presence, physical appeal, and record-selling potential greatly surpass that of David Archuleta's.