American Idol:The Final Showdown

Season 8 of American Idol is nearing the end with a battle between Kris Allen and Adam Lambert. This season showcased two of America's top contenders for the number one spot on the popular reality show. Born and raised in Arkansas, Kris Allen showed his talent on American Idol with his looks, stunning vocals, and skills on his acoustic guitar and piano. His acoustic rendtion of Kanye West's Heartless received rave reviews from the judges, including Randy Jackson who stated that Kris' version was, "better than the original". Another amazing rendition performed by Kris was Donna Summer's She Works Hard for the Money, which also received rave reviews. Kara Dioguardi stated his rendition of the song paid off "big time".

Kris has had the musical spotlight in his hometown of Conway, Arkansas as well. Before appearing on American idol, Kris was a worship leader for New Life Church in Conway and the Greater Little Rock campuses. In 2007, Kris Allen released and produced his own album titled Brand New Shoes, which included songs such as Brand New Shoes, Beautiful Moon, and Wastin' Time. The album had a Jason Mraz vibe and showcased this young musician's natural talent.

The other top contender on American Idol is Adam Lambert, who is known for his vocal range, attire, and personality on stage. Adam Lambert showed America that he had what it took to be the next American Idol with his vocal ability. During the season, Lambert showcased his talent with renditions such as "Whole Lotta Love", "Mad World", and "The Tracks of my Tears". "Mad World" received a standing ovation from Simon Cowell, while "The Tracks of my Tears" received a standing ovation from Smokey Robinson.

Prior to American Idol, Adam Lambert was making a name for himself in California. Originally from San Diego, Lambert began captivating audiences with his amazing vocal range. While he was younger, Lambert performed in many musicals including You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Soon after moving to Los Angeles, Lambert started to write his own music, including Crawl Through the Fire. This song was a collaboration with Madonna's guitarist Monte Pittman. While recording his own music, Lambert began performing in venues around the city. In a Youtube performance, Lambert is seen performing "Dust in the Wind" at Upright Cabaret's Hollywood Nights Encore Performance in 2007. Lambert made several appearances at this venue, and quickly gained many fans while performing.

Tomorrow night, the finale will take place on Season 8 of American Idol. This finale will mark one of the closest races for the reality show. It is going to be hard to determine who will be crowned as the next American Idol. Either way, both contestants will have bright futures ahead of them.