David Archuleta or David Cook: Which David Will Rise to the Top?

In case you missed it, American Idol is winding down and David Archuleta and David Cook are the final two contestants fighting for the top spot. Idol fans said goodbye to Syesha Mercado and hello to what most fans expected-that Cook and Archuleta would be the last two standing. Syesha has a lot of style, a great voice and can go far in her singing career, but American Idol voters decided to go with the boys this time. Goodbye Syesha and good luck with your career.

The two Davids have very different styles and, therefore, appeal to different audiences. Both Archuleta and Cook are very talented. Most Idol viewers likely made their decision a long time ago about who should win this year's American Idol. In case you are among the few still undecided about Archuleta versus Cook, here are positive and negative aspects of both contestants to help you decide.

David Archuleta: The preteen crowds (and their mothers) find Archuleta especially wholesome, cute, and cuddly. But this may not be enough to carry him to the American Idol final winner's spot. Archuleta's style--vocal style and general stage presence--is predictable and can be considered slightly humdrum even. That Archuleta's dad was recently banned from playing a strong guiding part backstage probably won't affect things too much--except that the drama was extra stress the young Archuleta didn't need.

David's voice has kept pure throughout but those who are not fans indicate his performances are just too predictable and, therefore, boring. Archuleta lacks a spark that frequently (but not always) burns bright in David Cook's singing and stage presence. Archuleta does have true talent, however. He has room for growth-but at the young age of 17 he has a very good start and I can't imagine that he will just fade away from the spotlight if he is not chosen as the winner.

David Cook: Cook's stage presence and vocal flexibility are what he really has going for him. He's messed up a few times (vocally). His singing is not as consistent as Archuleta's (depending on which David you prefer, you can read "consistent" as either "consistently pure and beautiful" or "consistently boring") but Cook fans feel his good performances are so exceptional that they easily outweigh the occasional bad performances (which probably can be blamed on song choice more than anything else).

So, will it be David Cook or David Archuleta? American Idol fans will decide very soon.