AMERICAN Idol fans are livid after the show crowned Just Sam as the winner over Arthur Gunn during tonight’s season finale.
The 20-year-old New Yorker beat out the 22-year-old singer from Nepal to win the 2020 season of the ABC singing competition.
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Just Sam joined the other top five finalists Sunday night and performed two songs of her choice.
The former Subway busker sang season one Idol winner Kelly Clarkson’s hit Stronger for the “song she’ll use to celebrate” the end of the COVID-19 lockdown.
As her second performance, the reality winner reprised her audition song and impressed the judges with Andra Day’s ballad Rise Up.
Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie all praised the “growth” she has displayed throughout the show.
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Arthur showed off his signature raspy voice as he belted out I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw during his first finale song.
He was praised by the judges for his rendition of Have You Ever Seen the Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The 35-year-old mom-to-be predicted Arthur would win after he stunned with the 1971 classic.
Hello singer Lionel, 70, said the contestant “dropped the mic” and called the performance “magical.”
After host Ryan Seacrest, 45, revealed the winner, Just Sam bursted into screams from her LA studio as her grandmother – who is in New York – cheered from the iPad.
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The superstar panel looked thrilled and stood with applause as they congratulated “their little girl.”
However, many fans didn’t agree and some even accused the show of exploiting Just Sam’s “sob story” to gain votes.
“No surprise at all because America itself sucks. Of course they would choose an Idol who sucks.
“Sob stories always work. #AmericanIdol At least this season barely counts,” one angry viewer tweeted.
Another fired off: “Thanks America. Arthur didn’t win. he was definitely the better one out of those 2. Ugghhh!!! He has an amazing voice and vocals!! Why would we not vote for him?!? Ughhhh I hate people.”
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“Dude I haven’t been this p***ed w a show in a long time this is f***ing stupid,” a Twitter user wrote.
Someone expressed their disappointment: “#AmericanIdol I’m disappointed.. @ArthurGunn122 should have won. That other girl sucked.”
As the winner of this season, Just Sam was given the opportunity to sing Lionel’s iconic hit We Are the World.
Taped separately and merged together using special effects, she joined the Grammy winner on the song he wrote in 1985 with legend Michael Jackson.
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Country singer Luke, 43, also got to perform with a virtual rendition of his new single One Margarita.
Katy stunned fans with the first performance of her new single Daisies that was executed with “brand new” technology.
She put her baby bump on full display dressed in a puffy pink dress as she danced around barefoot with the background digitally transitioning.
The Roar singer is due later this Summer with her first baby girl with fiancé Orlando Bloom.
