Jordin Sparks, a 17-year-old high school student from Glendale, Arizona, has been crowned the youngest ever American Idol.

Sparks won over 25-year-old beatboxer Blake Lewis, the show’s hippest-ever finalist. In what the organizers termed was one of the closest results in Idol’s six-year history, a record 74 million votes were cast to decide the winner.

The final result was not too much of a surprise though as Sparks saved the best for last and gave a triumphant performance on Tuesday that wowed the show’s judges and viewers alike.

The show’s ‘Mr Nasty’ judge Simon Cowell had this to say ahead of the announcement of the winner, “You know what, it was a good night last night but if I’m gonna call it, based on the last song, congratulations Jordan.”

In India, the show aired live on Star World.