‘American Idol’ vs. ‘The Voice’: Who’s the best singer? Vote here.
Week of: May 15 - May 22, 2012
"American Idol" vs. "The Voice." Tuesday and Wednesday mark the "American Idol" finale and it's come down to Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips for the win. Our judges (and you) sound off on who should win and why.
"American Idol" has come down to this: Phillip Phillips or Jessica Sanchez. Phillips is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Georgia who may keep the long boys' streak alive. Jessica Sanchez, a 16-year-old high school student from San Diego, is the first ever recipient of a judges' "save" to make the finals.
All season we have asked readers, and our experts, to vote for the best on both Fox's "Idol" and NBC's rival singing competition "The Voice." Roll over the photos below to see which performers (and performances) topped our experts charts and who got the most backing from readers who have cast more than 300,000 votes on our site to date.
Full coverage: "American Idol" | "The Voice"
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Chris Barton
Music Writer
Joshua Ledet
"idol"
Best performance:
"It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
Beyond 'Idol'
Gifted with a powerhouse voice that often made his selections actual interpretations as opposed to Xerox covers, Ledet gave us some remarkable highs. But this sprawling, conflicted take on James Brown mixed his ability to both soar and swoon. Just compare what he's doing a minute-and-a-half in with the fireworks as the song progresses. — Chris Barton
Play performance
Jermaine Paul
"the voice"
Best performance:
"Against All Odds"
Champion of the '80s
The high school reunion songbook was very good to Paul during his run to winning "The Voice," and his take on this onetime VH-1 staple stripped away Phil Collins' original soft-focus gloss for a slice of slow-burning soul. With a little luck, he really won't be relegated to backing vocals any longer. — Chris Barton
Play performance
Jamar Rogers
"the voice"
Best performance:
"It's My Life"
Singing for his life
These sort of competitions are filled with beaming contestants living the dream while overcoming adversity, but nobody looked happier to be onstage and alive than Rogers. An HIV-positive ex-addict, Rogers was a blast to watch, and he made this Bon Jovi song into some kind of personal anthem with raw, from-the-heart emotion. — Chris Barton
Play performance
Elise Testone
"idol"
Best performance:
"Whole Lotta Love"
Soaring with Zeppelin
Testone's more rock-oriented wheelhouse started feeling repetitive (yet this never became an issue for Phillips' supporters -- how curious!), but she never sounded more in her element in taking on this Led Zeppelin classic. Trying to reach Robert Plant has decimated many a vocalist, but here Testone stood tall. — Chris Barton
Play performance
Juliet Simms
"the voice"
Best performance:
"It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
It's a woman's world, too
How weird is it that two versions of the same song are on this list? There's little comparison between the two &mdash Simms' take lacked the emotional twists of Ledet's up at the top — but the raw, voice-shredding frustration behind her turn was undeniable. And the little flash of mic stand showmanship didn't hurt, either. — Chris Barton
Play performance
Todd Martens
Music Writer
Joshua Ledet
"idol"
Best performance:
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
No shame in finishing third
Ledet knew how to hold back. The soulful singer could beckon a listen closer, keeping things soft and lullaby smooth. Then with the snap of his jacket, Ledet could unleash a whiplash of emotions, the only wise-beyond-his-years singer on "Idol" this season. — Todd Martens
Play performance
Elise Testone
"idol"
Best performance:
"Whole Lotta Love"
Perfectly retro
"Idol" is rarely kind to rockers — the puppy-dog strumming of Phillip Phillips doesn't count — and Testone's affection for '70s rock made her even more of a long-shot. Yet Testone knows how to handle a groove — and then set it to flames. — Todd Martens
Play performance
Juliet Simms
"the voice"
Best performance:
"It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
Reality show grit
When Simms sang, she used every crackle and imperfection in her voice to her advantage. When in doubt, she would opt to overpower, but there was plenty of charm in the gaps of her raspy howl. — Todd Martens
Play performance
Jermaine Paul
"the voice"
Best performance:
"Against All Odds"
A standout backup
Paul may have been considered the favorite from the start. He came to "The Voice" with a resume that included singing with Alicia Keys, and he no doubt made a name for himself. Paul knew the art of the slow build, and his top performance was when he turned this '80s soft rocker in a statement of confidence. — Todd Martens
Play performance
Tony Lucca
"the voice"
Best performance:
"99 Problems"
Lighthearted entertainment
Christina Aguilera seemed to have it in for her former Mouseketeer pal, and Lucca responded by cozying up to Adam Levine. By show's end, he was a lil' Levine, and was able to fight off anonymity by entertainingly reworking Top 40 hits from the likes of Britney Spears and Jay-Z into rock 'n' roll numbers. — Todd Martens
Play performance
Television Writer
Jessica Sanchez
"idol"
Best performance:
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"
Going nowhere but on to stardom
After narrowly averting premature elimination, Sanchez let us know she didn't plan to go anywhere without a fight. Performance after performance, she proved she had the power, passion and potential — at only 16! — to become a major star. — Amy Reiter
Play performance
Phillips Phillips
"idol"
Best performance:
"Volcano"
Set to explode onto the music scene
It wasn't only Phillips' scruffy good looks and irreverent charm that kept him in the competition after showier vocalists were sent packing. On hauntingly intimate songs as well as on those mad-bird-stompin' up-tempo numbers, he proved himself to be a riveting performer with a style all his own. — Amy Reiter
Play performance
Elise Testone
"idol"
Best performance:
"Whole Lotta Love"
A rock star in the making
Though she left "Idol" too soon, Testone earned a whole lotta love from fans with her vocal agility, grit, groovy stage presence and that sweet smile she sometimes tossed us mid-song. The very maturity she worried would hurt her in the competition may help her as she forges her career. — Amy Reiter
Play performance
Jamar Rogers
"the voice"
Best performance:
"It's My Life"
Singing as if his life depended on it
Rogers, HIV-positive and a recovering drug addict, called himself the "comeback kid" and said he hoped to prove that, with dedication, you could overcome even the most daunting hurdles. A survivor and a fighter, he sang every song as if his life depended on it. Inspiring, indeed. — Amy Reiter
Play performance
Juliet Simms
"the voice"
Best performance:
"It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World"
Bringing female power to a man's world
Simms seemed to scrape the very bottom of her soul every time she sang, giving powerful, visceral, cathartic performances that often left her trembling. Her version of "It's a Man's, Man's, Man's World" was a rallying cry, a raised fist against male favoritism "Voice" watchers won't soon forget. — Amy Reiter
Play performance
Your Favorites
Over 303,000 votes cast. Jessica Sanchez
"idol"
Best performance:
"My All"
99,245 votes — 33% of total
"Jessica Sanchez at the age of 16 is definitely way above the other contenders when it comes to vocal ability/Voice Dynamics, putting life to songs and touching the listeners heart. Many times I have been touched by her songs like "Dance with my Father, Everybody has a Dream, I will always Love you....." Jo Ann Mercado via latimes.com
Play performance
Phillip Phillips
"idol"
Best performance:
"Beggin'"
37,533 votes — 12% of total
"Phillip Phillip's performance of "Volcano" was one of the most riviting and emotional charged performance he's delivered..." Margie Ring via latimes.com
"I vote for PHILLIP PHILLIPS he is the best out there his style is so different you always see someone who can sing like Jessica sanchez ,but not many can sing like PHILLIP" Crystal Deal via latimes.com
Play performance
Joshua Ledet
"idol"
Best performance:
"It's A Man's Man's Man's World"
25,978 votes — 9% of total
"...JOSHUA WAS AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMER WHOSE SOUL IS BEYOND HIS YEARS ON PLANET EARTH PERIOD......." Qyneares Hanifah via latimes.com
"I think Joshua Ledet should have been the Idol this year. Those voting need to look at the consistancy of the songs, not just one good night..." Dawn Kemeny via latimes.com
Play performance
Juliet Simms
"the voice"
Best performance:
"Freebird"
24,839 votes — 8% of total
"Juliet Simms is amazing, and so consistent. Some performers when they go on, you get nervous for them. It's different with her; you don't have to worry about her being pitchy or getting nervous. She's a natural at performing and captivating an audience." Sierra Ferrara via latimes.com
Play performance
Hollie Cavanagh
"idol"
Best performance:
"The Climb"
17,766 votes — 6% of total
"Holly Cavanaugh is under-rated. Yes, her cover of the Bonnie Raitt song wasn't great, but the emotion and message were clearly delievered, soemthing the judges failed to notice," Jeff Dwyer via latimes.com
"Hollie Cavanagh's improved so much! Voice quality's always been wonderful..." Klaire Yapyuco-Reyes via latimes.com
Play performance
Photos: "American Idol" contestants / Michael Becker/Fox | Photos: "The Voice" contestants / Mitchell Haaseth/NBC.
Design and interactivity: Lily Mihalik. Interactivity: Armand Emamdjomeh/@emamd
Use the poll below to vote. Make your case in the comments. Poll remains open until Monday. Check back daily for new results.
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