
17 year-old Jordin Sparks gestures after winning at the finale of the television reality series "American Idol" in Hollywood, California May 23, 2007
Jordin Sparks crowned `American Idol' 2007
LOS ANGELES - Jordin Sparks grew up on "American Idol," watching the show since she was 12 years old and telling her mother it was what she wanted to do."Now I'm actually doing it," the 17-year-old told reporters backstage after winning the competition in Wednesday's season finale.The announcement that the Arizona teenager bested Blake Lewis, 25, the beat-boxer from Washington, came at the end of a two-hour extravaganza at the Kodak Theatre."I've just been trying to top myself each week," Sparks told The Associated Press. "I would sing my song and after I was done I was like, `OK, what am I going to do next week that's going to be ... either just as good or better." Viewers cast more than 74 million votes in making Sparks the winner
