During Tuesday, May 24's final performance show, Tyler again declared that he thinks the 16-year-old country crooner should win the crown, not 17-year-old Scotty McCreery. After Round 2, Tyler said Lauren won both rounds because she is "prettier" than Scotty. (It's not like this is a singing competition or anything! And it's not like he's being paid to critique their vocals or anything!) After Round 3, he said Lauren is his American Idol and thinks America will feel the same way.
At the press conference after the big show, Tyler explained why Lauren is his American Idol and what he saw in her from the beginning: "When I first heard Lauren, seven months ago, it was the second city. You have to go through so many kids and she sang. She doesn't even try to hit the notes, the words just go to that place. Everybody else is trying to hit the notes and she's never had a problem with pitch. Maybe bad songs, but she's been perfect and right and great," he said. "I circled her months ago and said 'American Idol.' Her and about six or seven others, but I heard her first. I mean, how does a 15-year-old sing like that? How does that happen. That's magic, that's the gift and that's what we're looking for."
