American Idol Has A Winner! Candice Glover 'Still Trying To Process' Everything!

And we have our winner!!
Candice Glover was crowned this year’s American Idol just a few hours ago! But, shortly after the announcement, the talented singer said she was “still trying to process” her victory:

├óΓé¼┼ôLike, I don’t even know my name. I don├óΓé¼Γäót know what’s happening. It feels amazing, though. I finally got to this point. I’ve been working for so long.├óΓé¼┬¥

She added:

├óΓé¼┼ôI don’t remember Ryan [Seacrest] saying my name, but I do remember confetti getting in my mouth while I was trying to sing. I wanted to laugh, but I was crying. There was so much happening at that one moment but it felt great. ├óΓé¼┬ª A lot of dreams came true for me tonight.├óΓé¼┬¥

We can only imagine how overwhelming that moment was! But it’s funny to think that Candice almost didn’t audition for the show this season after failing to get through twice before:

├óΓé¼┼ôI remember at one point saying, ├óΓé¼╦£American Idol obviously doesn’t want me, so why would I go back?├óΓé¼Γäó I found myself on the website looking at auditions again and just being determined. I just couldn’t stay away because I knew that if I kept trying, it would happen.├óΓé¼┬¥

On her personal growth throughout the course of the show, she revealed that she’s finally come into her own:

├óΓé¼┼ôI definitely learned how to be confident, be myself and be OK with who I am. Because in previous seasons, I was doing what I thought America wanted or the judges wanted, but this year, I did whatever I wanted to do. Hence why I would do a rapper’s song or I would do the Cure when nobody expected me to. In previous seasons, I wouldn’t have done any of that because I wasn’t comfortable in who I was.├óΓé¼┬¥

As for some words of advice received upon winning, Candice gushed that Nicki Minaj had some great wisdom to share:

├óΓé¼┼ôNicki said, ├óΓé¼╦£You’re a superstar, can I hug you?├óΓé¼Γäó Then she reminded me to not be a diva. She always tells me to have fun and be myself. I love Nicki and hope I can collab with her.├óΓé¼┬¥

We hope you can, too! Congrats on the victory, gurrrrl! Can’t wait to see what you do next!
[Image via FOX.]