'American Idol' Finale: Phillip Phillips Crowned Winner

The lights were dimmed, the votes were counted, and Phillip Phillips became the new "American Idol."

As expected, Phillips beat out Jessica Sanchez on Wednesday's (May 23) Season 11 "Idol" finale, live at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre. Phillips topped Sanchez after a reported 132 million votes were cast — "a new world record," according to host Ryan Seacrest.

Phillips teared up while performing his winning song "Home," while confetti rained down on the stage around him. The Leesburg, Georgia, native has been a cool cucumber all season long, but he broke down in the moment, just as he did during his hometown visit last week.

Phillips didn't finish the song, but strolled off stage and into the arms of his family, who were waiting in the first few rows. As streamers fell and the band played on the stage behind him, Phillips hugged his family members, and later judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.Then Hollie Cavanagh took to the stage for a rendition of "Never Walk Alone," whereupon she was joined by Jordin Sparks and a full choir. Joshua, Colton, DeAndre, Heejun and Jeremy (with an emphasis on Joshua) then performed a tribute to the Bee Gees in memory of Robin Gibb, which was a little overdramatic, in typical Joshua fashion, but also heartfelt.

Jessica wasn't cheated out of her celebrity duet after all, teaming with Jennifer Holliday for a rousing rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," with Jennifer making more terrifying, distracting faces as she performed than Scotty McCreery and Phil-Phil combined. (If there aren't gifs all over the internet within 10 minutes of the show ending, we should just turn the whole thing off.) Snark aside, it really was spectacular, and Jessica's range and control are truly out of this world. It's hard to believe she's only 16 -- no matter how frequently the judges hammer it home -- on numbers like that, holding her own opposite a Broadway legend who would've blown most performers right off the stage.

Aerosmith closed out the show, with Steven Tyler generally behaving like he was on an acid trip while on stage (what else is new?) as the band cycled through a medley of hits. With only two minutes remaining in the show, Jessica and Phillip (sat on a stool -- perhaps because of his rumored health issues) sang "Up Where We Belong," because that entirely superfluous performance was far more meaningful than the rumored tribute to Donna Summer that the Top 6 girls were supposed to do.

And then, the results were announced, and Phillip took up his guitar for one last performance of "Home," struggling to fight back the tears.