America has voted and Scotty McCreery is their new Idol. The teen singer charmed audiences this season with a boyish appearance that belies a seasoned baritone voice.
Upon winning, Scotty was quick to point out that it's been more than a year since he first encountered runner-up Lauren Alaina, and said the two of them won't be saying goodbye anytime soon. He went on to perform his first single, "I Love You This Big," a country song that shows off his unique vocal quality which is already getting some very good reviews. But he could barely perform the song with all the hugging.
Scotty walked through the front row of the audience, embracing family members as he made his way through the new song. By the end of the song, the 17-year-old was collapsed on the stage with his friends and family around him as he tried to finish the chorus.
Throughout the season, Scotty built a faithful fanbase that consistently kept him safe from elimination. While some criticized him for a lack of range (most songs were made to sound like a mix between Josh Turner and George Strait), every week Scotty brought his same country baritone and every week audiences ate it up.
On Wednesday night, the front page of the iTunes store was taken over with Scotty's picture and his first single is already available for purchase.
