Another season of "American Idol" is behind us. And after all the bad, off pitch performances, controveresies about voting, and various other conspiracy ideas being floated about, the right contestant won.

North Carolina's Fantasia Barrino came through the old fashioned way: She was simply the best singing talent the show has seen in it's three seasons...bar none!. Even the usually ascerbic judge, producer Simon Cowell, admitted as much after one of her three songs during Monday night's final matchup against Georgia teen Donna DeGarmo. This is simply one talent to keep a close eye on over the next several years. If she has good guidance and avoids the pitfalls that so many fall into throughout the music business, this talented young woman could become a superstar.

But don't cry for young Miss DeGarmo. While her vocal talents are nowhere near Fantasia's --- or, for that matter, several of the other finalists who were voted off before her --- it was truly her stage presence that kept her in the competition. Her youthful enthusiam and ability to relate to the audience apparantly counted more than her vocal talents. With time and some vocal coaching, she can and will do quite well as a performer.

So where does the show go from here. After three years, it certainly needs to evolve so that it does not become dull. One idea would be to change the panel of judges. Unfortunately, Randy, Paula, and Simon simply are beginning to look bored in their roles. And while theme nights are a good idea, keep within the format!