The votes are in and the winner of American Idol 7 is David Cook! This video shows you the nail-biting verdict and David’s first performance of the winner’s single This Is the Time.

The verdict came as a pleasant surprise to me. David Archuleta fits the Idol mould. He’s a sweet and attractive kid with a big voice and a penchant for powerful ballads. But David Cook? Well he’s never going to fit in any box.

So perhaps the decision’s not so surprising after all. This was the year that American Idol decided to step things up a notch by allowing the contestants to play instruments. So it’s fitting that such a talented musician, rather than a mere karaoke singer, has taken home the title.