On Thursday night, America declared Candice Glover the winner of American Idol.
With so much excitement in the air, Glover is still in shock she earned the top spot. “I’m still trying to process it,” she told reporters according to People. “I don’t even know my name! It feels amazing, though, to finally have gotten to this point after working so hard for so long.”
Glover auditioned twice in the past, both times being turned away by judges in the preliminary rounds.
On Thursday night’s finale, Glover proved why she is America’s newest star. The diva sang “Inseparable” with Jennifer Hudson—earning a standing ovation from the audience.
In the final moments before Ryan Seacrest revealed the winner, Glover said she and her fellow contestant Kree Harrison were whispering each other’s names. “We tell each other we love each other probably 90,000 times a day,” said Glover. “But it really meant a lot for her to hug me and say, ‘I love you, and I’m so happy for you.’ And I said the same to her. I’m so proud of her.”
This summer, fans can catch Glover on the American Idol tour. She’s also planning to release her debut album, Music Speaks, featuring the single “I Am Beautiful,” this summer.