After enduring weeks of live performances and judges' critiques -- not to mention the frosty Mariah Carey-Nicki Minaj feud -- Candice Glover has defeated Kree Harrison to win the 12th season of American Idol.

The audience was larger than usual, as the American Idol set moved from CBS Television City in Los Angeles to the Nokia Theatre, downtown at L.A. Live for the top two performance finale. But, as always, there were things you didn’t see if you weren’t inside the venue. The Hollywood Reporter observed them for you from a reserved seat.

If only it were possible to crown two winners.

Because in this battle of soul singers -- the first girl versus girl finale since 2004 --  Kree Harrison and Candice Glover, both wildly talented, have proven to be equally deserving of the season 12 title.

The Hollywood Reporter was invited to spend a day with American Idol musical director Ray Chew on the set of the Fox staple. Our vantage point was the vertigo-inducing top step of the staircase that Ryan Seacrest walks down every week to begin the show. That meant looking down at Chew in his well-designed space. For each of his three seasons on Idol, Chew has had a different location, depending on the design of the set.

After 11 years on the air, American Idol continues to surprise: In an upset that few saw coming, Angie Miller -- piano player, power singer and bright-eyed Miley Cyrus doppelganger -- lost a spot in next week's finale to rivals Kree Harrison and Candice Glover.

With just two weeks to go until the American Idol finale, is there any doubt about who should claim victory? 

At the end of Wednesday night’s performance show, Ryan Seacrest cryptically teased viewers of a major twist that would be revealed on results night.

Seacrest continued to torture us with even more allusiveness at the beginning of American Idol’s Thursday night show.

“In just a bit, I will announce some shocking news that will affect the judges and turn the competition upside down,” he said.

Everyone, breathe a sigh of relief. Lazaro Arbos' improbable, Sanjaya-like run on American Idol is over: after weeks of remaining in the competition despite being talentless and tone-deaf and unprepared, the sweaty ice cream scooper was finally voted out Thursday night in an unpredictable elimination round that could have sent Amber Holcomb home instead.

This week, the remaining six American Idol singers each said a little prayer as they tried to deliver the goods on two themes: tunes by Burt Bacharach/Hal David and a song they wish they had written.

After an emotional cold open, host Ryan Seacrest said, “The fire inside our finalists is burning stronger than ever.”