With last night behind them, David Cook and David Archuleta can finally breathe a sigh of relief. No more performance. No more pressure.

Just one final results show this evening.

Before they took the stage for that heart-pounding event, though, each sat down with Entertainment Weekly. Here are excerpts from their interviews...

How did you go about choosing your second and third songs?
David Cook: With the songwriters' competition [song], I listened to the first 30 seconds of each song, and ''Dream Big'' was the one that grabbed me the quickest, so I figured if that's the case, I should probably follow my instinct and just do something with it. And I was actually happy with the way it turned out.

My third song [Collective Soul's ''The World I Know''] — I've wanted to do that song all season, and I just never really got comfortable with the arrangement until a few weeks ago. And I almost did it last week. You know, it was a song that means a lot to me. It's just an amazing song, so to be able to do it on the show, win, lose, or draw, it was more fun than I could possibly put into words.

How do you think Archuleta did tonight?
Oh, the kid did amazing. He's such an immense talent, so to be able to share the stage with him tonight was a huge thrill for me.

Follow this article's jump to read Archuleta's segment...

Continue Reading...

In my opinion, David, you came out here tonight to win. And what we have witnessed is a knockout. - Simon Cowell

Dude, you are so good tonight, you are exactly what this show is about: finding the best singer we can find and the best singer of season seven is right there! - Randy Jackson

To which American Idol finalist were these words spoken last night? David Archuleta, who will be crowned champion tonight of viewers vote the way Simon and Randy believe they should.

Are you on board with their assessments? Did Archuleta deliver a knockout blow to David Cook last night? (See the photo below for why we're talking in boxing lexicon).

Ask any young girl in the audience at the end of Archie's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" performance and the answer is clear: yes.

David Cook and David Archuleta came onto the stage, ready to rumble during the American Idol finals.

It's here.

The American Idol finals match-up we've all been hoping to see for the last few months. David Cook vs. David Archuleta.

Readers have been chiming in on their favorite all week, and we just wanted to give everyone one last chance to to publish their views before the two singers take the stage tonight.

So, now is the time to let us know -- Who do you want to win: David Cook or David Archuleta?

Can you not get enough of David Archuleta?

Then check out the following wallpaper. Simply save it to your desktop now and drool over David every time you turn on your computer.

Be careful what you wish for.

So begins an MTV article that asks if the winner of this season's American Idol - guaranteed to be a male - can break the jink on past Idol winners of this gender.

While fans (and certainly producers) have been itching for what they hope will be the epic showdown between the Davids for months, now that the last woman standing, Syesha Mercado, has been tossed from the locker room, it's worth asking:

Do we really want a male "Idol"? Or, better yet, is there a jinx on male Idol winners?

Can David Archuleta sell records...

... or is David Cook the safer bet for a successful future?

Since season-one winner Kelly Clarkson took the mantle, two-thirds of "Idol" winners have been female and, to date, they have all managed to have very respectable (Fantasia Barrino, Jordin Sparks) if not superstar (Carrie Underwood, Clarkson) careers. The men, on the other hand, have had a less-stellar path.

In fact, so far, the two male winners, season two's Ruben Studdard and season five's Taylor Hicks, are the only top vote-getters to be dropped from their major-label deals.

Read the full article now and let us know: Do you think a male winner can succeed in the music business?

Yes, we know all American Idol fans are familiar with this finals match-up, taking place Tuesday night. We can't wait to see who takes home the crown.

But The Hollywood Gossip has already pitted these two singers against one another in a feature that site refers to as "Tale of the Tape" Check it out NOW.

What do you think?

America must decide next week: David Archuleta or David Cook?

If American Idol judges have their way, Syesha Mercado will end up on Broadway.

Well, for now, Taylor Hicks has beaten here there. The former champion will play Teen Angel in Grease beginning June 6. Taylor will stay with the show until September.

"I am incredibly excited to be a part of one of my favorite musicals. The Soul Patrol's gonna invade Broadway," Hicks said.

Syesha Mercado sat down with Entertainment Weekly after she was voted out of American Idol last night. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Syesha, the whole country seemed to know it was going to be a David vs. David finale. How was it being on stage when you knew your fate?

Well, I didn't read that press. I didn't get that memo. I've been in a little bubble for a while. I heard rumors that it was going to be a David-Syesha finale.

Which David?

David Cook. I was thinking it was going to be a miraculous change in voting, that little girls stopped voting for David Archuleta and a cloud of votes came in for me. But I had a feeling I was going home, especially after the bad commentary I got for two of the songs I did. At this point in the game there couldn't be any harsh comments. I'm at peace with everything I've done, though. I learned a lot.

Are you going to pursue acting or singing now?

I want to do everything. I want to make an album, do Broadway, act in films, open restaurants, homeless shelters, Lupus foundations. I want to do so many things. I'm really goal-oriented, and if you're driven and focused it will happen for you.

We'll have plenty to say about the impending showdown between David Cook and David Archuleta in the days leading up to next week's final.

For now, though, let's go back to last night - and the performance of Fantasia Barrino on the show. Wow!

The former American Idol champion scared the heck out of Simon Cowell by sporting red hair as she sang the song "Bore Me." Check out the rendition NOW.

What did you think of Fantasia's performance, as well as her new look?

Syesha Mercado was eliminated from American Idol tonight, leaving the finals to a pair of dominating Davids: David Archuleta and David Cook.

Do you think voters made the right decision?

In honor of Syesha, here's a photo montage of Mercado. Click on each image below to see a larger version and to leave a comment on each...