American Idol Season 12 Winner Revealed

American Idolhas got its first female winner since 2007 after the results show was aired in the US last night.

Candice Glover was crowned the season 12 winner in the season finale, beating Kree Harrison at the end of a two-hour special.

Glover, 23, from South Carolina, had initially auditioned for Idol three years ago in season nine.

A final vote tally was not given, nor was a percentage breakdown of the votes.

The results came at the end of a performance-packed two hour show. Just prior to the announcement of the winner, Glover and Harrison teamed up for a duet of The 5th Dimension's One Less Bell To Answer, which ended with the two embracing each other.

The show featured a number of collaborations, with the finalists joined by superstars and ex-Idol contestants.

Glover and Jennifer Hudson teamed up on Natalie Cole's Inseparable, and the pair scaled vocal skyscrapers together during the showstopping performance.

Angie Miller sang with both Jessie J (the two did Domino) and Adam Lambert (on Titanium), while The Band Perry and Janelle Arthur teamed up for a head whipping, boot stomping performance of Done.

Amber Holcomb duetted with Emeli Sandé on Sande's Next To Me, while Frankie Valli joined the male finalists for a medley of his hits.

In the night's oddest performance, Aretha Franklin joined the female finalists via satellite for a medley of the Queen of Soul's hits.

The judges also took their turn onstage, in a pair of performances that were reportedly pre-taped.

Mariah Carey did a run through of her hits, including heavily abbreviated versions of Vision Of Love, Make It Happen, My All, Hero, We Belong Together, and her latest hit, #Beautiful.

Keith Urban, meanwhile, brought out Little Bit Of Everything. Later, Urban hit the stage live and performed Where The Blacktop Ends with Kree Harrison, Travis Barker and departing judge Randy Jackson.