Phillip Phillips was elated on Wednesday night when he was crowned this years winner of American Idol.
With a staggering 132 million votes cast, he shed tears of joy during a performance of his new single, "Home."
Related: American Idol Season 11 Finale
After the show, the up-and-coming star told reporters:
"I wasn't thinking about anything, not even the song. I wasn't really wanting to sing or anything. I just started thinking about the whole journey and how far all of us have come, and how we've made it. It's so overwhelming."
Overcome with emotion, Phillips continued:
"I hate crying, but I'll probably cry some more. It feels good at times."
He should be proud, considering his stint on AI wasn't so easy to get though. Yes, he put on a brave face during his performances, but Phillips had been battling kidney problems all along.
He missed some of the field production during the season, including the Ford Music videos. It was apparently too taxing on the folksy crooner who needed to rest between shows as much as possible.
Revealing he'll be having surgery "soon", the singer said on Live! with Kelly this morning:
"I've been sick this whole show. I'm trying to get all my work done, to recover."
At one point in the season, he was even hospitalized for his condition. He added:
"It's been tough. I've had a lot of great people around me, great doctors. That helps out a lot."
Last night, he was not present during several of the guys' performances. His absence was noticeable. For the final performance, he was sitting on a stool and his co-finalist, Jessica Sanchez (another star in the making), walked to him. It was evident he was not well. Congratulations to Phillip on his big win and, now, we wish him a quick recovery!
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