Exclusive

American Idol Winner Kris Allen Names His Favorite Finalist: Do You Agree With Him?

Exclusive! Plus, find out the inspiration behind his new single, "The Vision of Love"

By Marc Malkin Apr 12, 2012 8:15 PMTags
Kris AllenMichael Hickey/WireImage

Kris Allen thinks all the contestants on American Idol have pipes, but he admits there's one in particular who stands out above the rest.

The season eight winner says he's been watching the show "pretty hard-core" this season.

So who's Allen rooting for? Read on to find out and let us know if you agree…

"I have a couple of favorites, but I think the person who sticks out to me the most is Joshua Ledet," Allen told me the other day during a publicity blitz for his second album, Thank You Camellia (on sale on May 22). "He's got something about his voice, and I think every time he gets up on that stage, he just brings it.

"He's so young [Ledet turns 20 on Monday], but he's got this thing about him," Allen continued. "He's a great performer and he puts everything into his performances. He's got something else. He's got a lot of grit to his voice, but he's dynamic about it. It's very cool."

Allen will get to meet Ledet and the other finalists when he returns to the Idol stage on April 19 to perform his new single, "The Vision of Love."

The new track is an inspiring call to fight bullying by standing up for the underdog. "We don't have to stand around and watch things happen," Allen said.

The message hits close to him. Allen admits that his own friends bullied his younger brother, Daniel, because he was a cheerleader in high school.

Fortunately, Daniel overcame the harassment. "And now he's still very involved with cheerleading, but he's a big buff dude," big brother Kris boasted. "He's one of the most in-shape people I know. If people bullied him now, he'd be like, 'Shut up or I'll punch you if you don't.'"

Now we want to hear from you. Is Joshua Ledet your favorite this season? If not, who is? Chime in below.

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