Fantasia Barrino was crowned as the winner of the third season of American Idol last night in Los Angeles.

Host Ryan Seacrest announced Barrino's victory capping a two-hour telecast that included performances by Barrino, runner-up Diana DeGarmo and past Idol winners Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson. Upon hearing the results of the telephone vote, a teary Barrino hugged runner-up Diana DeGarmo, the plucky sixteen-year-old singer from Snellville, Georgia.

"I been through some things," said Barrino, a single mother. "But I worked hard to get where I'm at."

Sixty-five million votes were cast, more than doubling the tally for Idol's 2003 season, as the nineteen-year-old North Carolina native won a $1 million recording contract and a new car by a margin of more than 1 million votes. Barrino bested more than 70,000 aspiring singers who auditioned for Idol's third season.

Barrino closed out the telecast with a performance of "I Believe," a song written by Idol Season One also-ran Tamyra Gray. Both Barrino and DeGarmo sang the song during Tuesday night's program, after which viewers voted on a winner. Oft-critical judge Simon Cowell told Barrino that the song was her "victory speech." The song will be the Barrino's first single.

All twelve Idol finalists will take part in a summer tour.