In one of the most anticipated season finales, American Idol hopeful Kris Allen, will battle it out against the theatrical bad boy Adam Lambert. Although I can't consider myself a true fan of the show, my love of music, combined with late night boredom has led me to TiVo through quite a few episodes. With the finale approaching and the odds in Adams favor, I wouldn't put it past Kris to finish off the season on top. Yes, it may be a "singing competition" and Adams vocal talent is undeniable, but when it comes to performing, I would prefer to see Kris's stripped down style of music in show any day.

Based on his music talent and likability, I would stake my bet on the extremely marketable Kris Allen to win the season:

Talent: Through his appearances on Idol, Kris has managed to transform songs that you would careless to ever hear again, into his own original, soulful renditions, capturing not only the American audience but a multitude of downloads on iTunes. Take "Heartless" by Kanye West or the disco classic "She Works Hard for the Money," for instance. In my opinion, Kris's acoustic interpretations of the songs, mixed with his vocal abilities, were far better than their original counterparts. You can expect the unexpected when it comes to his performances, as he continually adds his own creative touch to each song, often complimenting them on the piano or with guitar in hand.

Likability: As the stereotypical "heartthrob" of American Idol, Kris's looks and charm combined with his genuinely warm personality are more than enough to send teen girls to mass text and call in their votes for him. After all, he's not far off from the ever popular John Mayer, an artist with clean good looks and musical talent that has won over America. Moreover, though I'm not a huge fan of the top 40's, anything Kris Allen, combined with his substantial fan base, has the potential to easily climb its way to the top of the charts.

Adam may be favored by the judges, lead in the online popularity on sites like Twitter and Google, and sure the media is certainly obsessed with his personal life, but I wouldn't go ahead and crown him the winner just yet. Kris hasn't always been a frontrunner in the competition, but rather worked his way through the season, battling the judges' criticism and improving week after week. He's gotten by on talent and personality alone, and certainly, a win on the American Idol finale would be the only acceptable conclusion to his remarkable journey…