"At the end of the day, this show is about finding a star," the usually gruff Simon Cowell said. "And tonight, I think we've witnessed one of the great finals.

"But here's the difference, in my opinion," he added. "David [Archuleta], you came out here tonight to win, and what we have witnessed is a knockout."

Now it's up to viewers to determine which of the two Davids - 17-year-old Archuleta or Missouri's David Cook - is this season's American idol. The winner, who will be revealed tonight, gets a recording contract. Both Davids, along with the other eight finalists, also will tour nationally this summer, including two concerts in West Valley City.

Tuesday night's live show in Los Angeles came off with the usual glitz, glamour and 7,000 screaming fans. The shimmering stage beamed with blue and black lights and white spotlights, and the audience rose for standing ovations more than once.

Each finalist performed three songs, with the first round's songs chosen by legendary music producer Clive Davis, the next from finalists in the "Idol" songwriting contest, and one the singers picked themselves.

Yet if the judge's comments have any sway, it was Archuleta's night and his contest to lose.

Judge Randy Jackson told him "you are so good tonight," and the usually effusive Paula Abdul said Archuleta left her "speechless."

The show began with Cook delivering a stirring gospel version of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," thrilling an audience that was overwhelmingly pro-Cook. But Archuleta countered with an Elton John classic, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Cowell said round one went to the Murray teen.

In the second round, David A. sang a ballad called "In This Moment" from the songwriting competition, prompting Cowell to award that round to him as well.

In the third round, Cook performed Collective Soul's "The World I Know," prompting Cowell to comment that it was the wrong choice. Archuleta, meanwhile, chose his signature song, "Imagine."

After the show, the Davids praised each other at a news conference.

"How can you compete against this face?" Cook said as he pinched Archuleta's cheek.

Season two winner Ruben Studdard later told The Salt Lake Tribune he wouldn't dare declare a winner yet.

"I think someone named David is going to win," he said.

But fourth-season contestant Constantine Maroulis said Archuleta "sang much better" and would definitely win.

"Cook didn't help himself tonight with his song choices," Maroulis said. "I don't think he blew anything, but it was definitely an Archuleta win."

Even Cook fans in the audience confessed the Blue Springs, Mo., bartender had somewhat of an off night.

"We're going to have to vote a lot," said Paula Baldwin, 52, of Chicago, who won tickets to Tuesday's performance from a local TV station. "It's going to be a tough one."

And 10-year-old Olivia Johnson came into the Nokia Theater a David C. fan but may have left a David A. fan.

"I like David Archuleta a little more than I did before," she said after the show. "But I'm still fifty-fifty."

'Idol' coming to SLC

For the first time in its seven-year history, "American Idol" will visit Salt Lake City to audition contestants for next season's show. The show's producer, Nigel Lythgoe, told Utah Fox affiliate KSTU Channel 13 that he was impressed with the level of talent in Utah. His other Fox reality show, "So You Think You Can Dance," stopped in Salt Lake City last winter for this upcoming season, and it's rumored that a number of Utahns were picked for the next round of auditions in Las Vegas. "He said they had so many great singers and dancers there that they will be stopping there [for "Idol"]," a Fox spokeswoman said Tuesday.