American Idol Final Results: We Have A Winner

UPDATE: Nick did it!

Connecticut’s newest celebrity, Nick Fradiani, Jr., was named American Idol Season 14 champion late Wednesday.

Fradiani defeated Clark Beckham and succeeds Season 13 Winner Caleb Johnson. He will now record his first studio album with a major label.

“This is amazing,” Fradiani said when he was declared the winner. “This is the best day of my life. Thank you guys so much.”

Fradiani, 29, has strong ties to Guilford, East Haven, Milford, and West Haven.

“I am only here because of you all, and I can’t thank you enough for it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Fradiani wrote hours before the finale on his Facebook page.

The show opened with both Fradiani and Beckham on stage performing live with the band Fall Out Boy and singing their smash hit “Centuries.”

Fradiani and Beckham also appeared together providing backup vocals for Ricky Martin along with other finalists from this past season.

Host Ryan Seacrest announced that both Nick and Clark each received a brand new Ford Focus. Fradiani also presented his close friend and Milford bandmate, Nick Abraham, with a new car as well.

After receiving much praise for his performance of Andy Grammer’s “Back Home,” last week, Fradiani decided to perform with the prominent singer-songwriter in the finale, “Back Home” again and “Honey, I’m Good.”

Fradiani’s live performance Wednesday drew a strong ovation from the crowd.

More than 10,000 people packed the Guilford Green earlier this month for a parade and live concert by Fradiani.

Neither Fradiani nor Beckham have been in danger at any point in the season of being eliminated from the popular reality show competition.

Fradiani always receives praise from the celebrity judges, Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick, Jr.

Before Idol, Nick said he and his band, Beach Avenue, of Milford, struggled just to fill a bar, and it’s amazing how things have changed.

His first single “Beautiful Life” was released Tuesday, and is already in the top 80 on iTunes. Watch the video here.

By finishing in the top 5, Nick was already assured of going out on tour with the remaining Idol finalists.

This isn’t Fradiani’s first time at the reality TV rodeo. He auditioned for America’s Got Talent last year with Beach Avenue performing original songs.

Other stories on Patch.com include:

• Dog Owner Speaks Out After Fisher Cat Attack
• Wilton Boy With Stuttering Problem Receives Letter from Tiger Woods
• UPDATE: UConn Health Center Patient Test Results Come Back
• Update: Danbury Man Killed After Being Hit by Garbage Truck Identified
• New Canaan Police Sergeant Faces Possible Termination