And the Winners Are...

September 17, 2011— -- The crowd at the House of Blues in Los Angeles was bigger, the set was dressier, and even our judges and host Joey Fatone were in their finery, because this was the finale of "Karaoke Battle USA," the show that took the end of the summer television season by storm.

After five weeks, the crop of karaoke hopefuls from four regions across the country had been whittled down to four—Josh Scholl, the '80s cover band / glam rock hybrid, Sammy Vijarro, the 45-year-old music teacher with the big voice, Shantel Norman, the single mother-turned soul queen, and Cassandra Mae, the country sweetheart from Fargo. Tonight would decide which pair would be America's Karaoke King and Queen.

The girls took the stage first in the vocal comparison, with both Shantel and Cassandra singing the karaoke classic "I Will Survive." Shantel knew her voice might be bested by Cassandra's, but took the stage with the confidence that, "when it comes to performance and connecting with the audience, I think I have her way overweighed by that." After the two performed, judge Joe Levy encouraged Cassandra for finally departing from country, saying, "I have been waiting and I have been asking for you to sing something other than a country song, and that was why!" Judge Carnie Wilson liked Shantel's performance… but did she like it enough? "That was a great performance, right? Is it enough compared to what we just saw? Maybe? I don't know."

The guys battled it out on Elvis' classic "Suspicious Minds," which seemed to favor Sammy's big-voiced soul. Judge Joe agreed, telling Sammy, "that may actually be my favorite of your performances." But Josh and his natural stage presence would not be denied, with judge Brian "The Cowboy" Scott reassuring him, "not only does this crowd love you, I know we all love you, and America is going to love you!"

Next, it was the one-on-one battles, with the contestants choosing their own songs. Josh again relied on his stagecraft, promising before his performance, "I'm going to give them an experience they're going to remember. That's where I can get in the final punch." Carnie commented, "Josh is infectious. If Josh steps it up just 30% more with his vocals he could take it." Josh's choice, on his way to becoming "the Freddie Mercury of my generation" as he styled himself, was Queen's "Somebody to Love." The performance set the crowd and the judges on their feet, and Carnie couldn't say enough, calling it "so hot. You continue to dazzle, excite, generate electricity in the room wherever you stand or sing." Brian could only exclaim, "that's how you win 'Karaoke Battle USA!'" Joe took a more measured approach, and a sarcastic swipe at his fellow judges at the same time, by telling Josh, "your karaoke mom and dad are very proud of you."