American Idol Mentor Jimmy Iovine Breaks Down Who Will Win

American Idol Mentor Jimmy Iovine Breaks Down Who Will Win Seattle Post-Intelligencer Copyright 2012 Seattle Post-Intelligencer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Published 05:19 a.m., Wednesday, May 16, 2012 After a season of standout performances, the race to crown this year's American Idol winner is tighter than ever. Luckily for the singers and viewers, mentor Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records, guides the contestants in song choice and arrangement. Phillip, whose acoustic stylings draw apt comparisons to singer Dave Matthews, was never in the bottom three. [...] the singer, 21, has been battling kidney issues during the live shows, which might slow his momentum. Phillip brings freshness and originality to his Idol performances, but he's often criticized by the judges for lacking melody. Jimmy says: Phillip's really talented and charismatic. Given the nickname "Mantasia" (after Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino) in the early rounds, Joshua, 20, is a judges' favorite and has received the most standing O's (14) for showstoppers such as the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" and James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World." "When I'm excited about singing, all the energy comes from me through the song," he says.