From the top 24 to [article id="1638635"]the final four[/article], and with only three weeks left in the competition, it all comes down to this: lovable underdog Lee Dewyze, Texan guitarist Casey James, soulful Michael "Big Mike" Lynche and finale favorite Crystal Bowersox. At a rare news conference on Friday (May 7), the "American Idol" finalists were more friendly than frenemies.

"We're not competing with each other," said James, whose golden locks have become just as recognizable as his voice. "It's like apples and oranges. One's not the other. People voting for Mike aren't going to vote for me or Crystal."

Bowersox agreed: "The line between friend and competitor doesn't exist. We're all being catapulted by fans because they like us. Some people voting for Lee might not vote for me. We all want the number-one spot, but we can only do our personal best every week. The fans are the ones who take us there."

But Dewyze, arguably Bowersox's main competition for the "Idol" crown, put it more bluntly: "I do think there's somewhat of a line. We're all friends. That's not going to change. As far as the show, at the end of the day, we all want to win. We all want the number-one spot."

Dewyze also reminisced about how it all started for him back in Chicago: "Being in the top four, it's insane, because, like, just the other day, I was looking with some people at videos from Chicago when I was there in that stadium. When I look back and there's thousands of people, and I was just a little dot on the screen -- we've gone from that to just us four. The thing is, there's so many talented musicians out there, and we've been given such an opportunity. I'm so grateful for it. It's amazing."

Who are you rooting for in the final four? Let us know in the comments!

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.