The winner of Oprah Winfrey's first Pop Star Challenge -- Winfrey's response to the youth-driven feel of shows like Star Search and American Idol -- was 36-year-old LaShell Griffin, a stay-at-home mother of five from Detroit, MI. Griffin's vocal style, which blends gospel and R&B influences, and her down-to-earth charisma on performances of songs like "One Moment in Time" and "The Greatest Love of All" helped Griffin win the competition's grand prize: a contract with EMI Records. She began singing in her church's choir when she was 13, and soon became one of the choir's leading soloists.