We have a passion for teen girls. These are heart-threatening times for our youth. We're in a battle.

We go the mall together, have birthday parties together. Because our families live so far away, we have an extended family within the group on and off the stage.

The whole process was extremely challenging part-wise, almost like cramming for your voice juries. To hear their songs in all their largeness, hearing how all the eclectic styles work together, it reminded me of why I love this music and this season so much.

As Buckingham talked, I couldn't help but remember that there's a reason they call us Gallagher Girls. It's not just because the youngest of us are twelve. It's also because our founder was under twenty. From the very beginning we have been discounted and discredited, underestimated and undervalued. And, for the most part, we wouldn't have it any other way.

We don't have girls development programs so we don't have youth coming in. We find girls in speed skating and here and there. You don't play since they're 3. They play since they're 15.

I?m just so proud of everyone on my team. Some girls sacrificed themselves for the win tonight.