12 Things You May Not Know About ‘American Idol’ Contestant Noah Thompson
The milestone 20th season of American Idol is filled with promising artists, including Noah Thompson, who became an instant fan…
Noah Thompson; Photo by Eric McCandless ABC, American Idol
The milestone 20th season of American Idol is filled with promising artists, including Noah Thompson, who became an instant fan favorite following his memorable Idol audition.
The now 20-year-old Kentucky native and former construction worker auditioned for the show with Kameron Marlowe’s “Giving You Up,” which earned recognition from Marlowe and praise from Lionel Richie.
“You got a real-life, story-telling, badass voice,” Richie told him at the time. “It’s believable. I don’t know what you were expecting… I know you weren’t expecting that. That’s why I said it.”
Throughout the season, Thompson covered songs such as Cam’s “Burning House” and The SteelDrivers’ “Blue Side Of The Mountain.”
Katy Perry once called Thompson “the American Dream,” while Luke Bryan later declared Thompson “might win the whole competition” after he praised the “magic quality” he has “going on in [his] voice.”
Thompson also impressed the Idol judges and America with countrified renditions of pop hits such as Noah Cyrus’ “July,” Rihanna’s “Stay,” and Harry Styles’ “Falling.”
As Noah Thompson continues her American Idol journey, here are 12 fun facts about the standout contestant.
Influenced By Country And Rock
The standout Idol contestant credits Chris Stapleton, Kameron Marlowe, John Mayer and Neil Young as musical influences.
“I grew up listening to more rock than anything but eventually started loving country music. I just love storytelling music,” Thompson shared.
His First Live Performance Was During High School
Thompson first performed in front of a live audience at his high school talent show several years ago.
His Father Influenced Him To Become A Musician
Thompson’s dad gave him his first guitar and taught him how to play his first chords.
“As a child, I was just always around music, my dad gave me his guitar. Dad showed me the simplest of chords and I kind of just took off,” Thompson recently recalled. “My dad really wanted to be in music, that was his dream also. Kind of the whole point of me being here, for my dad. I wanted to do it almost for the both of us.”
“[My dad] believes me in obviously, but I never believed in myself, so for me to have made it this far it’s definitely a confidence booster. I want this to be something that me and [my son] Walker could do together too,” he added. “I think he’s going to have a voice on him probably, he’s got a hell of a yelling voice, that’s for sure.”
Noah’s Friend Arthur Pushed Him To Audition
Thompson’s friend and co-worker, Arthur, signed him up for the competition after hearing his impressive vocals while working alongside him on construction sites.
“He’s not born to be working with us, he’s gifted…” Arthur said.
Arthur actually recorded Thompson’s initial virtual audition video for ‘Idol Across America.’ Thompson previously admitted that he never had the confidence to sign himself up.
He Never Thought He Would Make It In The Competition
Thompson never thought he would make it far on American Idol.
“Just a few months ago, I could never imagine pursuing something like this, If it weren’t for Arthur, I wouldn’t have ever signed up for this show. I would’ve never had the confidence. It’s pretty cool to know somebody believes in you more than you believe in yourself,” Thompson said.
His Audition Caught the Attention of a Country Star
Thompson auditioned with Kameron Marlowe’s “Giving You Up,” and his performance was so impressive that it actually caught the attention Marlowe.
Following his audition on Idol, Marlowe reached out to Thompson and offered him some advice as he wanted to offer him the same full-circle moment Luke Combs offered him when he auditioned with one of his songs on NBC’s The Voice.
“I just told him to keep pursuing music and to keep writing and keep journeying on in this crazy business that we’re in,” Marlowe told Music Mayhem.
Thompson Is A Father
He has a 9-month-old son named Walker with his longtime girlfriend Angel Dixon, who he has been dating since 2018.
“I have a little boy, he just turned 7 months. I recently became a Dad, my little boy, he’s my strive for all this,” Thompson shared. “Blows my mind that I’m even here, this could give me the opportunity to give my son an entire new life, a better life.”
The fast-rising singer hopes to continue on this journey as he thinks it could offer him and his son “a completely different life.”
“I never wanted much for myself until we had Walker,” said Thompson. “I don’t want to ever feel like I’m struggling to support him.”
Luke Bryan Thinks He Is A Top Contender
During a recent interview with Access, the country superstar shared that as the “country judge on the panel,” he thinks Noah Thompson and HunterGirl have “a tremendous opportunity to really connect with a lot of our viewers out there.”
“Country singers have always done really, really well on Idol, so, I would put them as heavy front-runners for me,” Bryan continued.
“You might win the whole competition,” Bryan previously told Thompson after he performed a cover of The SteelDrivers.
Thompson’s Hometown Is Already Celebrating His Idol Success
Thompson’s Kentucky hometown is embracing his success. A local establishment in Louisa even named a hot tea after him.
Fans And Idol Judges Appreciate His Authenticity
Fans have grown to adore how humble Thompson is and Idol judges have made numerous comments on his genuineness.
“Noah you just deserve the world. You are a great human being. You’re so humble and beautiful,” Katy Perry shared.
“Yeah, you’re going to aw shucks your way to the top and it’s authentic,” Luke Bryan said.
Thompson Wows Idol Viewers With Shocking Song Choices
Despite being a country singer, Thompson often chooses to sing countrified renditions of pop hits such as Rihanna’s “Stay,” Noah Cyrus’ “July,” and Harry Styles’ “Falling.”
He Has Original Music
Thompson has uploaded two original songs on his YouTube Channel, one called “Pedestal” and “Hearts Painted Black.”
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
