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…

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Lauren Jo Black

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April 20, 2022

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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.”

Noah Thompson; Photo via YouTube
Noah Thompson; Photo via YouTube

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 Thompson; Photo Courtesy American Idol
Noah Thompson; Photo Courtesy American Idol

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.

Noah Thompson; Photo by ABC, American Idol
Noah Thompson; Photo by ABC, American Idol

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.”

YouTube video

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.

Noah Thompson; ABC, American Idol
Noah Thompson; ABC, American Idol

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.”

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.