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Noah Thompson Showcases His Artistic Growth On Debut EP, ‘Middle Of God Knows Where’
This collection is a product of what the singer/songwriter dubs the “craziest” year of his life.
Noah Thompson; Photo by David McClister
Noah Thompson crossed yet another item off his bucket list with the release of his debut EP, Middle of God Knows Where.
Released on Friday, June 9, the six-track project showcases a journey of tremendous grit and determination that began with his time on the singing competition show, American Idol. Since being crowned the Season 20 winner just one year ago, Thompson has continued to build his budding music career by getting in the studio with well-established songwriters, making the move to Nashville and preparing for the release of this highly anticipated EP.
“I’m freaking stoked about it, man. I’ve been waiting to put some music out forever, so I’m so excited about it. I really am,” Thompson told Country Now.
So far, the construction worker turned singer/songwriter has only released outside cuts, meaning this chapter marks the first time the American Idol alum has ever showcased songs that he had a hand in writing. The title track is one of these original works, along with the brand-new, “Us No More.”
“I’m super pumped about it because, I mean, soon after the show, we had to get some songs together pretty quick. As far as songwriting goes, it was just me in my bathroom, but I’d never really shown anybody in my music,” he shared. “So on the show, I had some songs pitched to me and we went ahead and got some of them cut soon after I got off the show just to kind of have some in the process already,” he explained before adding, “During that time, I was kind of writing stuff also. I’m super stoked to see how people feel about the songs I’ve got to write on.”
While reflecting on how far he’s come in just one year and the creative process behind his EP, Thompson explained that both of these co-writes were born from a time in his life that involved heartbreak and a need for an outlet to share his emotions and experiences. As a result, he turned to songwriting.
“It was definitely something I couldn’t get outta my head and those were the kind of songs that were just pouring outta me, I guess.”
Co-penned by Thompson with Allison Veltz and Eric Arjes, “Middle of God Knows Where” came about during the singer’s first trip down to Nashville following Idol.
“Allison had come in, she had sat down, and she had the title, ‘Middle of God Knows Where,’ and you know, at first it didn’t necessarily sound like it was a breakup song,” he shared. “It didn’t sound like that to me, but when she explained what the idea of it was, you know, it’s basically like breaking up with somebody, no matter where you go, you just can’t get ’em out of your head. That’s kinda what the song is saying and it just kinda, it fit what I was going through at the time. So it just felt good and I was like, we definitely need to write this. So that’s kind of how that came about.”
As he puts his heart on the line, Thompson hopes that songs like these will truly resonate with his fans and help them through whatever kind of situation they may be enduring as they listen to the vulnerable lyrics.
Thompson revealed that he predicts these songs are just the start of all the stories he will write in the future as he continues to learn each day.
“I’m still so new to so many things. I had no idea, you know, you go into a room with three, two or three people and you write a song. I had no idea that’s how that works. So I thought that was really kind of neat. But yeah, it’s really cool. It’s a good way to express your emotions and get things out. It’s a cool way to meet new people also and make great friends a long way.”
“I’ve always written my own music, but it’s just stuff that I’ve never really shared before I moved to Nashville,” he added. “But I’m starting to kind of open up and show more writers what I’m basically wanting to do, and what I want to sound like. I’m super stoked about putting these songs out. I seriously cannot wait for people to hear them and just see how people feel about them. They definitely mean something to me.”
The rest of the collection includes previous releases such as “One Day Tonight,” “Make You Rich,” and his cover of Rhianna’s “Stay,” as well as the long-awaited new track, “She Gets It From Me.” As a whole, these songs give a further glimpse into Thompson’s artistry and growing songwriting abilities.
For several weeks, the Kentucky native has taken to social media to tease snippets of ‘She Gets It From Me,” resulting in a tremendous amount of excitement from fans for its official release.
“Yeah, I was teasing that for a while, and I’m super stoked about it too, just because people responded to it fairly well and I think people are really gonna enjoy it. It’s obviously not a breakup song, it’s actually the complete opposite.”
Noah Thompson is delivering his new music directly to fans while on the road this summer. He has several headlining dates and festival appearances on the books, including the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, Poke Sallet Festival, National Sand Bass Festival, and more.
For a full list of Noah Thompson’s upcoming tour dates, click here.
Written by
Madeleine O’Connell
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.