WATCH: ‘American Idol’ Contestant Noah Thompson Delivers His Best Performance Yet … From His Hotel Room!
After making his way into the Top 7 on American Idol, Noah Thompson was ready for a chance to advance…
Noah Thompson; Photo via American Idol
After making his way into the Top 7 on American Idol, Noah Thompson was ready for a chance to advance into the Top 5 with a performance of a viral TikTok hit on American Idol on Sunday evening.
Ahead of his performance, the Kentucky native sat down with the show’s superstar mentor, Will.I.Am.
“Did you ever think you’d make it this far in the show?” Will.I.Am asked Thompson, to which he replied, “no not at all. My buddy literally signed me up for this show as a literal joke.”
“Sometimes jokes turn out to a whole bunch of truths,” the superstar mentor told him,
Thompson admitted that he’s not an avid social media user, so the decision to perform a song from TikTok did not come easy.
“I’m not very good with social media at all, Arthur’s not very good at it either, now this song that I’m playing is the song that he posted of me,” Thompson shared. ”Somebody actually commented on it and said I should sing it on Idol. I’m still learning how all that stuff works, I’m still not sure what hashtags are even for, I don’t even know.”
Will.I.Am complimented Thompson’s vocals during their mentoring session and also offered up some constructive criticism.
“What I liked about Noah is that you can tell he is singing for something, but when he sung it I didn’t believe it. Is there something in your life that connects with the sentiment of that song?” Will.I.Am asked.
“Yeah, I’ve had ups and downs,” Thompson replied, before Will.I.Am told him to emphasize the emotion within his performance.
Performing from his hotel room in California, Thompson sang Sundy Best’s viral TikTok tune “Painted Blue.”
His virtual performance earned a standing ovation from the Idol judges.
“Well done!” Lionel Richie shouted.
“Noah, so, American Idol is so good at finding stars. They’re stars whether they’re on the stage or they’re stars sitting in a hotel room with COVID. Great, great, great job. How are you feeling, you feeling okay?” Luke Bryan asked.
“Yeah, I’m getting by man, It kind of sucks. This is my first time getting COVID, so, I’m getting through it though,” Thompson revealed.
“Feel better and listen, for anybody here in the room, one of your best performances we’ve heard,” Bryan added as Katy Perry chimed in shouting “Yes!”
Noah Thompson ultimately earned a spot in the Top 5 and will soon be mentored by American Idol alum and country superstar, Carrie Underwood.
American Idol airs on Sundays and Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.
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.
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