There were a lot of talented artists on American Idol Season 20.
HunterGirl had a great look, story, and voice and rode her Platinum Ticket all the way to the finals. Fritz Hager released an EP that actually hit the number one spot on the iTunes charts. Nicolina turned in Broadway-quality performances with one of the biggest voices on the show.
However, the winner was someone who didn’t write any of his original songs on the show and often woke up every day and said he couldn’t believe he was still on the show.
That is why Luke Bryan said that Noah Thompson won American Idol.
Luke Bryan on Noah Thompson’s American Idol win
In American Idol Season 19, Chayce Beckham won the show. He said after his win that he didn’t have the best voice on the show, but that isn’t really what the voters care about.
The only song that Chayce has released that hit the music charts was 23, which he performed on American Idol. However, fans voted for him to win because they wanted to try to help him succeed. He remained humble and down to earth, beating much more talented singers in the competition.
Luke Bryan said that Noah Thompson won because of the same humbleness and down-to-earth personality.
“I think, you know, we’ve seen it in 20 years where those types [of] people, really — America pulls for them, responds to them. And it always tells me that, at the end of the day, being a good, humble, kind person wins,” Luke said (via Taste of Country). “He just came in as the underdog … the unassuming guy that he didn’t see it coming. America didn’t see it coming.”
Lionel Richie added that Noah would wake up every night and say he couldn’t believe he was there, and he had to tell him during the finale that he was.,
“It’s that humble giant that you’re looking for that works every time,” Lionel said.
Will Noah Thompson make it as a music star?
However, now the work starts. If Noah Thompson wants to make it as a musical star, he has to find the self-confidence that he lacks.
“As a kid, all I thought about was playing music and being famous. But where I’m from, you don’t really get much opportunities. My family, they believe in me, the guys I work with believe in me, but I’ve just never believed in myself,” Noah said during his auditions.
“I would’ve never signed myself up for something like this. I never had that confidence.”
When the time came for the top 7 to record their own songs, most of them came in with songs they had written and had their dreams come true, recording them with professional producers. Noah didn’t and just picked out someone else’s song to make it his own.
The good news is that – in country music especially – the biggest stars sing songs that other people wrote. An entire legion of songwriters in Nashville has penned the hits that people like Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, and Blake Shelton have sung.
Now, Noah Thompson has a chance to make his mark in the country music world. He has the American Idol audience supporting him, and it will be up to him to make it work.
American Idol is on hiatus. The singing reality competition series will return to ABC in 2023.