‘So unreal.’ Kentucky singer will perform on premiere of ‘American Idol’ Sunday night
Auditioning for “American Idol” was not on Noah Thompson’s radar.
“It wasn’t my idea in the first place. I was completely against it, to be honest,” Thompson said.
But when the 20th season of the vocal competition show premieres Sunday night, the 19-year-old from Lawrence County will be on it.
Thompson said a buddy from work made a video of him singing and sent it in.
After he was called to come for an audition, Thompson said standing in front of celebrity judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie was a little bit scary and “so unreal.”
“I’ve been watching these guys on TV for the longest time,” he said in a telephone interview Friday. “To be there actually doing it ... it was insane.”
He sang “Giving You Up” by former “The Voice” contestant Kameron Marlowe.
Thompson, who plays guitar, said that while country music is his favorite, he enjoys “a mix” of styles.
“I listen to all types of different genres of music,” he said, noting that he grew up listening to his dad play in a local rock band.
Fellow Kentuckian Chris Stapleton was at the top of his list of favorite artists.
“I love Chris Stapleton,” Thompson said. “He’s kind of a soulful, bluesy country artist.”
Music “was something that I fell in love with,” Thompson said. “My whole life, it was kind of a dream.”
But he said the dream “just faded away” when his baby boy was born nine months ago.
“It’s not about you anymore,” he said. “I’ve grown up working labor. To me, playing music for a living, it would just be insane. It would be just an awesome opportunity that not everybody gets.”
While Thompson can’t give away any secrets about how his audition went, he said his coworkers in Louisa are setting him up with a big watch party.
“They’ve all pushed me to pursue it,” he said.
Thompson said the flight to Austin, Texas, was one of the most memorable parts of his “American Idol” audition experience, since it was his first plane ride.
“It was the first time for a lot of things for me,” he said.
“American Idol” is entering its fifth season on ABC. The premiere airs from 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday.
“This season, viewers will embark on a nationwide search across Nashville, Tennessee, Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles, California, where the show’s iconic judge auditions will surprise audiences and hopefuls alike with never-before-seen twists and a first-ever Platinum ticket winner,” the show’s promotional materials state.
This story was originally published February 26, 2022 at 2:36 PM.
