Noah Thompson made it to the Top 14 and sang Morgan Wallen's "Cover Me Up", a song that fit the American Idol finalist's voice perfectly. A burgeoning country star, 19-year-old Noah has struggled to gain confidence on the big stage but is getting better every week.
On Monday, the Top 14 finalists were revealed on American Idol, as a controversial judges save welcomed four contestants on top of the 10 who made it via fan vote. Noah was fortunate enough to gain entry into the Top 14 as a result of the fan vote, despite not being the strongest singer of the bunch. His potential as a country star, however, is vast. The judges recognize this as well, understanding that there is a sound to his voice that can't be taught. Noah, a young father of one, is coming into his own more and more each week, but will it be enough to outlast the immense talent in the competition?
For his Top 14 performance, Noah performed "Cover Me Up", a hit song by Wallen. It's the perfect song for Noah because there's a slow build up to a powerful chorus where Noah was able to belt the lyrics. It wasn't too country or too pop, since many of Wallen's top hits have become mainstream songs.
While no one is mistaking Noah for being the most talented singer in the competition, he does have a chance to win the whole thing. Famously, country singer Scotty McCreery won his season amid some of the strongest competition American Idol has seen. Sometimes, the best singer or most talented performer doesn't always win. Noah has the potential to break through as a big-time country artist, and if fans are voting purely on potential, they're not wrong to give him an opportunity to keep growing in the Top 14.
It's exciting to see young singers come into their own on a national stage. There are many singers in this season who are extremely polished singers with impeccable range, like Christian Guardino and Nicolina Bozzo. It's almost more satisfying, though, watching Noah perform week to week, because viewers can see the ascendancy of his career in real time. He is still imperfect and pitchy in parts, and he still starts off shaky each time as he wrestles with the nerves of playing for a live crowd, but he is more comfortable every week. It's worth debating whether Noah is the best of the bunch, but there would be something especially gratifying about seeing someone like Noah, who probably wasn't even sure he'd get a golden ticket, win season 20 of American Idol.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays on ABC.