Noah Thompson Was Crowned the Winner of Season 20 of 'American Idol'

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for the Season 20 finale of American Idol.

A 19-year-old construction worker from Louisa, Ky., snatched up the prestigious title of the next American Idol after a streak of unforgettable performances. Noah Thompson cemented himself as one of the strongest contestants on American Idol early on with electrifying takes on country hits like Chris Stapleton's "Starting Over" and Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire." He joined HunterGirl and Leah Marlene in the final three this season.

Noah Thompson became the latest singer to follow in the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks after having another go at Rihanna's hit song, "Stay," among a few others, in the Season 20 finale of American Idol on Sunday, May 22, 2022.

"No matter what, I will always be a small-town kid. That's how I grew up, that's how I like it," Noah explained on American Idol. In the same clip, he also showed the "Country Music Highway" sign next to the corresponding section of US-23. As Noah said, one of his goals is to get his name listed on the sign alongside his heroes, Larry Cordle, Ricky Skaggs, Don Rigsby, Keith Whitley, and Tyler Childers.

Noah gets to nab a handsome check for $250,000 and a record deal with Hollywood Records/19 Recordings, the labels who nurtured previous American Idol winners like Maddie Poppe and Laine Hardy. A proud family man, Noah will likely set aside a percentage of the prize money for his son, Walker Lee Thompson, and long-term girlfriend, Angel Dixon.

Noah's tracklist for the night included "I'm on Fire" by Bruce Springsteen, "One Day Tonight," an original track, and "Stay" by Rihanna, the song he performed during "Hollywood Week." HunterGirl received high praise for "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen and "Red Bird," an original track. She also performed "I Told You So" by Randy Travis as part of a duet with Luke Bryan. Leah Marlene sang "Cover Me."