Before stepping onto the American Idol stage, Noah Thompson was just a normal 19-year-old working a job in his hometown. Now at 20 years old, he’s no longer a construction worker and he’s found himself with a new set of goals and priorities.
With all the guidance he’s had from his Idol experience, Thompson’s got the singing part pretty much down, but he told Music Mayhem that songwriting is his next hurtle to overcome. So far, he’s found that branching out into this new realm of the music industry has proved to be a learning curve.
“It’s definitely something that I’m looking forward to doing now that I have the time because I’m not working an 80-hour job every week anymore. I can finally sit down and try to write some songs,” he said.
Writing music isn’t something the Kentucky native is used to, but Idol gave him the boost he needed to get started on honing in on those skills. “Being on that show has definitely helped me become a better writer. It’s given me something to say.”
During his time on the competition, Thomson released his debut single, “One Day Tonight,” which was penned by Brett Sheroky, Jared Griffin and Trannie Anderson. Although he wasn’t a writer on the project, it gave Thomson a taste of what the process entails.
Idol runner-up and fellow country artist, HunterGirl also played a part in bringing his first song to life by singing backup vocals. The two of them previously teased a possible duet, but have yet to confirm that anything is officially in the works.
Thompson responded, “I’m hoping we do get to do something in the future for sure.”
With her experience as a rising artist in music city, HunterGirl has been encouraging Thompson to spend more time in Nashville. Since “One Day Tonight,” he’s been doing just that and spending more time in the studio than ever before. The Kentucky native recently shared a behind-the-scenes look into his day in a Nashville studio with songwriter and producer, Jimmy Robbins.
“Always fun being in the studio with @Jammyrabbins #studiotime #nashville #bighead,” he wrote on Instagram.
As anticipation rises for the potential duet, Thompson also teased his new single on TikTok, which he calls, “On The Outside.”
“Tell me what y’all think, should I finish it?? #songwriting #nashvilletn #ontheoutside,” Thompson captioned the clip.
Before playing the new song, he warned listeners that he doesn’t see himself as a skilled songwriter, but he still wanted to hear what people thought of the tune he had penned so far.
“Alright, so here’s something I’ve been working on. I don’t consider myself a good songwriter, but I don’t know, we’ll see what y’all think,” Thompson said.
“It’s easy come and easy go / it’s the way you feel in your soul / it’s when you’re locked up in your mind / find ways to pass the time / only Heaven knows where this thing goes / but you don’t make it so easy / and I can’t make you stay / and my heart’s only beating / your way / if I had one too many… to drink and drive / I hope you know I’m all good / I’m all good on the outside,” he sings in the video.
Fans instantly showed Thompson support in the comments, even Huntergirl said it as “awesome.” Sharing this video gives fans hope that more new music is on the horizon. He’s hopeful that getting the chance to record not only singles, but also a debut album is in his future.
“It’d be nice. That’s what we’re shooting for. I can’t wait, I really can’t,” he said with eagerly.
Noah Thompson’s last show took place on June 18, when he returned home to perform at the 3-day Rush & Rowdy “extravaganza” in Rush, Kentucky. His upcoming shows have yet to be announced.
