And the Winner of ‘American Idol’ Season 20 Is…
*Warning: Spoilers ahead*
After a three-hour broadcast that had us on the edge of our seat until the very end, American Idol has finally crowned a new winner.
Last night, the singing competition’s final three contestants—Leah Marlene, Huntergirl and Noah Thompson—battled it out for the highly coveted title. In the end, Thompson was named the winner of American Idol season 20.
Shortly after host Ryan Seacrest announced the exciting news, Thompson admitted that it’s a dream come true to win Idol. “My heart is beating out of my chest,” he said. “This is crazy.”
The 19-year-old singer (who’s from Kentucky) began the night with “I’m on Fire” by Bruce Springsteen. After singing an original song, called “One Day Tonight,” Thompson concluded the with a sultry version of “Stay” by Rihanna, which he originally sang during Hollywood Week.
The show’s three judges—Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie—weren’t surprised by Thompson’s success. “We are so proud as judges just to say that we actually mentored you on that way to that wonderful place in your career,” Richie explained.
Earlier in the episode, after Thompson sang Springsteen, Perry said, “You just swooped in and grabbed every heart in America by singing that song. You’re just a good guy from Kentucky that might win American Idol.” And that’s exactly what he did.
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