Fans React as ‘Idol’ Winner Noah Thompson Debuts New Look

Heavy/BBR Music "American Idol" season 20 winner Noah Thompson

When “American Idol” Season 20 winner Noah Thompson took to Instagram on August 30, 2023, to share a few seconds of a new song he’s working on, he got just as much feedback about his new hair as he did his new song.

Fans had some strong opinions on Thompson’s newly longer and shaggier hairdo, since the Kentucky native has sported short hair since his audition for “American Idol.” Some are loving the look, including season 19 “American Idol” winner Chayce Beckham, while others were less than complimentary. All the feedback has Thompson perplexed, saying all he wanted to do was build some buzz for his new music, not his new ‘do.

Noah Thompson Says ‘I Don’t Understand’ Reactions to His Hair

Thompson inadvertently debuted his new look while lip-syncing to a new song he recorded called “Road That I Can’t Go Down,” asking fans to weigh in on whether he should release it. While many urged him to do so, most couldn’t help but also notice and comment on his longer hair, including Beckham, who won “Idol” in 2021, the year before Thompson.

“Long hair don’t care,” Beckham commented, to which Thompson replied, “it’s a process bro”

Beckham then responded, “Looks good stud”

Among fans who loved the new look, one wrote, “The hair. The new music. I’m here for it! 🤩🔥”

Another commented, “My fav so far! I like the look too! You need to sing some John mellencamp since you look like him here!”

Someone else wrote, “OK I’m digging the new hair!”

Still another chimed in, “🔥drop it ASAP!👏👏👏 Love your new hair❣️”

But not everyone loved Thompson’s longer locks, such as one person who advised, “You don’t need the long hair, it’s a gimmick be yourself 🙌”

One woman chided, “Noah you need a haircut !!”

Perplexed by all of the attention on his hair, Thompson posted another video of him lip-syncing to the new song on TikTok, this time while wearing a ballcap.

In the caption, he wrote, “Trynna promote some new music and all anyone can talk about is how much they don’t like my ‘new hair’ lol. I just don’t understand people sometimes 🤦🏻‍♂️, fr though y’all likin this one??”

Noah Thompson’s Hair Progression Can Be Seen in His Videos

Thompson has been slowly growing his hair out since releasing his first EP, “Middle of God Knows Where” in June. Though he often wears a ballcap on stage to perform, fans can see the progression of his hairstyle from one video to the next this year. But his latest look is the longest fans have seen it since his run on “Idol.”

The 21-year-old country singer, who moved to Nashville in early 2023 from his hometown of Louisa, Kentucky, has released multiple new songs and music videos this summer, including a new video for his hit song “One Day Tonight.” All that exposure has required Thompson to get used to having his hair and makeup done for photo and video shoots, which may have inspired him to grow out his hair a bit this summer.

Nashville hairstylist Sharla Pruitt Higgins has worked on Thompson’s hair for multiple key appearances this year, like the cover of his album. On July 13, she also posted an Instagram photo of Thompson “bringing the hair game” for his music video for the song “She Gets It From Me” after she “added some texture to those locks,” she wrote.

As he promotes the new six-song EP, he’s also busy writing new material, he told Celeb Secrets in July.

“I 100% want to get a full-length album out by the end of the year,” he said. “I’m just trying to stay as busy as I possibly can and just writing nonstop. Writing with other people is almost spiritual… it’s a good way to cope with a lot of things and get stuff out. I’d definitely love to get an album out there as soon as I can.”