Noah Thompson Wins Season 20 of American Idol

Country singer Noah Thompson has officially been declared the winner of American Idol, beating out fellow final contestants HunterGirl and Leah Marlene. Interestingly enough, Noah actually did not have the intent to ever compete on the show. Instead, his friend/co-worker, Arthur, encouraged him to try out. And suddenly there he was, a 19-year-old construction worker, auditioning with "Giving You Up" by Kameron Marlowe. From that point on, Noah instantly became a fan favorite, getting voted through each round and eventually winning it all.

The American Idol Finale was filled with live performances from the biggest stars in today's music along with original performances by each of the finalists. Noah performed his single "One Day Tonight" and HunterGirl performed her single "Red Bird," both of which reached #1 on the iTunes All Genres Chart after the show. Leah performed her single "Flowers," which reached #6 on the iTunes All Genres Chart and #1 on the iTunes Alternative Chart.

In addition, Thomas Rhett and Katy Perry put on an incredible debut performance of their duet "Where We Started," which is the title track of TR's sixth studio album. The two appeared well above the stage in triangle statues before walking down to meet in the center for an epic ending. Deana Carter and Mike Parker teamed up to perform "Strawberry Wine." Meanwhile, Gabby Barret performed "Pick Me Up" and then transitioned into "The Good Ones" with Emyrson Flora. Luke Bryan and HunterGirl also delivered a phenomenal duet covering "I Told You So" by Randy Travis.