Current:Home > FinanceMcKenna Faith Breinholt cut from 'American Idol': What to know about the 'Queen of Smoky Voice' -TradeBridge
McKenna Faith Breinholt cut from 'American Idol': What to know about the 'Queen of Smoky Voice'
View
Date:2025-04-13 12:21:03
Despite her Top 5 elimination Sunday night, McKenna Faith Breinholt sang her way into the final seven contestants on Season 22 of ABC's "American Idol."
She has captivated audiences and judges alike with her smoky voice, moving backstory and renditions of songs by Dolly Parton, Goo Goo Dolls and her late birth mom, Amy Ross Lopez, a folk singer who was half of the indie duo Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl.
"Honestly, I feel like this whole thing has been super surreal," Breinholt told The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, in late April. "But now ... it's getting real. Like, it feels like I'm on 'American Idol' now. It feels like there's competition. And it's intense a little bit."
'American Idol' recap:Top 7 singer makes Katy Perry 'scared for my job,' and two more go home
Where is McKenna Faith Breinholt from?
Breinholt was born in Arizona. She's based in Gilbert.
Where did McKenna Faith Breinholt go to high school?
Breinholt graduated from Highland High School in Gilbert, Arizona, in 2016.
How old is McKenna Faith Breinholt on 'American Idol'?
Breinholt was 25 years old as of this writing.
What was McKenna Faith Breinholt doing before ‘American Idol?’
Breinholt was working as a receptionist at a local medical spa while pursuing a career as an esthetician.
What did McKenna Faith Breinholt sing for her ‘American Idol’ audition?
Breinholt auditioned in Nashville, playing piano while delivering a heartfelt rendition of "There Was Jesus," a duet by Christian artist Zach Williams and country music icon Dolly Parton.
Was this McKenna's first 'American Idol' audition?
Breinholt auditioned for "Idol" when she was 14 but never heard back.
What is McKenna Faith Breinholt's backstory?
Breinholt was adopted as a baby before her mother's death. It was a closed adoption, which meant she couldn't find out any information on her birth mother until after her 21st birthday.
The story of Breinholt discovering her birth mother had been a singer was a deeply moving highlight of her audition, where she played an emotional acoustic rendition of "There Was Jesus."
What to know about McKenna's birth mom, Amy Ross Lopez
Amy Ross Lopez, a singer from Bisbee, Arizona, was half of the folk duo Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl. Ross Lopez died in October 2013 of complications from lupus.
McKenna Faith Breinholt was also a contestant on 'America's Got Talent'
Breinholt also appeared on Season 11 of "America's Got Talent" in 2016 as part of Cinematic Pop, a group she started singing with when she was 16. But after getting four yes votes at the audition, Cinematic Pop withdrew before judges made cuts.
Catch up on 'American Idol':Watch Emmy Russell bring Katy Perry to tears with touching Loretta Lynn cover
What songs did McKenna Faith Breinholt sing on 'American Idol'?
- "There Was Jesus" by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton at her audition, which aired Feb. 18.
- "Tumbleweed" by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl after her audition that aired Feb. 18.
- "When We Were Young" by Adele for Hollywood Week.
- "Anyone" by Demi Lovato for Showstopper Round on April 1.
- "The Story" by Brandi Carlile for Top 24 on April 7.
- "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell for Top 20 on April 14.
- "Tumbleweed" by Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl for Top 20 on April 15.
- "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame show on April 21.
- "Cardigan" by Taylor Swift for Top 12 on April 22.
- "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls for Top 10 on April 28.
- "Everywhere I Go" by Lissie for Top 8 on April 29.
- "Wide Awake" by Katy Perry with Abi Carter, Julia Gagnon and Kaibrienne on April 29.
- "E.T." by Katy Perry and "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele on May 5
How have 'American Idol' judges reacted to McKenna Faith Breinholt?
- Lionel Richie responded to Breinholt's audition with "I love the cry, the little cry in your voice. It just cut right through."
- After hearing her sing Adele's "When We Were Young" during Hollywood Week, Katy Perry sounded a note of caution, saying, "I'm worried about her voice, though."
- Richie responded to her cover of the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" by proclaiming her the "Queen of Smoky Voice" on April 28's episode.
- Perry saved Breinholt from elimination on April 29, bringing her into the Top 7. Perry told her, “I’ve spent many nights crying listening to that song and just surrendering. It’s just so powerful, and that’s what your voice does. It moves people emotionally. It opens up hearts so that they can feel and heal.”
Who made the Top 5 on 'American Idol' Season 22?
- Abi Carter
- Emmy Russell
- Jack Blocker
- Triston Harper
- Will Moseley
veryGood! (626)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- Claim of NASCAR bias against white men isn't just buffoonery. It's downright dangerous.
- Usher mourns friend and drummer Aaron Spears, who died at 47: 'The joy in every room'
- Moldovans cast ballots in local elections amid claims of Russian meddling
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- VPR's Ariana Madix Reveals the Name Tom Sandoval Called Her After Awkward BravoCon Reunion
- Afghan farmers lose income of more than $1 billion after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation
- 'Avengers' stuntman dies in car crash along with two children on Atlanta highway Halloween night
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- Phoenix finishes clearing downtown homeless encampment after finding shelter for more than 500
Ranking
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- The Chilling Maleesa Mooney Homicide: What Happened to the Model Found Dead in Her Refrigerator
- Deion Sanders explains staff shakeup after loss to Oregon State: `We just needed change'
- Save 42% on That Vitamix Blender You've Had on Your Wishlist Forever
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Hamas alleges second Israeli strike hit refugee camp
- French power supplier says technician killed as it battles damage from Storm Ciarán
- Supporters celebrate opening of Gay Games in Hong Kong, first in Asia, despite lawmakers’ opposition
Recommendation
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
Damar Hamlin launches Cincinnati scholarship program to honor the 10 who saved his life
Offshore wind projects face economic storm. Cancellations jeopardize Biden clean energy goals
AP Top 25 Takeaways: Separation weekend in Big 12, SEC becomes survive-and-advance day around nation
The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
Highly pathogenic avian flu detected at Alabama chicken farm, nearly 48K birds killed
How Midwest Landowners Helped to Derail One of the Biggest CO2 Pipelines Ever Proposed
Usher mourns friend and drummer Aaron Spears, who died at 47: 'The joy in every room'