Current:Home > FinanceMcKenna Faith Breinholt cut from 'American Idol': What to know about the 'Queen of Smoky Voice' -Wealth Legacy Solutions
McKenna Faith Breinholt cut from 'American Idol': What to know about the 'Queen of Smoky Voice'
View
Date:2025-04-13 11:51:14
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! (23561)
Related
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- AP Week in Pictures: Asia
- Maine mass shooting victims: What to know about the 18 people who died
- Gunman opens fire on city of Buffalo vehicle, killing one employee and wounding two others
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Attorneys for Mel Tucker, Brenda Tracy agree on matter of cellphone messages
- Northwestern State football cancels 2023 season after safety Ronnie Caldwell's death
- 'Shock to the conscience': 5 found fatally shot in home near Clinton, North Carolina
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- Rampage in Maine is the 36th mass killing this year. Here's what happened in the others
Ranking
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Exiled Russian journalist discusses new book, alleged poisoning attempt
- Snow piles up in North Dakota as region’s first major snowstorm of the season moves eastward
- Taylor Swift Has a Mastermind Meeting With Deadpool 3’s Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds
- Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
- Experts reconstruct face of teenage Inca girl sacrificed over 500 years ago in Peru
- Abortion rights supporters far outraise opponents and rake in out-of-state money in Ohio election
- AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean
Recommendation
The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
Blac Chyna Reveals Where She Stands With the Kardashian-Jenner Family After Past Drama
Man indicted on murder charge 23 years after girl, mother disappeared in West Virginia
Javelinas tore up an Arizona golf course. Now some are arguing about its water use
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Alone in car, Michigan toddler dies from gunshot wound that police believe came from unsecured gun
Attorneys for Mel Tucker, Brenda Tracy agree on matter of cellphone messages
Working-age Americans are struggling to pay for health care, even those with insurance, report finds