American Idol season 22 Top 7 finalist McKenna Faith Breinholt was a fan favorite who captivated everyone not only with her incredible vocals, but also her compelling backstory, and she's been very busy with her music career since competing in the reality singing competition series in 2024. At McKenna's audition, she blew away the judges--Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan--with her phenomenal rendition of "There Was Jesus" by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton. McKenna is adopted, and she was shocked when her birth family surprised her at her audition.
McKenna's birth mother was Amy Ross-Lopez, a musician who played with the duo Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl. She also sang their song "Tumbleweed" at her audition. Throughout American Idol season 22, McKenna lit up the stage with her captivating renditions of "The Story" by Brandi Carlile, "Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago, "cardigan" by Taylor Swift, "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls, "Everywhere I Go" by Lissie, "E.T." by Katy Perry, and "(To) Make You Feel My Love" by Adele. Since American Idol season 22 ended, McKenna has been very busy with her music career.
McKenna Faith Breinholt Opened For Her Birth Uncle's Band
McKenna Comes From A Musical Family
In a June Instagram post, McKenna shared that she had the opportunity to open for her birth mother's brother's band, Due West, in St. George, Utah. She wrote, "Got to open for the one and only @duewestofficial this last Thursday. I LOVE MY FAMILY SO MUCHHHHH." McKenna shared photographs of herself performing, and of herself and her family watching Due West perform.
McKenna Faith Breinholt Performed At Franklin Summer Bash
McKenna Joined Her Fellow American Idol Season 22 Alums On Stage
On July 30, 2024, McKenna performed at Franklin Summer Bash in Franklin, Tennessee, along with some of her fellow American Idol season 22 contestants. They included Kayko, Mia Matthews, Kaibrienne, Jack Blocker, and Quintavious Johnson. In addition, Maddi Jane from The Voice season 25 performed.
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In an Instagram post, McKenna shared photographs and videos from the event. In the caption of the post, she wrote, "Reunited with the most amazing people on this planet and it feels soooo so good. Last night’s @franklinsummerbash was definitely one for the books."
McKenna explained, "The power went out right when I started to sing my last song, which happened to be Oceans by Hillsong. When my microphone went out.. the crowd started to sing a cappella to keep the song going. All I can say is that I believe that was divine intervention and the spirit filled the entire room while we all praised the Lord in unison and in harmony. Forever grateful I can keep this memory with me forever. I love you Franklin!! You have my whole heart and I will for sure be back!!"
McKenna Had Vocal Cord Surgery
McKenna Underwent The Procedure After The Show
During American Idol season 22, fans fell in love with McKenna's smoky voice. It turns out that her signature rasp was actually the result of a vocal cord polyp. In an August Instagram post, McKenna revealed that she'd recently had surgery to have it removed. She wrote, "For those who don’t know, I recently had surgery on my vocal cords! I have had a vocal polyp for the last 10 years that I finally decided to part ways with. The surgery went so well and recovery is going even better thanks to @unchainedwellness!" Unchained Wellness is a wellness clinic in Gilbert, Arizona, which is McKenna's hometown.
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McKenna was one of the most spectacular singers ever to grace the American Idol stage. Her performances were very moving and emotional. In addition, her story was so relatable. McKenna has the potential to become one of the biggest American Idol success stories ever.
American Idol is available to stream on Hulu.
Sources: McKenna Faith Breinholt/Instagram, McKenna Faith Breinholt/Instagram, McKenna Faith Breinholt/Instagram
American Idol is a reality singing competition that adds to the international "Idol" brand, conceived initially in the U.K. as Pop Idol. Holding massive auditions across the U.S., American Idol invited several contestants to perform in front of a panel of judges that would determine whether or not they'd go on to future rounds for a chance at competing in the fully televised premiere of the show. Contestants are voted off each week by American participation via voting through various mediums, and the winner of the competition would be given a contract with a record label to secure a future as America's next musical idol.
Release Date June 11, 2002
Seasons 22
Streaming Service(s) FOX
Franchise(s) American Idol
Showrunner Nigel Lythgoe
Franchise Idol, American Idol
Creator(s) Simon Fuller
Production Company Fremantle North Americ, 19 Entertainment
Producers Simon Fuller , Simon Jones , Nigel Lythgoe , Ken Warwick , David Hill
Avg Episode Length 2-3 hours
English (US) ·