Who Is Faith Becnel? Video Shows Why This 'American Idol' Contestant Has Quickly Become A Fan Favorite — Watch
She's got that Louisiana soul!
getty Over the course of twenty years, American Idol has helped foster the careers of some of the biggest pop stars in the world. Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson got her start on American Idol, as did Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guarini, Carrie Underwood, David Cook, and many, many more.
Now, however, it seems that there will soon become another name to add to that ever-growing list of pop stars, as a new contestant from this season has become a "fan favorite" and seems to be well on her way to superstardom.
So, who is Faith Becnel? Here are some things to know about her.
1. Who is Faith Becnel? She's a Louisiana native.
Becnel is a native of Destrehan, a small town in the St. Charles Parish of Louisiana. Before Becnel made the town famous thanks to her appearance on American Idol, Destrehan was seen in the hit film 12 Years a Slave. The Destrehan Plantation was the set of many prominent scenes in the film.
2. She has built her career on covering soul classics.
As of right now, Becnel has been making a living as a working musician covering soul classics. She says her influences include Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Amy Winehouse, and Stevie Wonder. However, she also integrates some classic rock in her performances, thanks to influences from the likes of The Beatles, Van Morrison, The Doobie Brothers, and Journey.
3. Becnel is very popular in her native Louisiana.
Becnel's bio shows that she has performed at some of the most popular festivals and fairs in Louisiana. In the past, she's performed at French Quarter Fest, Louisiana Crawfish Fest, Redfish Fest, Oyster Fest, Andouille Fest, Monster Mash, Alligator Fest, Cruisin’ the Coast, Audubon Zoo, Orpheus Ball, Lundi Gras, Zeus Parade, Earth Fest, New Orleans Yacht Club, All-State Sugar Bowl Gala, Sacred Heart Fair, Jesuit Bazaar, LI Thanh St. Fair, and the Pho Fest. That's quite the list!
4. She also appeared on America's Got Talent.
Before she appeared as a soloist on American Idol, Becnel appeared on America's Got Talent with her band, The Music Krewe. She made it to the top 70 of contestants but ultimately didn't take home the grand prize.
5. She started singing at the age of 10.
According to her official bio, Becnel has been performing since she was 10 years old. She released her first single, called "I Believe," at the age of 12. However, this is her only "original" recording to date. “I’ve been in the music industry since I was 10 years old. I started with a band of 10 year old boys. They recruited me to be their singer, and we were a bunch of 10-year olds playing rock-n-roll music around Louisiana,” she said.
6. Becnel said she wants to use her American Idol platform as an opportunity to write and perform her own music.
“To be the next American Idol would be a dream come true,” she said. “I know it would be a step in the right direction for what I have dreamed of pursuing in my career. Instead of only doing cover music, I can finally branch out and write my own stuff and become the artist I have always wanted to be.”
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.