‘American Idol’: Where Is Season 10 Star Haley Reinhart Now?
American Idol season 10 contestant Haley Reinhart may not have taken first place on the show, but she won viewers’ hearts and launched a lasting career with her one-of-a-kind voice. Here’s what we know about Reinhart’s time on the singing competition show and where she is in 2023.
‘American Idol’ contestant Haley Reinhart launched a successful singing career on the reality competition show
Haley Reinhart was a fan-favorite contestant on American Idol season 10, which first aired in January 2011. The Illinois native impressed the judges and audience with her renditions of classic rock and pop songs, including Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” and The Beatles’ “Oh! Darling.” She took third place after winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina.
Reinhart was the first American Idol contestant to perform on stage with a parent during the show when her father played guitar for her performance of “What Is and What Should Never Be.” She is the only season 10 contestant with over a million views on six of her American Idol performance videos on YouTube, including her singing Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and “House of the Rising Sun.” She was also the only season 10 contestant who earned three standing ovations from the judges in consecutive weeks.
Reinhart appeared twice on Billboard’s “American Idol’s Top 100 Live Performances” list at numbers 68 and 18. Vulture ranked her 26 out of 168 on their comprehensive list ranking all American Idol finalists from worst to best. And in 2019, Screen Rant ranked Reinhart as the 6th best contestant to never win.
After leaving American Idol, Reinhart released her debut album, Listen Up!, with the lead single “Free.” The “Free” music video, which came out in March 2012, heavily features Vanderpump Rules star Tom Schwartz as Reinhart’s love interest.
Haley Reinhart has found continued success as a musician after ‘American Idol’ season 10
Following season 10 of American Idol, Reinhart has found lasting success as a singer and entertainer. She has released multiple studio albums and EPs, the most recent being her 2019 record Lo-Fi Soul.
“It’s a mixture of all of my favorite things,” Haley said of the album (via her website). “It’s where pop, rock, and a hint of jazz all come together. I want to show the fun side of who I am. I want to show the vulnerable side of who I am. I want to show the flirtatious side of who I am. When you hear these songs, you’re hearing every side of me.”
Reinhart said the album was inspired by “fifties music” and “AM radio.” “Since I’ve always been told I’m an old soul, I wanted to create a different way of saying that phrase,” she said. “So, I thought of Lo-Fi Soul. It mixes two ideas together. I’m an old soul living in this analog realm where things are tangible, grainy, raw, and sultry.”
Besides her work in the studio, Reinhart has a busy schedule of live performances. She is slated to sing at upcoming events in various cities in California, Las Vegas, Washington, DC, and Phoenix, Arizona.
The singer’s personal life has also flourished
In her personal life, Haley Reinhart has remained best friends with her fellow American Idol season 10 alum, Casey Abrams, and the duo considers themselves “musical soulmates.” Abrams, who took sixth place on the show, has collaborated with Reinhart multiple times on their albums, singles, and live performances.
Reinhart met fellow singer and musician Drew Dolan in 2015 at a mutual friend’s wedding. In November 2022, she announced their engagement.
