Conway woman gets an ‘American Idol’ golden ticket, heading to Hollywood

Mariah Faith has gone from Conway hairstylist to singing contestant after getting a golden ticket for her performance Sunday on “American Idol.”

The 22-year-old will now compete with other contestants during Hollywood week, which begins airing April 2, for a chance to become the winner of the singing reality TV competition.

Faith said Wednesday from her Conway home that she has had “an outpouring of positivity thrown my way” and “I’ve received thousands of messages.”

The singer, who said her voice was hoarse from so much screaming, believes people have related to her story that she shared during her audition.

The Carolina Forest High School graduate talked about her stepfather, Brian Cornwell, who moved the family to Conway when Faith was 8.

Her stepfather recognized Faith’s talent and moved her to South Carolina where she began singing and taking dance classes.

“My stepdad was my No. 1 supporter,” she told judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan during Sunday’s episode.

Then her senior year of school in 2019, her stepfather went to pick up a gift for her sister and he never came home, Faith said. He had a heart attack and passed away.

“It was tough and it was a struggle, but it taught me a lot,” she said, adding that her stepfather molded her into a better person.

Soulful, country voice lands three yeses

For her audition, Faith sang “Whenever You Come Around” by Vince Gill. However, judge Perry accused her of playing it safe. “There’s a lion that needs to be let loose,” she told Faith.

Perry asked Faith to sing Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” It was that song, and her voice, which is a mix of country and soul, that landed her three yeses from the judges.

Faith plans to stick with the genre of country during the competition. “When I write my own music, it always comes out with a twang.”

The singer bragged about Conway quite a bit, she said, adding that her home city gives her great pride.

“It’s a small town,” Faith told the judges during the Nashville audition. “It probably takes all … of 10 minutes to walk around literally all of it.”

Faith’s family and friends hold a watch party every Sunday at The Boathouse in Myrtle Beach. The March 19 show was the first time she saw her audition.

“I was ugly crying” when I was watching, she said.

‘It’s finally my turn’

Faith works as a hairstylist around the corner from the restaurant at Knot Two Shabby.

While she does hair full time, it was actually her back up plan. She studied cosmetology her last two years of school at Horry County Schools’ Academy for Technology & Academics.

Her plan was “to do so many gigs until I throw up,” Faith said. But after her stepfather passed away, she wasn’t able to afford her dream financially.

Her father’s death also sent her down a path of substance abuse. She is on a sober journey now, Faith said.

“I’m a year sober,” she said.

She admits that she wouldn’t have made it this far “if it weren’t for me cleaning up my act,” Faith said.

For her, the experience so far has been amazing.

“(I’ve) watched the show my whole life,” Faith said. “It’s finally my turn.”