Julia Gagnon, Maine’s 22-year-old singing sensation who made it to the top seven on “American Idol” this spring, gave her hometown a concert to remember Wednesday at the Cumberland Fairgrounds.
Her performance drew fans from outside Cumberland, too, from Oxford, Standish, Gray and beyond – a sign she’s a source of pride for the entire state. More than 350 people were in the audience, according to former Town Manager Bill Shane.
Gagnon appeared on stage with her fiance, Nate Haven, who plays guitar, as part of her ongoing Here in Maine tour. She sang covers that she performed during her “American Idol” run, such as “Need a Favor” by Jelly Roll, as well new covers, like “Back to Black” by the late Amy Winehouse.
She also sang a song, “Little Things,” that she and Haven wrote together only a few days ago.
“It’s quickly become one of our favorites already, because it is about how spending life in a small town helps you appreciate the little things and live for the little things,” she told the crowd. At the end of the show, she played another of the couple’s originals, “Here in Maine.” She and Haven perform together under the stage name “JULIA.”
Audience member Sadie Kleinman, 8, said she became a fan when she tuned in watch Gagnon on “American Idol” because she and Gagnon are both from Cumberland. “My mom said that someone from Cumberland was gonna (be on ‘American Idol’), so then I wanted to watch it,” she said
Others told a similar story. Lynne Roy of Standish said she watched “Idol” specifically because Gagnon was on it – she admitted that she’s usually a fan of “The Voice,” another singing competition show.
She said she enjoyed watching Gagnon evolve over the course of the show. “The way she held herself and even the way she dressed changed,” she said.
Roy attended the concert with her cousin, Donna Roy. Donna Roy said she didn’t watch “American Idol” but kept up with Gagnon’s rise via social media. “She’s humble,” said Donna Roy, pointing out that even though Gagnon had gained fame, there she was performing before a relatively small crowd in her hometown.
Gagnon was in her senior year at the University of Southern Maine last year when her “American Idol” journey began. She auditioned for the show in November. Viewers first saw her perform during promos for the season, which began airing in February, and her full audition aired in March. She wowed judges Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan with her rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” Richie called it “outstanding,” adding “I am so happy you came to ‘American Idol.’” She got enough votes week after week to make it to the final seven in the contest.
Her ‘American Idol’ journey ended May 5, when she failed to get enough votes to advance to the top five. Along the way she won the hearts of Mainers, earning the praise of the Portland Press Herald’s editorial board and fielding a good luck call from Sen. Angus King, who told her that she’d made her state proud.
Gagnon grew up in Cumberland and attended North Yarmouth Academy. She was born in Guatemala and adopted by a Maine couple, Meg and Jim Gagnon. She’s told reporters that she was bullied growing up for looking different. When Gagnon appeared on “American Idol,” she said her birth mother in Guatemala, who she got in contact with when she was 18, helped motivate her to audition.
Gagnon has said that when she was younger she was shy and tried not to stand out – but these days, she has no issue singing proudly before a large crowd.
As part of her tour, she recently performed at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium, at the 40th annual Moxie Festival in Lisbon last week, and she will appear multiple times at the 57th annual Yarmouth Clam Festival this weekend.
While a USM student, Gagnon had considered going into family law – though her law school plans are on hold for now. Her manager said she plans to keep making music and performing, and later this year intends to start performing outside of the state.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs. You can modify your screen name here.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.