“Idol” Winner Hannah Harper Shares Why Her Husband Left Law Enforcement To Support Her Career
on Aug 01, 2026
Hannah Harper Wins Season 24 Of American Idol
American Idol winner and mother of three Hannah Harper quickly became one of the favorites last season. After spending much of her life singing gospel and bluegrass music with her family band, she stepped onto the Idol stage determined to pursue her own path as a singer-songwriter.
Hannah grew up traveling and performing with her family’s bluegrass group, gaining years of live performance experience before stepping away from music to focus on raising her children. Later, she began writing songs at home and sharing them online.
Balancing motherhood and music, Hannah shared her story of raising three children while chasing a dream that had long taken a back seat to family life. Her audition performance blended emotion with the vocal control and storytelling she developed through years of family performances.
Her original song, “String Cheese,” resonated with viewers everywhere, and Hannah was quickly identified as one to watch.
Hannah Says Husband Devon Put His Career On Hold To Support Her Dreams
Hailing from Willow Springs, Missouri, Hannah married her husband, Devon Mendenhall, in April 2018. The Idol star was just 18 when she got married, and only 19 when the couple welcomed their first baby boy one year later.
Hannah also remains incredibly close with her immediate family, who have all headed out on tour with her.
“My entire family is on the road with me — both of my brothers, my parents, my kids. And I think it’s so special that everyone has a role and a job, and everyone feels included,” Hannah told Fox News.
The one person Hannah has said has sacrificed the most for her new life is undoubtedly her husband, Devon. Since becoming her tour manager, he has stepped away from his career in law enforcement to support her full-time, traveling by her side as her music career continues to grow.
“My husband was in law enforcement for eight years and put his badge up just so that I could pursue this,” Hannah said. “And he was doing insurance there for a little while. We were going to try to just do, like, a work-on-the-road kind of thing. And then music just got too busy. And he was like, ‘You know what? I think I want to be tour manager.’ And I was like, ‘That’s perfect. I think you should do that.'”
Hannah shared that more than anything she feels “honored” Devon puts her and their family at the center of everything.
“But more than anything, I feel honored that he was willing to step down from his position. A lot of men wouldn’t do that. I think their pride would get in the way, and that man would bend over backwards for anything that I asked him to do.”
