Judges doubted her song choice, but her performance left millions speechless

Howie Mandel pressed the Golden Buzzer and Simon Cowell called her the next Taylor Swift. This speaks volumes of the incredible vocal abilities of Grace VanderWaal who stunned millions with her first ever audition on America’s Got Talent when she was just 12. Her choice of song made the judges question her performance, but she was able to stun over 50 million viewers who had seen her audition.

Asked if she believed she could win the competition, charming Grace answered, “Well, miracles can happen.”

“I’m doing my own song tonight, because I really think that it shows who I am,” Kansas-born Grace said. “I hope. I hope it does.”

Grace accompanied herself on ukulele. Most of her friends and classmates learned that she actually sings and writes songs when she took the stage of the talent show. It was right there and then that she let her distinctive voice and her song-writing skills shine, spilling the secret of her love for music.

She wowed the judges right from the start; with the opening lines of her original song.

“I don’t know my name. I don’t play by the rules of the game,” the lyrics went. “So you say I’m just trying, just trying.”

Both the judges and the audience were stunned more and more as her song went on.

Howie Mandel was quick to comment the performance that took his breath away. “This is a show about surprises,” he said. “You used the word miracle, and I think you are a living, beautiful, walking miracle.”

He then continued praising Grace’s song and performance, adding, “You’re original. People not knowing your name is so right and so wrong, because I think the world is gonna know your name. I think right now they’re gonna know your name,” referencing the lyrics of the unique piece.

Grace VanderWaal at the Grammy Museum/ Wikipedia

Mandel then pressed the Golden Buzzer.

Simon Cowell wasn’t short of words of praise for the young talent.

“Grace, you know what I predict for you,” he said. “I think you are the next Taylor Swift. What a great girl. What a great personality.”

The rest of the judges were as impressed.

Since her audition, Grace, who ended being the AGT’s $1 million champion in Season 11, has recorded albums and launched an acting career in Stargirl. She plays a pop star in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis.

You can watch Grace’s mesmerizing performance in the video below.