Grace VanderWaal wins America’s Got Talent 2016
Grace VanderWaal has been crowned the winner of ‘America’s Got Talent’ 2016.
The 12-year-old singer-songwriter wowed audiences on Wednesday’s (09.14.16) live final when she performed a rendition of a song she wrote called ‘Clay’, which is about bullying, and later hailed her victory a "miracle".
She tweeted afterwards: "Thanks so much. This has been the greatest night of my life @nbcagt @howiemandel @SimonCowell @heidiklum @OfficialMelB #MiraclesDoHappen (sic)"
Not only has she been crowned 2016’s winner, but she will also receive a $1 million prize fund and will headline her own show in Las Vegas.
Entertainment mogul Simon Cowell – who is on the judging panel for the show – previously branded her "the next Taylor Swift", whilst fellow judge Howie Mandel said she was "a living, beautiful, walking miracle".
Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks gave a guest performance at the live show, and watched Grace’s act.
She said: "I have been watching this show from the very beginning. I have to say she reminds me a lot of me in a lot of ways. We sing very similar … we like to be weird and perky and we like to be a little different … and not like anybody else."
Grace first appeared on the show when she stunned the judging panel – which is completed by former Spice Girl Mel B and model Heidi Klum – with another original song called ‘I Don’t Know My Name’. Howie, 60, deemed the performance so spectacular he used his golden buzzer to send her straight to the live shows.
Tweeting after she was announced as the winner, Howie said: "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @GraceVanderWaal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY GOLDEN BUZZER WON (sic)"
Elsewhere on the show, mind-reading duo The Clairvoyants were named as runners up, with magician Jon Dorenbos coming in third place.
The other acts to make the final this year were Sal Valentinetti, contortionist Sofie Dossi, band Linkin’ Bridge, opera singer Laura Bretan, singer Brian Justin Crum, mime Tape Face, and juggler Viktor Kee.
