‘AGT’s First Winner EVER Returns To The Stage 13 Years Later [VIDEO]
NBC / YouTube Reading Time: 2 minutes
AGT‘s first winner, Bianca Ryan, returned to the show’s stage 13 years after her big win to perform in The Champions. Bianca was all grown up, and she shared her journey so far before singing for the judges again.
What did the judges think of her new performance on the show? Check out both of her auditions in the video below, and read on to find out more about Bianca’s career since winning the show.
Bianca Ryan Wins ‘AGT’ Season 1
Bianca Ryan was just 11 years old when she auditioned for the first season of AGT in 2006. She said her dream was to become a famous singer with her own TV show, adding that she didn’t just want “fifteen minutes of fame.”
For her audition, Bianca performed “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from Dreamgirls. She showed off a powerhouse voice that shocked the judges. Brandy called it “unbelievable,” saying Bianca was her favorite contestant on the show.
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Piers Morgan couldn’t stop himself from being critical in the midst of his praise, telling Bianca, “Change your hair, change your dress, change your shoes, and you will win this tournament.”
Bianca returned for the semifinals, where she sang “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin. She moved on to the finals and performed “I Am Changing,” another song from Dreamgirls. She won the million-dollar prize and was crowned Season 1 AGT champion.
Bianca Ryan Then And Now
After the show, Bianca released her self-titled debut album in 2006. She later released two Christmas EPs, but took a break from fame during her teen years to finish school. Bianca revealed on AGT: The Champions that she suffered from a paralyzed vocal cord and had to have surgery.
“I’m the first winner of America’s Got Talent,” Bianca said before her comeback performance. “I lived 12 years in shadows, and I’m ready to see the light again.”
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For her Champions debut, Bianca performed “Say Something” by A Great Big World. She earned a standing ovation from the judges. “I think without you we may not be sitting here today,” Simon told her, adding that he was “thrilled” to have her back.
Bianca was unfortunately eliminated in the AGT: Champions preliminaries, coming in second place for the night. In 2019, after appearing on the show, she released a new EP called The Reintroduction. Then last year, she put out a new Christmas EP. You can follow her on YouTube to see even more performances.
