Grace VanderWaal Describes Winning ‘AGT’ As ‘Traumatic’
Photo by Amy Sussman/WireImage, Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage Reading Time: 3 minutes
Grace VanderWaal recently reminisced on her time competing on America’s Got Talent. At the age of 12 years old, this singer won America’s Got Talent, after receiving the Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel. Here’s how she feels about the whole experience now.
Grace VanderWaal Remembers Feeling Like She Was on Drugs When She Won AGT
We all remember the moment, but can you believe Grace VanderWaal doesn’t remember when her name was announced as the winner on America’s Got Talent? it turns out, the AGT season 11 winner doesn’t remember how she felt.
“When something that overwhelming happens at that young of a age, you literally are just like (gasping),” she said. “It’s almost in a way traumatic, because it’s just the over-ness of everything. It just will sort of numb out the shock of it at a certain point.”
She went on to explain that she was shocked, as one is while on the stage. The singer also noted that she felt like she was on drugs at the moment, clarifying that she has never done drug, but the feeling is probably similar.
The singer acknowledges that she still looks back at her moments on America’s Got Talent, even though so much has changed. The most recent time she looked back was two years ago, she stated it was “surreal.” Even though she has relived the moment several times she still cannot describe the emotion she felt that day.
The Singer Relives Her Golden Buzzer Audition
Looking back at her Golden Buzzer audition, the singer acknowledges that they never thought this would happen. VanderWaal recalls not standing in line before her audition, since they had found out the long line only forms in Los Angeles.
Once inside, they grouped acts into categories and are forced to perform first in front of a producer. Following her producer audition, VanderWaal was sent into the hall, then called back in to perform another song. The producer had the singer perform almost every cover song she knew. Backstage was the first time VanderWaal had ever sang “I Don’t Know My Name.” From there she was transported to the main stage to perform for the judges.
After, VanderWaal realized that she had actually made the show. It seems as if she still cannot grasp the fact that she was extremely successful on the series.
“I can’t express how much none of us would’ve ever f*cking thought in a million years that anything close to that would have ever happened,” VanderWaal said. “We literally did that for shi*ts and giggles. Whatever, let’s wait on the line that we always see on tv. I don’t think my mom would’ve ever even put me in if she ever thought something like that would happen.”
The singer explained that her parents were with her in the process, but were just as overwhelmed as her, since this is nothing they had ever done before. Reality truly hit when Simon Cowell discussed a full record deal with VanderWaal following her win. That was the moment that they realized her career was serious.
