Jessica Sanchez wins 'America's Got Talent'; her curtain call is having a baby

AMERICA'S GOT TALENT

Jessica Sanchez's journey of 20 years culminates in her win on 'America's Got Talent.'

The winner of the 20th anniversary season of America's Got Talent  is Jessica Sanchez!

“I haven’t watched anything back yet, but all I know is that I was a complete mess on stage, emotionally, just crying, and then afterwards, I’ve just been doing interviews and stuff, and I feel like the adrenaline has been crazy,” she told the Inquirer.

The 30-year old singer first competed on AGT during its debut season 20 years ago when she was just 10 years old and advanced to the Semifinals via a wildcard, but was eliminated.

Two decades later she returned to the show on the AGT's 20th season, and in an America's Got Talent first, she competed while pregnant throughout the season. She's currently 9 months along and expecting a daughter later next monthl. She and her husband plan to name the little one, Eliana.

The performance that put her over the top and earned her the $1-million top prize was her rendition of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars' 2024 hit, "Die With a Smile," which she sang Tuesday.

All four judges praised her performance. Judge Simon Cowell “I felt there was an extra 10% from you, from before,” he explained. “Actually, there are two of you. So it’s like a duo.” Having Sanchez return for the 20th anniversary of AGT was “so important,” he continued, “to show that even if you don’t win the first time, you’ve got to always believe in yourself, right. And that’s what you’ve done.” The arrangement was “beautiful” and Sanchez, he remarked, “sounded amazing” and praised her for her best performance yet.

Sanchez's parents are Edita Bugay Sanchez, whose family is from Bataan,  Philippines, and Gilbert Sanchez, a Mexican American from Texas.

Sanchez's win makes her the second artist of Filipino descent to win a singing competition in the US. Sofronio Vasquez was the first Filipino to The Voice in December of 2024.

"My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the love and kind words that have been pouring in," Sanchez wrote in an Instagram post on Sept. 14. 

"I never imagined I’d be spending these final weeks of pregnancy away from home, in the middle of such an exciting competition. I truly believe God’s plan is greater than my own," said the 30-year old Sanchez to the Inquirer. "This journey has been so unexpected, yet so beautiful, and I wouldn’t have it any other way."

“I’m about to go home and be a mom. So that is freaking crazy,” she said. “I have a drive back to Texas — because I can’t fly — so I have to drive back to Texas and just prepare for my baby girl, for our baby girl.”

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You can vote for Jessica Sanchez in 'America's Got Talent' semi-finals

Jessica Sanchez on America's Got Talent makes it to the show's Top Ten.

It may not have been Jessica Sanchez's best performance for "America's Got Talent," but it was good enough to get her into the Top Ten and a chance to win $1-million.

Sanchez had a good excuse for her l3ss-than-perfect performance; she's nine-months pregnant.

Despite her apparent discomfort she sang JVKE's "Golden Hour,"  good enough to garner enough audience votes to move on to this week's semi-finals on the competition reality show.

"I'm so proud that you are my golden buzzer. You get better and better your. It's perfection. Your voice, your little belly, your story. I mean, there's nothing I would change about you. How do you do your singing? So amazing. I'm so happy for you," judge Sofia Vergara said.

FYI: "America's Got Talent"airs new episodes on NBC on Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m Central. The show’s newest champion will be announced during the grand finale on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

"I believe in exactly what Simon said to you the last time. First of all, you look beautiful tonight. And, secondly you sound beautiful, but he said with the right song choice, you could take this all the way and be the million-dollar winner. America's going to decide whether that was the right song choice. For me, it's just the choice. And hopefully they love that song more than me," said judge Howie Mandel said.

"Well, can I just say your vocals were just magical? They really were," said former Spice Girl Mel B. "You have a range that's very similar to Mariah Carey, you can go up, down, and around the corners, and you always land on point. Now, whether that song affected everybody the way you wanted it to, I'm not sure, but I could see that that it affected you and that's the most important thing. I was beautiful."

It was expected that Judge Simon Cowell would give her a Golden Buzzer, advancing her to the Top Ten, but he decided to give the reward to another performer. The usually acerbic judge described the Filipino American singer's "Golden Hour" rendition as a “moment.” Not only is she talented, but she has “never given up over all of these years,” he remarked. And importantly, she is “very very likeable.”

After her performance, Simon Cowell acknowledged her bravery in performing while unwell, stating she was a very brave person, but ultimately did not hit his Golden Buzzer.

Rounding out the Top Ten are, Steve Ray Ladson, rapper and singer Mama Duke, singer and musician Micah Palace, and Team Recycled. impressionist Chris Turner,  acrobatic groups Light Wire and Sirca Marea, singer  Jourdan Blue, and the Leo High School Choir.

Sanchez, who originally competed on AGT 20 years ago as a 10-year old making it to the semi-finals, recently took to social media to reflect on her long journey.

"Today I officially step into my 9th month of pregnancy. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the love and kind words that have been pouring in. I never imagined I’d be spending these final weeks of pregnancy away from home, in the middle of such an exciting competition. I truly believe God’s plan is greater than my own. This journey has been so unexpected, yet so beautiful, and I wouldn’t have it any other way," she posted on her Instagram page earlier this mpnth.

Now Sanchez needs votes from the audience if she wants to advance to finals the next day. She hopes fortune and viewers will vote for her again. As she told AGT host Terry Crews, “I just keep telling my baby, please just stay in there another week.” 

FYI: Viewers vote for acts on America's Got Talent by registering for a free NBCUniversal Profile on the official AGT or NBC app (iOS and Android) or via the website, NBC.com/AGTVote. Once registered, viewers can cast up to 10 votes per act, per voting method (app or website) during the live show voting window, which typically runs from the start of the live show on Tuesday nights to Wednesday morning.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. 

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Jessica Sanchez soars on America's Got Talent

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Jessica Sanchez received the Golden Buzzer for her performance on America's Got Talent.

Filipino American singer Jessica Sanchez triumphantly returns to the America's Got Talent stage where she began her singing career 20 years ago.

On Monday, July 15, she told the panel of four judges that she made her national television debut 20 years ago on AGT's first season at the age of 9 years, she also revealed that this time round, she is also pregnant.

Then she dived into a powerful rendition of Beautiful Things by Benson Boone. The song gave her a chance to show the full range of her vocal arsenal, from the growling, shouting reprise to the soaring high notes at the end of her performance.

It got the audience going wild, standing and cheering the diminutive singer.

All the judges -- even the usually blunt Simon Powell -- were effusive in their praise of Sanchez's performance.

"I think there is something very special that happened on this stage with you. It's so amazing that we're on the 20th anniversary, the 20th season of AGT," said judge Sofia Vergara. 

"You're here again after 20 years, you're pregnant ... I mean, you're so ready to do all this. I mean, I really don't understand what happened in these 20 years, but I guess they were meant to be because this was a special moment. 

"I think that you deserve this." Vergara then pressed the Golden Buzzer, which sends Sanchez directly to the live shows, bypassing the need to get through the Judge Cuts rounds.

Watch Sanchez's audition for AGT:

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Jessica Sanchez returning to 'America's Got Talent'

Jessica Sanchez returning to 'Amrica's Got Talent."

Remember Jessica Sanchez? The Filipino American singer is back on television.

I remember cheering and voting for the her in American Idol when she was 16 years old. She almost won, coming up short in the final, losing to a guitar-playiing white guy. In my mind, she should have won.In America's Got Talent's first show this season, the May 27 show featured a teaser about Sanchez's upcoming appearance.

This time, she's on America's Got Talent, for which she first auditioned 20 years ago on the reality competition' first season. In AGT'sfirst show this season, the May 27 show featured a teaser about Sanchez's upcoming appearance.

As a 10-year old on AGT, Sanchez became a wildcard act but did not advance to the grand finals.

"Being 10 years old on AGT played such a massive role in me believing in something bigger for myself, for my voice," the singer posted on social media.

After American Idol, she sang at several events, including the Democratic National Convention in 2016 where she performed the theme song for Hillary Clinton's campaign.  She put out  a couple of recordings but her career never really took off and has several appearances in the Philippines as well as the US.

In 2021, she married Rickie Gallardo in 2021. Gallardo is not in the music industry but his support has been vital in Sanchez's  rocky career.

FYI: The AGT trailer did not say when Jessica Sanchez will perform on the reality show so keep an eye on your local listings. AGT airs Tuesdays, 8 p.m. on ABC.

"I’m more of a perfectionist," she said in an interview with PhilStar. "And I kind of tend to put myself down a lot when I’m not at this standard that I’m trying to reach. With everybody around me, with my mom, my friends, my family, but most importantly, my partner, he’s always there pushing me, supporting me, telling me, ‘You got this,’ in my super low moments, when I really doubt myself."

But she hopes she can give her career a boost by returning to AGT.

"What a huge blessing it is to be able to come back and chase after my dreams again after 20 years. Can’t wait to see what God has in store for me ❤️," she added on Instagram.

Since Amrican Idol, her journey has been rocky, she admits. She also encountered discrimination and “people telling me I can’t do that, I can’t do this because I’m Asian.” She has released a power ballad about it, titled Us, which she also co-wrote and features fellow Asian American artists Apl.De.Ap., Patrick Starr and AJ Rafael.

During tough times in her career, her Filipino mom acted as a morale booster and support system. “From a young age, because of my mom, because she has such a strong personality, she’s always told me and taught me like, you know, don’t let anybody ever tell you that you can’t do something no matter your circumstance or your race or anything like that, or because you’re a woman or anything like that. That really stuck with me and I carry that throughout my whole career,” she said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Filipino Americans inspired by today's headlines, write songs of defiance and love

Songwriters, rrom top left, clockwise: H.E.R., Jessica Sanchez,
Ruby Ibarra and Ella Jay Basco.

The younger generation finding their voice during the age of dual pandemics -- the coronavirus and hate -- may be the most self-aware and militant since the 1960s.

Four songwriters -- they happen to be all Filipino Americans -- released their songs reflecting what's happening around them, to them personally and with their friends and families.

H.E.R., aka Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson won an Oscar for her song "Fight For You." written for the movie Judas and the Black Messiah.

Although the movie takes place in another era, the aforementioned 60s at the height of the Black Panthers power, her intent and lyrics are applicable to today as it would have been for that time.

Read the lyrics and it could have been written for George Floyd or any of the other Black, Latino and AAPI who have died at the hands of the police:

All the smoke in the air
Feel the hate when they stare
All the pain that we bear
Oh, you better beware
Their guns don't play fair
All we got is a prayer
It was all in their plans
Wash the blood from your hands

[Pre-Chorus]
Freedom for my brothers
Freedom 'cause they judge us
Freedom from the others
Freedom from the leaders, they keepin' us
Freedom gon' keep us strong
Freedom if you just hold on
Freedom ain't free at all, oh no

"Musicians, filmmakers, I believe we have an opportunity and a responsibility, to tell the truth, and to write history the way that it was, and how it connects us to today, and what we see going on in the world today," says H.E.R. 

Ella Jay Basco is only 14 years old but she's trying to have an impact on the world of her future. The Filipino Korean American actress who debuted in Birds of Prey as Cassandra, the orphan waif who will become the future Batgirl, is a singer and songwriter, too.

She wrote the song "Gold " and collaborated with Filipino American rapper Ruby Ibarra, and Ella’s writing partner (and brother) Darryl J. Basco, the song is a love letter to the Asian American community. 

Sometimes I never win
but I was blessed with the Golden skin
Don’t stress about where you’ve been
Just look inside, find what’s within
Girl you know you’re beautiful
Stand tall, unmovable
It’s undisputable
You a Boss Bitch as usual, You a Boss Bitch as usual!

“GOLD ft. @rubyibarra is out now!!! Mainly streaming on Spotify, Apple, and BandCamp so go check it out!!! We wanted to make a song that speaks out to brown pride and the color of our beautiful golden skin,” Ella Jay Basco wrote on Instagram. 

“(The song) is about me taking ownership and power of my GOLD/Brown skin. Not everyone fits in the typical boxes. I asked Ruby Ibarra to guest on it because she is a Dope Filipino rapper,” she explains.

Jessica Sanchez, the 25-year-old singer, who performed on American Idol’s 11th season, wrote and composed “Us,” a song that she hopes can unite people together against the rash of violence against Asian Americans.

The hate directed at AAPI felt compelled to do something the best way she knew how.

"I'm all about spreading positivity," she told the San DIego Union Tribune. "but I'm a very quiet person at the same time, I'm not very good at talking. The way that I express myself is through my music."

Her lyrics go:

Done, I’m trying to numb the pain
That only we could ever change
Still we’re running everyday
I wanna know why we’re afraid
Can we believe again
If it was just for a day
Would we still feel the same
Can we believe in Justice today
Would we still be the same if...
All of us could see that
No one’s to blame
All of us realize
Our heart beat the same...

“It’s super important to remind each other that, like, we have to find a solution and the solution is to bring each other together, and to unite and to support each other no matter what color, what age, what gender,” Sanchez said. We all have to come together and love each other and support one another, especially when people are being pushed down.”

She hopes her fans will enjoy the song when it is released on May 7. In the meantime, she told the Union-Tribune, “I’m super happy that my first song I’m able to release is something bigger than who I am.”