Jessica Sanchez earns golden buzzer in ‘America’s Got Talent’

Jessica Sanchez | Photo from jessicaesanchez/Instagram
Two decades after her first appearance on “America’s Got Talent,” Filipino American singer and American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez made a return to the AGT stage, and it was a golden one.
Now turning 30, Sanchez was just 10 years old when she first auditioned for the talent competition. Though she made it to the semifinals back then, her journey was cut short.
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But that early experience, she revealed, planted the seed for a lifelong passion for music. “I did get eliminated, it was devastating,” she admitted before her latest performance. “But it really did help me realize, like I wanna sing. ‘AGT’ was the beginning of that fire sparked inside of me.”
And what a comeback it was. With a voice matured by years of personal and artistic growth, Sanchez took center stage once more and delivered a powerhouse performance of Benson Boone‘s “Beautiful Things” that left all four judges, Sofia Vergara, Simon Cowell, Mel B and Howie Mandel, on their feet.

Screencap from AGT/YouTube
The rendition earned her not just a standing ovation, but also the coveted golden buzzer with a roaring applause from the crowd.
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In her return to the AGT spotlight, Sanchez opened up about the struggles she faced growing up in the industry.
“Throughout the years I kind of fell out of love with music because I was really young, I was so swayed by what everybody wanted me to be, who they wanted me to be,” she reflected. “Maybe it took me 20 years, but I know exactly who I am. And I know exactly what I want. I’m excited to be back.”
Adding another beautiful chapter to her story, the Fil-Am singer revealed she is now married and expecting her first child.
“I found my lane and I’m married now and I’m actually, another surprising thing is I recently found out that I’m pregnant,” she shared.