Child wonder and viral sensation Grace VanderWaal has been crowned the winner of "America’s Got Talent" season 11.
The recently concluded competition was down to VanderWaal and the mentalist duo The Clairvoyants. When AGT host Nick Cannon announced that VanderWaal will take home the $1 million grand prize and get the opportunity to perform in Las Vegas for 10 weeks, the 12-year-old burst into tears of joy.
The audience shared in Vanderwaal's happiness when she was named as the grand winner of AGT season 11. The child performer was out of words while judge Howie Mandel immediately went up on stage to tell the child performer that she was loved by America.
She did it. #GraceVanderWaalWins pic.twitter.com/3aisEYcDfE
— America's Got Talent (@nbcagt) September 15, 2016
For her winning performance during "America's Got Talent" season finale, the YouTube sensation sang her original composition "Clay". The judges did not hold back from giving high praises for the Suffern native, who was also evidently a crowd favorite throughout the season. Even judge Simon Cowell was impressed by how talented VanderWaal is.
During the two-hour finale, VanderWaal went up on stage to sing her composition “I Don’t Know My Name,” the same song that had landed her a spot in the hit reality competition. During the AGT season 11 auditions, she advanced directly to the live rounds after Mandel pressed the golden buzzer.
Stevie Nicks, who is VanderWaal’s inspiration, also went on stage to render a performance of the classic hit "Landslide". The former Fleetwood Mac leading lady was also impressed by VanderWaal, commenting, "Grace is going to the top."
In an interview with ET, the child performer revealed that she already made plans to donate some of her winnings to a music charity. For herself, she is going to splurge on a "sick treehouse" or two, one for her and another for her sister. Apparently, VanderWaal wants to go to "Treehouse Masters" on Animal Planet and get the entire package -- "ziplines, bridges, everything."
In another interview with the Hollywood Life, VanderWaal expressed that she hoped to get “a little rest.” She revealed that things have been “amazing, but draining.”
After VanderWaal gets her well-deserved break, fans are expecting to see more songs from the ukulele player and songwriter as she seems to be on her way to becoming the next Taylor Swift, as Cowell predicted.
