A story of persistence: Jessica Sanchez’s 20-year journey to win 'America’s Got Talent'
Jessica Sanchez was just 11 when the world first discovered the glorious depths and heights her young voice could go.
“Hi, my name is Jessica Sanchez. I’m from San Diego. I’m 11 years old, and I’m a singer,” she said in a promo video for the first season of America’s Got Talent.
Sanchez was eliminated in the semi-finals, but then-judge Brandy handed the tiny singer a wild card, giving Sanchez another chance to perform.
The child singer’s song choice for her second chance at the semi-finals would have been intimidating to any other amateur singer. But Sanchez soared through Celine Dion’s I Surrender without a hitch, earning a “yes” from Brandy and the other two judges, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan.
Ultimately, however, Sanchez got eliminated by audience vote.
American Idol Season 11
The belter was out but not defeated, however. A few years later, at 16, Sanchez tried again; this time in season 11 of American Idol.
Like in AGT, she picked her song choices specifically to show off her vocal power. Sanchez slayed with hits from the likes of Grammy winners Etta James, Whitney Houston, Jennifer Holliday, and Jennifer Hudson.
At one point, Sanchez needed another save; this time from judges Jennifer Lopez, Steve Tyler, and Randy Jackson. Having landed at the bottom three of the top 7, Sanchez had to “sing for her life,” but halfway through, she was cut off by all three judges, who stormed the stage to give her the “save.” They swooped down and picked her up from the bottom three.
Sanchez would go on to finish as runner-up. Phillip Phillips took home the prize that season.
America’s Got Talent, take two
Following Sanchez’s American Idol run, she didn’t stay idle. The singer signed with Interscope Records, with whom she released her first album Me, You & the Music, debuting at #8 on the Billboard Pop Charts. The album featured the hit single Tonight, a collaboration with singer-songwriter Ne-Yo.
Sanchez went on a US tour and performed multiple concerts in the Philippines, including a special performance with Filipino "Concert King" Martin Nievera. She also collaborated with fellow Filipino artists AJ Rafael and Ylona Garcia on a "Classic Karaoke Songs Medley" video.
She also tried her hand at acting, making a guest appearance on Glee as a powerhouse singer, Frida Romero, from a rival club.
Additionally, Sanchez was in the country to perform at the Miss Universe Philippines coronation night.
But it would be her second try on the America’s Got Talent stage that would propel her to unprecedented heights.
The audition was extra celebratory for Sanchez, who revealed that she was now married and had just found out she was pregnant for the first time.
She then performed Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things, and earned not just a standing ovation from the judges but also a shortcut to AGT’s live shows.
Vergara brought up the surprise of the day: “I think something special happened on the stage with you…You’re here again after 20 years. You’re pregnant…You’re so ready to do all this…I think you deserve this,” Vergara said before pressing the golden buzzer, sending Sanchez straight to AGT’s live shows.
For Sanchez’s finale performance, she sang JVKE’s Golden Hour, as fellow contestants Sirca Marea soared above her.
It eventually boiled down to her and freestyle rapper Chris Turner vying for the winning spot.
As host Terry Crews announced Sanchez’s name, gold confetti rained down on her, fireworks lit up the stage, and Vergara ran to hug Sanchez and rub her baby bump.
The 11-year-old who needed Brandy to give her a wild card, and the 16-year-old who needed JLo to save her mid-song, had finally gotten her prize that was 20 years in the making. It was a sweet, sweet victory for this 29-year-old mom-to-be.