Angelica Hale is going to the grand finals of “America’s Got Talent.”
The nine-year-old Filipino-American kidney transplant survivor has been mesmerizing the show’s judges, studio audiences and televiewers all over America since she first auditioned last June with a soaring performance of Andra Day’s “Rise Up.”
One month later, she advanced to the quarterfinals of the show when her performance of Alicia Keys’ powerhouse R&B ballad, “Girl on Fire” again brought the house down and earned her the coveted Golden Buzzer from guest judge Chris Hardwick.
Taking on Zedd’s “Clarity,” Angelica again drew a standing ovation from all four judges as she advanced once again to the competition’s semifinal round.
The Atlanta-based young singer did not waste her golden opportunity as she once again delivered with another well-received performance as she took on “Without You” by David Guetta featuring Usher and made it her own.
That was more than enough for judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum and the inimitable Simon Cowell to send her to the show’s grand finals where she will compete with nine other hopefuls.
Of the 10 finalists, six are singing contestants, namely Chase Goehring, Evie Clair, Kechi Okwuchi, Mandy Harvey, Darci Lynn Farmer and Angelica.
She is one of only two child contestants remaining in the competition, the other being singing ventriloquist Darci Lynn Farmer who is 12 years old.
The other contenders are acrobatic dance group Diavolo, light up dancers Light Balance, stand-up comedian Preacher Lawson and dog act Sara and Hero.
Daughter of a Filipina who hails from Iligan City and currently based in Atlanta, Angelica is a survivor of a life-threatening kidney disease. When she was only four years old, she developed a medical condition that turned out to be a bacterial infection in her lungs which later progressed to double pneumonia.
Angelica’s illness severely damaged her kidneys. As a result, she had to be put on life support and needed kidney transplant. Fortunately, her mother Eva turned out to be a perfect match for her and after Eva donated her kidney to her daughter, Angelica fully recovered and is looking at what many see now as a very promising singing career.
Guest judge Chris Hardwick called her “the chosen one” while Simon Cowell earlier dubbed her a “superstar in the future.”
Watch Angelica Hale’s performance of “Without You” originally recorded by David Guetta featuring Usher.
