Celina Graves earned a standing ovation for her rendition of the 2016 Shawn Mendes hit “Mercy” on an episode of America’s Got Talent that aired Tuesday.
The 30-year-old singer-songwriter from San Diego, who works as a casino security guard, also got four “yes” votes from the judges to advance to the next stage of competition.
In her introduction package, Graves said she grew up with a musical father and started singing when she was only three years old. Later, she lost her confidence to become a singer due to anxiety caused by the way people viewed her.
“In high school I wasn’t like the other girls. I would take my brother’s clothes and dress like a boy,” she said. “People would make fun of me and I would just run away and hold it because I was too scared of what they would say to me.”
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After her audition, Canadian judge Howie Mandel told Graves: "I would imagine there’s hundreds of thousands of little girls at home that are watching you and going ‘OMG that’s a strong woman, that’s who I want to be. I want to be talented and I want to grow up to be just like Celina.'"
According to her Instagram profile, Graves started working on an EP last October.
“I’m here because I’m tired of being judged,” she said, before stepping in front of the judges.
“My dad, he always told me to stay true to myself and never give up and I feel like this moment is big for both of us. It took 30 years of my life but I’m ready. I’m scared of what they are going to think but it’s time because I want people to know my name.”
This season’s audition shows were taped at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California in late February and early March. It is not known what the final rounds of competition will look like due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Despite the show’s popularity, singers who have won AGT have typically not gone on to fame and fortune.
Grace VanderWaal parlayed her Season 11 victory into modest success but previous winners Bianca Ryan, Kevin Skinner, Michael Grimm and Landau Eugene Murphy fizzled out. Neal E. Boyd died in 2018. Last season’s winner, singer Kodi Lee, has not followed up with any notable projects.
AGT boasts that its winner receives $1 million (all figures U.S.) but, in fact, the grand prize is about $25,000 a year paid out over 40 years. The winner can choose to take a lump sum instead, estimated to be a little less than $200,000 after taxes.
Watch Graves' audition on AGT below: