Pranysqa Mishra cruised into the live rounds of “America’s Got Talent” with a Golden Buzzer she earned for singing a classic song by one of her favorite artists.
The 9-year-old Tampa, Florida, native wowed judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel and beloved host Terry Crews with her soulful rendition of Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep —Mountain High” in the July 2 airing of the show.
The standout performance was unexpected, Klum later said, perhaps partly because Pranysqa appeared meek and said she was nervous in the interview before her performance.
“I always just love singing,” Pranysqa said. “It makes me feel happy. Even when I was like 4 years old, I would just pretend like I have a microphone, and I would just sing like I’m singing to the whole world.”
After video chatting with her grandmother, Pranysqa said she was “nervous” about singing in front of Cowell, the notorious stickler. But, she said the moment was a part of chasing her dream.
“I feel like, literally, I’m dreaming because my big dream is singing in front of so many people and I’m on that big stage,” she said. “Now it’s coming true.”
The judges gave Pranysqa a warm welcome when she took the stage, briefly interviewing her and asking her to pick her favorite judge. Pranysqa eventually picked Klum and Vergara, and Cowell poked fun at that.
As for her favorite artists, Pranysqa explained that they are Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Tina Turner. She also shared whom she planned to call first if she advanced: her grandmother.
The judges set her loose to start, and Pranysqa brought the house down.
“When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll/ Only doll I’ve ever owned/ Now I love you just the way I love that rag doll/ But only now my love has grown,” she sang.
“And it gets stronger in every way/ And it gets deeper, let me say/ And it gets higher day by day/ And do I love you, my oh my/ Yeah, river deep, mountain high — yeah, yeah, yeah,” she continued.
Mandel and Vergara’s jaws dropped. Cowell appeared impressed, too. By the end of Pranysqa’s performance, she received a standing ovation from the audience and three of the judges.
“Oh, my gosh. I mean, I did not expect that,” Klum said.
She then bypassed voting and punched Pranysqa’s ticket to the live rounds by pressing her Golden Buzzer.
“I want you to call your grandmother and say that Heidi Klum pushed a Golden Buzzer for you,” she said.
Pranysqa was moved to tears. Klum met her onstage and hugged her. Pranysqa’s family came out for hugs, too.
“She did really, really well, grandma,” Klum said while video chatting Pranysqa’s grandmother.
“I’m so excited for you,” Klum told the young singer.
As for the notorious stickler, well, even he praised the performance.
“I mean she actually is really, really good,” Cowell said.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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