It’s rare to see someone achieve a lifelong ambition at just 10 years old, but a recent contestant on “America’s Got Talent” has done just that.
Roberta Battaglia of Toronto, Canada got her start at a very young age by sneaking on stage to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” whenever her musician dad set the mic down for set breaks. She’s always dreamed of competing on the AGT, and at the tender age of 10, she’s done just that!
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Roberta took to the stage for her audition for judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and guest judge Sofia Vergara. She appeared incredibly poised in spite of her youth, answering the judges’ questions with candor and humor that had them all swooning before she’d even started to sing.
“I have a 10-year-old, she would never get on that stage!” Heidi remarked as Roberta struggled to contain her nerves. After pausing for a drink of water, the nervous young singer sang “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, a tough song for anyone let alone a child!
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If you close your eyes and just listen, you’d never imagine that the singer is only 10 years old. She sounds like a full-fledged adult! Lady Gaga would definitely be proud of the way this talented young girl handled the soaring vocals of the challenging song.
When she’d finished, the judges and audience leapt to their feet to give Roberta a standing ovation. “Your talent is unbelievable. Your age is unbelievable. This is unbelievable!” Howie exclaimed.
Simon joked that there must have been someone else behind her responsible for the incredible vocals before telling her she is “so likable” and “humble.” When Roberta admitted to sometimes getting bullied at school, Simon had these words of wisdom:
“There’s one way to win over bullies, and that’s being happy and successful,” he said, pausing as the audience cheered. “Bullies are always threatened about talented people, so in a weird way it’s a compliment. And it shows your strength that you’ve come all the way from Canada to be here, and we’re honored to have you as our guest.”
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Roberta fought back tears as the judges lavished praise on her performance, but it was Sofia who changed her life for good in one swift movement. “It was amazing, it was breathtaking. You’re ten years old! That’s impossible that you sing like that at 10 years old,” Sofia gushed. “And you know what? Let’s see who is going to bully you after this!”
Reaching up, Sofia hit the Golden Buzzer, instantly sending Roberta to the semifinals live show!
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Well deserved! This child is so talented and it’s clear that she’s going places in her career. Now she can skip the next few rounds and go into the semifinals confident in her abilities. Way to go, Roberta — we’ll be rooting for you!
Watch Roberta’s incredible performance below, and don’t forget to share.
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