American Idol season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez comes full circle, wins America’s Got Talent 2025
The America’s Got Talent 20th season finale wrapped up on Wednesday night (Sept 24) revealing a winner. On Tuesday night, 10 acts performed, and then America voted on a winner, 30-year-old singer, and Season 1 alum Jessica Sanchez. (Read our finale recap)
The others in the top 5 consisted of freestyle rapper, Chris Turner (runner up), singer Jourdan Blue (2nd runner-up), Leo High School Choir (fourth place), and multimedia act, Lightwire (fifth place).
Jessica Sanchez’s Journey (From AGT Season 1 to American Idol Runner Up to AGT Winner)
It all started on AGT season 20 with Jessica’s audition where America fell in love with her yet again. She reintroduced herself, telling the judges that she was a Season 1 semifinalist at the age of 10, followed by the revelation that she was pregnant. She sang a cover of “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, featuring her signature growl that got Sofia Vergara to press her golden buzzer assuring that Jessica would have a spot in the Quarterfinals. This audition went viral, racking up over 11 million views on YouTube and several million more across social platforms.
Not mentioned at any time during her stint on America’s Got Talent–that the reason Jessica has such a well developed fan base, and is the reason why I too am a fan. In 2012, she was the runner up of American Idol Season 11, becoming a fan favorite.
Next, Jessica performed one of the hottest songs of the year, “Ordinary” by Alex Warren for her quarterfinal performance. She wanted to send the message to her baby girl to never stop believing in herself. By this time in the competition, she was 8 months pregnant. Simon Cowell revealed that she almost didn’t perform due to not feeling the best ahead of this performance.
Despite opening the AGT final, Jessica Sanchez won it all
For the semifinals, she entered her 9th month of pregnancy, and performed “Golden Hour” by JVKE featuring soaring vocals. After this performance, Simon told her, “I think we are going to be seeing you next week.”
That turned out to be true, as Jessica made the finale where she turned in her best performance to date of “Die with a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. The odds were stacked against her, as she opened the show. Often viewers don’t remember the openers. The performance was Jessica at her best with soulful, beautiful vocals, and it got her the win.
Ahead of results on Wednesday, Jessica reprised her “Golden Buzzer” performance with fellow finalist Sirca Marea who performed an aerial acrobatic act in the background before Terry Crews revealed that she was the winner of the big Season 20!
Congrats to Jessica! It truly is a full circle moment from competing on Season 1 of AGT, to falling just short in American Idol Season 11, to finally coming out victorious!
