‘America’s Got Talent’: Jessica Sanchez, Simon Cowell & Howie Mandel Speak out on Her Win

“This seems like a movie,” judge Howie Mandel says. “It doesn’t seem like a TV show. It’s like a movie with the best happy ending you could expect. This is a story for everyone. You don’t have to be in show business or be a singer to do what Jessica did.”

Sanchez, who competed in AGT‘s inaugural season 20 years ago, continued to chip away at her singing career over the decades. She was the runner-up in Season 11 of American Idol, and she returned to AGT earlier this year, and she has emerged as America’s choice.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I had that fire in me,” Sanchez shares. “I had that seed of faith. Even though I was devastated when I didn’t make it in Season 1, I was determined to show people that I deserved to be in the limelight.”

Mandel applauds Sanchez for her persistence. “It’s so easy to just stop,” he says. “Most of us talk about ‘hump day,’ which is Wednesday. We’ve gotten halfway through the week, doing things we don’t want to do because we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to do the things we do want to do. Jessica knew what she wanted to do when she was 10 years old.”

“I can’t tell you how many times I [still] hear no,” Mandel, a seasoned show business veteran, says, “but to see a kid get hit with ‘no’ for 20 years? Jessica has shown that hard work, perseverance, tenacity, and talent do pay off.”

“People need good stories,” maintains Simon Cowell, judge and executive producer of AGT. “Nobody can be unhappy with a story like this — somebody who just hasn’t given up.”

“Obviously, she’s an amazing talent,” Cowell observes. “She’s a really good example of people moving forward. Timing is everything. You have to just keep going. I’ve experienced it in my own career. Then, something like [Jessica winning] happens, and you just feel good.”

Has Cowell, who was known for his blunt and spot-on comments early on in his career, mellowed over the years? “Of course! I’m a dad now,” he responds, hastening to add, “By the way, the contestants are better now!”

Over the decades, Sanchez has taken a hiatus here and there to grab her breath. “I took a break from music for a while,” she shares, noting she could not have done all this alone. “My husband [Rickie Gallardo] is my greatest foundation. My faith, too. I believe that God has something bigger for me than I could ever imagine.”

Shortly after deciding to try out for this season, Sanchez discovered that she was pregnant. “I thought, ‘Let’s see what happens,’” she recalls. “Then, Sofia [Vergara] gave me the Golden Buzzer. I can’t thank her enough. I’m so grateful to her.”

With a baby on the way and opportunities coming as the AGT Season 20 winner, Sanchez is going to take things one step at a time.

“I feel that this has been one of the hardest seasons of my life because of the physical challenges and the vocal challenges,” she says. “And I feel that God allowed me to go through this. He showed me that I have the strength to continue [to pursue my career] even though I’m a new mom. I’m believing in myself. I’m going to continue to fight for my dreams and hopefully, share more music with the world.”

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