Andrew Robinson
Grace VanderWaal came to fame during the 11th season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2016. The then-12-year-old won the show that season, behind the strength of outstanding singing performances of ukulele-led songs that she wrote herself.
Easily, her most well-known performance was that of “I Don’t Know My Name” at her audition. She received Howie Mandel’s golden buzzer for her beautiful original piece, meaning that she got to skip a round and go straight to the live shows. Simon Cowell, the notoriously brash music mogul himself, told her after her audition that he believed she was going to be “the next Taylor Swift.” (Whatever your feelings are regarding Taylor Swift, that’s still quite the compliment).
The shy preteen followed up her audition with three incredible live performances: first, a quarterfinal performance of “Beautiful Thing,” then a semifinal performance of “Light the Sky” (which was featured in Google’s 2016 Year in Search), and finally with her show-winning performance of “Clay.”
In the opinion of someone that watches way too many reality competition shows (and has been for many years), Grace is the quintessential contestant. No one that I have seen has matched her and, barring a M. Night Shyamalan-esque twist, no one ever will. So, what makes her so incredible?
Well, first of all, her backstory is remarkable. Pre-AGT, Grace was a shy, oftentimes-bullied young girl who only had a few friends (and fewer friends who knew she sang). She had only ever sang in front of “crowds” at coffee shops. However, her mother signed her up for AGT, and she was instantly thrust into the limelight of the entire nation, performing in front of millions of people. The shy girl who hadn’t even told many of her friends that she sang became one of the biggest success stories in the history of American reality competition shows as, in addition to winning the show, she has already released a highly-successful album that I cannot recommend any more highly (aptly titled ‘Just the Beginning’), has amassed over 300,000 Twitter followers and 2.9 million followers on Instagram, plus is starring in the Disney movie Stargirl, which is set for release in 2019. If she continues at her current pace, Grace very well could make Simon’s comment the first time that America saw her perform into a reality.
What is most endearing about the 14-year-old, however, is that she has stayed down-to-earth, despite her massive success. She’s simply real. Take her original song, “Darkness Keeps Chasing Me,” for instance. In the song that was part of her first full album, Grace sings of depression, and how hard it is to escape. The lyrics are so incredible – the sound so remarkable – that the listener forgets that it was written, and sung, by a then-13-year-old. Grace is unafraid to be real, and is uninterested in glamorizing herself – she wants people to realize that they are no less worthy of praise and love than she is. She hasn’t let the fame get to her head, despite the fact that about 90% of people would change drastically, given such a huge change to their popularity. In fact, Grace recognizes the “fake” friends that she gained in her hometown after her success – she even sings about it. In songs such as “So Much More Than This,” she speaks to this when she sings, “The whole crowd seems to like me now/ ‘Cause I think I’m cool but back when I was in school/They found it very easy to hate me/ Funny how always these times are changing/ Back then it was so easy to shatter/ But now in the end it doesn’t really matter”
Those are beautiful lyrics that are heartbreaking at the same time, encapsulating how difficult growing up is in the present day. Grace isn’t ashamed to admit that she suffered through many of the same things that her peers do on a daily basis, and she stays true to her roots. By including lyrics about depression, ones that speak to her own unpopularity and the fact that she recognizes that any popularity she gains amongst her peers now is likely tainted, and simply allowing herself to stay a kid and not grow up too quickly, Grace is one of the best role models for teenagers that exists today.
Her latest single, “Clearly” (I highly recommend watching her music video of it), which is an update on Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” is another example of how important and relevant Grace is in this hard world. Again, she speaks of the difficulty of depression and how hard simply leaving the house can be. However, she conquers those feelings in this song, and makes it outside. It’s enough to give even the most cold-hearted of people chills.
By all indications, Grace is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. During her time on AGT, everyone loved her, from the judges to the crew to the other contestants. She’s impossible not to love. This 3-minute video of her accepting the Billboard Rising Star Award for Women in 2017 encapsulates everything that makes her so special, so down-to-earth, and so worthy of everyone’s admiration.
In present-day Hollywood, it is heartbreakingly easy for child stars to lose themselves; we see it all the time. Grace, however, is the exception to the rule. If I had kids growing up in today’s society right now, I’d point them to Grace as who they should strive to emulate.
Who knows, maybe in 10 years, Simon’s comment way back when will be truer than anyone, particularly Grace, could have ever imagined. Remember the name Grace VanderWaal, because I wouldn’t put it past her.
