Summer Rios came onto the stage of America’s Got Talent in 2023 as a contestant with no professional music background. She is from Brunswick, Ohio and, at the time of her audition, she was working as a manager at Pizza Hut.
During her introduction, she explained that she had been singing since she was four years old, but she had very limited experience performing in front of large audiences because of anxiety. Most of her singing before the show was done privately or shared online through social media.
She also mentioned her job during the conversation with the judges and briefly joked about previously working with her ex-boyfriend. The exchange was casual, and the judges responded with humor, including a comment from Simon Cowell.
For her audition, she chose to perform “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan. The song is known for its slower pace and emotional tone, which places more focus on vocal control and delivery rather than vocal power.
Her performance remained controlled and consistent throughout, focusing on tone and clarity. The judges listened without interruption, and the audience remained attentive during the performance.
After she finished, the judges gave positive feedback. Simon Cowell commented that she should consider pursuing music more seriously instead of continuing her current job, and during the moment he appeared visibly emotional, which is not common for him. Another judge compared her vocal tone to a young Rihanna, noting the smooth quality of her voice.
She received four “yes” votes from the judges, which allowed her to move forward in the competition.
Summer continued on the show and reached the semifinal stage but did not advance to the finals. Despite that, her audition gained significant attention online and became one of the most watched performances from that season.
Before appearing on AGT, she had already been active on social media, where she posted singing videos and built a following. Some of her videos had reached high view counts, which means she was not completely unknown before the audition.
She had also previously auditioned for American Idol but did not progress there.
At one point before AGT, she stepped away from music for about a year to focus on her mental health. After returning, she continued working on her music and began taking it more seriously.
Following her appearance on AGT, she continued to build her career independently by releasing music and posting content online. She later relocated to California to focus more on opportunities in the music industry.
Her story reflects a typical path of a modern independent artist—starting from social media, gaining exposure through a major platform, and continuing to develop a career step by step.