Some performances don’t just impress you—they stay with you. Not because they’re loud or polished, but because they feel real. Grace VanderWaal’s America’s Got Talent audition in 2016 was one of those rare moments. She was just 12 years old, standing quietly on stage with a ukulele and a song she wrote herself. No big production. Just honesty, emotion, and raw talent.

When she sang “I don’t know my name,” something clicked. You could feel the whole room shift. It was more than a song—it was a moment of connection, the kind that rarely happens on a talent show stage. Howie Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer, confetti rained down, and Grace’s life changed in an instant. But what’s remarkable is how she handled everything that came next.

What She’s Doing Now

Grace didn’t chase the spotlight. She let her creativity lead instead. After her win, she released her first EP, Perfectly Imperfect, filled with emotional songs written straight from her teenage heart. It was followed by her full-length debut album, Just the Beginning, which showed a more developed, yet still deeply personal sound.

In 2020, she took on a new challenge: acting. She starred in Disney+’s Stargirl, playing a character that felt like a mirror of her own spirit—gentle, unusual, and honest. She returned for the sequel, proving her range wasn’t limited to music.

Then came a new chapter. In 2025, she released Childstar, an album that felt bold, brave, and completely hers. Gritty in places, dreamlike in others—it marked her shift into full creative control. She wrote it, co-produced it, and took it on tour. No longer a child star, but a real artist with a clear voice.

She also stepped into the legendary world of cinema with a role in Megalopolis, the ambitious film from Francis Ford Coppola. Not only did she act in it, she also contributed original music to the soundtrack. It’s a rare thing to see an artist move so freely between art forms and still stay true to themselves.

And through it all, she’s remained grounded. No tabloid noise. No constant social media campaigns. Just a steady stream of art—honest, unexpected, and beautifully her own.

You can enjoy her performance below.