Brooke Bailey is making waves on season 19 of America’s Got Talent. The 19-year-old earned a “yes” from all four judges with her spirited cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.” And this wasn’t the music major’s first time to wow a crowd. Check out this August 2023 performance of a soulful Otis Redding Classic.
‘America’s Got Talent’ Star Has Had to Overcome Stage Fright
Before auditioning for America’s Got Talent, Brooke Bailey participated in the popular student arts competition Spotlight, presented by The Music Center in downtown Los Angeles. The then 18-year-old Californian advanced to the grand finale for the Non-Classical Voice category.
Bailey opened up about battling stage fright in a video posted to The Music Center’s YouTube page. “Getting on stage and performing in front of a lot of people wasn’t something that I was used to,” she said. “I would get super nervous, and my voice would get super dry and I would just start thinking of all the negative outcomes of singing.”
Bailey betrayed no hint of the pre-show jitters when she took the stage at The Music Center. Sporting a glittering red gown, the singer came alive as she performed Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness.” After crushing the final note, Bailey heaved a sigh and grinned broadly as she took in the audience’s thunderous applause.
“Performing is a big bucket of adrenaline,” said the future America’s Got Talent star. “When I hit a big note in a song, right after, I just love the audience’s reactions. It makes me feel happy because I just know that what I’m doing is making a difference, and it’s showing them that they can feel an emotion that they didn’t know they had before. Music definitely has the power to change people’s lives.”
[RELATED: Younger Brother of Beloved ‘The Voice’ Contestant Earns a Golden Buzzer on ‘America’s Got Talent’]
Heidi Klum Calls Brooke Her “Favorite Audition of the Day”
Taking the stage for her America’s Got Talent audition, Bailey looked every bit as confident as she did nearly a year ago. By the time she ended her performance of Aretha Franklin’s 1968 hit “Ain’t No Way,” the entire audience had risen to their feet.
“You really do belong on this stage,” commented judge Heidi Klum. “My favorite audition of the day today, by far.”
Featured image via YouTube
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