16-year-old ovarian cancer survivor wows Simon Cowell on ‘AGT’ with emotional ‘Fight Song’ performance
Calysta Bevier won over Simon Cowell with her incredible ‘America’s Got Talent’ audition, performing an emotional rendition of Rachel Platten's ‘Fight Song.’ The judge is famously hard to impress, and the 16-year-old Ohio native achieved a massive feat. The performance hit harder because of Bevier's backstory, who survived stage three ovarian cancer. “I kinda came here today to show people that no matter what you've gone through, to keep chasing your dreams,” she said before her act. Bevier nailed her performance — so much so that Cowell was moved to hit the Golden Buzzer.
“I love everything about you,” Cowell said. “I just had this feeling when you walked out, I can't explain it -- just your spirit, the choice of song, your voice. I think you're really special,” he added. “I predict great things are going to happen to you. There’s something about you.” It wasn’t just Cowell who was wowed by Bevier’s singing. Howie Mandel appreciated her spirit, especially after everything she went through. He said that ‘Fight Song’ was the perfect song for her audition, making it even more “heartfelt” and “inspirational.”
Mel B took a moment to appreciate Bevier’s singing. “Your tone and the way you fell off the note were just on point,” she said. “It couldn’t have gone any better for you,” the Spice Girl alum added. Heidi Klum had a similar reaction, praising her “incredible” voice at such a young age. However, this wasn’t the first time Bevier performed ‘Fight Song’ on stage. She also appeared on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ where the host surprised the Ohio native by bringing out Platten to duet with her. In her ‘AGT’ introductory video, the contestant spoke about how music has always played an important role in her life.
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“When I was sick in my hospital bed, I always tried to be happy and look at the positive side of things. I always had on my headphones and I was always listening to music,” she said. “Songs can really help people through any situation,” she added. Bevier’s positivity and fighting spirit resonated in the song she chose and made her one of the few Golden Buzzer contestants of season 11. In an interview with CNN, the contestant shared the story behind her song selection. “On the way to my first round of chemo, my iPod was on shuffle and the song came on,” she said.
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“I was driving to my chemo, I really listened to the lyrics this time, and they really made sense to me. After that, I decided it would become my anthem, and it still is to this day,” Bevier added. At the time, she told CNN that she was nervous ahead of the live show, saying, “I want to show Simon he didn’t make a mistake.” For the teenager, it wasn’t just about becoming a successful singer — she wanted to leave a lasting impact on others. “I also did it for the kids that were in the hospital with me and all the other kids that have cancer and show them there is hope,” she said.
