‘AGT’ judges stunned as singer shifts from Ariana Grande to Celine Dion in just seconds

Merrisa Beddows wowed the judges with her impressionist voice, ranging from Ariana Grande to Celion Dion to Siri in a seamless flow
PUBLISHED APR 14, 2025
(L-R) Screenshot of Heidi Klum from an episode of 'American Idol'; Screenshot of contestant Merrisa Beddows from an episode of 'American Idol'(Cover Image Source: YouTube | from an episode of 'American Idol’)
(L-R) Screenshot of Heidi Klum from an episode of 'American Idol'; Screenshot of contestant Merrisa Beddows from an episode of 'American Idol'(Cover Image Source: YouTube | from an episode of 'American Idol’)

Merissa Beddows wowed 'AGT' judges in season 17 with her on-the-spot voice impression, going from Ariana Grande to Celine Dion in under a minute. Before her performance, Beddows asked Heidi Klum to pick up any artist from the dice that she had been handed earlier. Beddows told Klum, “I would like to play a game.” She added, “This dice has some of my favorite impressions... I’m going to begin singing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ as me, and then I’m going to ask you to give me a name.” Soon after Beddows began performing, Klum picked Ariana Grande from the dice, and as Beddows changed her voice, the audiences and judges gasped! Klum then moved on to her “grandma,” followed by Stevie Nicks, Celine Dion, Snow White, and Siri. As she transitioned over each of the voices, the audience was in awe. Beddows ended up receiving a standing ovation from judges as well as the audience.



 

Fans, too, wasted no time and flocked to the YouTube comment section. One gushed, “Clever lady - she knew that being an opera singer alone wouldn’t get her the attention she deserves. Instead, she spun her vocal ability on its head and killed it. Beautiful voice with or without the gimmicks.” Another added, “The way her voice glitched during the Siri impersonation is just superhuman.” The third chimed in, “I love the fact that she looks and feels so much older than she is, yet so youthful at the same time! She's a walking contradiction, and it's great.”


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Merissa Beddows (@merissaria)


 

Beddows is also an Instagram star with over 899K followers. Her Instagram is full of posts of impressions of celebrities, including Billie Eilish, Britney Spears, and Disney characters like the Little Mermaid. In an interview with OperaWire, Beddows revealed how she got to be on the 'AGT' stage: “I was very fortunate to be scouted by a producer of America’s Got Talent,” she said. As a former student at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, OperaWire asked if she had any advice for young artists starting, to which Beddows replied, “Firstly, the only limitations that exist are the ones that you create for yourself. If there’s anything I’ve learned in 24 years, it is that every one of us has magic within us."


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Merissa Beddows (@merissaria)


 

The singer also added, "It’s up to us to tap into it and grow to our fullest potential as artists and, more importantly, human beings. The only way of truly discovering all that you are truly capable of is to put yourself in a situation outside of your comfort zone, fully embracing any and every outcome.” However, it was not the first time Beddows performed on stage.  Per People, Beddows has also taken part in the Great American Songbook Vocal Academy and Competition, where she was one of the 12 finalists. However, she became a household name only after her success on 'AGT.'


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Merissa Beddows (@merissaria)


 

The soprano singer from New York recently started a fundraiser program called GoFundMe to support her mother, who is struggling with health problems. The outlet reported that on the website, Beddows revealed that she has been the sole caretaker of her mother since the age of 11. She also added, “My goal is to raise $25,000 to send my mom to a long-term facility where I know she will be in safe hands.”

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