Meet 'America's Got Talent' losers who made it big after the show

While winning the show does have its perks, these contestants prove that losing isn't so bad after all!
Susan Boyle arrives at 'America's Got Talent: The Champions' Finale at Pasadena Civic Auditorium  (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)
Susan Boyle arrives at 'America's Got Talent: The Champions' Finale at Pasadena Civic Auditorium (Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)

For the contestants that make it to the 'America's Got Talent' stage, there is a whole lot on the line, as they are one step closer to winning the coveted $1 million prize and a chance to headline the show in Vegas. But, winning isn't everything. And while that line sounds patronizing, it's actually true -- and there is a list of 'AGT' 'losers' who can prove it.

Love reality shows where people flex their talent? You might want to check out 'American Song Contest', 'American Idol', and 'So You Think You Can Dance'.

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Susan Boyle

Susan Boyle might have not won 'Britain’s Got Talent' Season 3 or even 'America’s Got Talent: The Champions' for that matter, but the Scottish singer has plenty to reason to celebrate, seeing that as of 2021, she has sold a whopping 19 million records. She even has two Grammy Awards nominations to her name and has won numerous other awards since her stint on the show. 



 

Jackie Evancho

When 10-year-old Jackie Evancho became a finalist on 'America’s Got Talent' Season 5, her life changed forever. While she didn't bag the win, 
she was the best-selling debut artist of 2011 and the youngest top-10 debut artist in US history, as well as the youngest solo artist ever to go platinum in the US. She was also the youngest person ever to have a solo concert at Lincoln Center in New York City. 



 

Lindsey Stirling

Lindsey Stirling's time on 'AGT' Season 5 was cut short when she was eliminated in the Semifinals, but it did little to slow down her career. Stirling has an impressive 13.3 million subscribers on her YouTube channel and has constantly been on tour since 2021. She has won and been nominated for a range of awards, including the Billboard Music Awards.



 

Melissa Villaseñor

Villaseñor was a semifinalist on 'America's Got Talent' Season 6, but the real prize was her career. Villaseñor worked on shows such as 'Adventure Time', 'Family Guy', and 'TripTank' and even appeared on the second season of HBO's 'Crashing'. Her big break came when she was hired by 'SNL' as a cast member in 2016. 



 

'America's Got Talent' Season 17 premieres on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 8 pm on NBC. Following the show's premiere, you can catch all-new episodes every Tuesday from 8 to 10 pm ET/PT. For viewers who wish to tune in to the show without cable, they can do so using any of the following streaming services: Sling TV, fuboTV, Hulu With Live TV, AT&T TV, or YouTube TV. 

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