Janitor turned singer reveals ‘AGT’ dropped a hint about his next major show and his career could go global
Richard Goodall’s life still feels a bit like a dream. Just over a year ago, he was pushing a broom and carrying a mop down the halls of a Vigo County school. Today, not only is he the ‘America’s Got Talent’ 2024 champion but also a man with a passport, a hit single, and whispers of an even bigger stage waiting for him across the Atlantic. The Singing Janitor, as America affectionately calls him, revealed that ‘AGT’ producers have dropped hints about him one day appearing on ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’ The possibility, he admitted, caught him off guard. As quoted by My Wabash Valley, “‘AGT’ kinda hinted I may be at some point going over to ‘Britain’s Got Talent',” Goodall revealed.
For Goodall, who has spent decades working as a custodian in local schools, the past year has been nothing short of transformative. Since winning the competition, Goodall has performed at venues across the United States. His schedule, once defined by school bells, now includes concert bookings, meet-and-greets, and late-night flights. Among his career highlights, he opened for 'AGT' judge Howie Mandel’s show in Las Vegas. Goodall hasn’t forgotten the people who helped launch him into the spotlight. He keeps in touch with supermodel and former ‘AGT’ judge Heidi Klum, who chose him as her Golden Buzzer act.
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That moment, he admits, changed everything. “I messaged Heidi and I said, man, we miss you, and she goes, I’ve been truly thinking about you guys. I mean it. I promise,” Goodall said. Winning ‘AGT’ also meant financial stability for the first time in Goodall’s life. With his prize money, he and his wife Angie were able to pay for their Terre Haute home in full. The purchase, he says, was one of the proudest moments of his journey. “She had me planting tomato plants and cucumber plants,” he laughed. Perhaps the most emotional change has been on the personal front.
Goodall, who was adopted as a child, used the past year to reconnect with his biological family, as per NBC. Through his newfound fame, his biological father recognized him. The discovery also brought him a brother and two sisters he never knew existed. Despite the spotlight, Goodall remains true to his roots. He continues working as a school janitor, a decision that surprises some but delights his community. He insists that fame hasn’t changed who he is. “I stop and take every photo, and shake every hand and sign every autograph,” he said. Goodall has also taken his first steps into recording.
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His debut single, ‘Long Time Coming,’ is available on streaming platforms. The song’s title is fitting, representing his decades of singing in obscurity before the world finally noticed. As for the future, Goodall doesn’t stress about what’s around the corner. Whether it’s more touring, recording new music, or stepping onto the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ stage, he’s ready to embrace whatever comes his way. “I have no complaints,” Goodall said with a smile.“It’s been an amazing time and what happens, happens.” For now, the man once known only in Terre Haute continues to balance mopping floors with performing on stages. It’s proof that sometimes the most extraordinary dreams come true for the most ordinary people.