‘AGT’ singer with stutter struggles to say her name, but her flawless performance leaves everyone in tears
‘America’s Got Talent’ welcomed 19-year-old Amanda Mammana with open arms after she flawlessly performed an original song despite her stutter. The season 17 contestant is one of the most memorable and emotional performances that the fans still cherish. At the time, when Mammana walked on the stage, she struggled to speak while introducing herself. She revealed that her speech impediment caused her to “shy away” and “hide” for the longest time. Until she realized that she doesn’t stutter while singing. “I found that I don’t stutter when I sing,” the Connecticut native told the judges.
She performed a song she wrote inspired by the “hard times” she experienced in her life. However, if she could go back in time, she wouldn’t change a thing, as the experiences made her who she became. Her motivational words were enough to get the audience cheering even before the performance. The judges geared up to witness Mammana’s singing with high anticipation. “I hope she’s good,” judge Simon Cowell murmured as Sofia Vergara nodded her head. Her slow-paced and emotional singing surpassed expectations and earned her a standing ovation from the audience and the judges.
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The contestant was moved to tears watching the reaction. When judge Howie Mandel enquired what made her so emotional, Mammana revealed that she always felt she wasn’t “good enough” to do something like this. Mandel assured her that she wasn’t just good but “great” in her performance. “Look how you’re moving this audience. And I believe you’re moving millions of people right now at home,” he added. The Modern Family actress thanked the contestant for “having the guts” to follow her heart and grace the stage with her singing. Cowell, who’s famous for being the harsher judge, had nothing but great things to say about Mammana.
He pointed out that performing on the ‘AGT’ stage is frightening in itself, on top of that, she overcame her stutter and sang flawlessly from start to end. “You are amazing,” Cowell gushed. He went on to praise her “pure” and “beautiful” voice and her credibility as a songwriter. The then 19-year-old left the stage after getting four yesses from the judges. In her blog post, the contestant detailed her experience while standing on one of the most prestigious stages. She recalled going mum after judge Howie Mandel asked for her name. “The crowd fell silent, as silent as I was, waiting for the words to come,” she wrote
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Mammana also revealed that she always loved singing, and her stutter began after she signed up for a talent show in fourth grade. “No particular event brought on the impediment; it just happened,” she added. She revealed that getting a nod of approval from the ‘AGT’ audience and judges was her “wildest” dream come true. Mammana made it to the lives, but she was placed in fifth position through the audience’s votes, hence she was eliminated. Although she was sad about going home, she made a life-changing discovery about herself. “I do really well under pressure and with the adrenaline pumping,” she wrote.