13-year-old sings her heart out for cancer-stricken dad during emotional ‘AGT’ audition: ‘They gave him...’
In addition to passion and entertainment, 'America's Got Talent' is also renowned for delivering emotions as well. From heart-touching performances to inspiring stories, there have been instances when 'AGT' contestants have left judges reeling in emotions. In one such moment, a 13-year-old girl melted hearts with a profound performance dedicated to her cancer-stricken father, making for an unforgettable 'AGT' moment.
The contestant in discussion is Eve Clair, who turned heads with her touching performance on 'America's Got Talent' Season 12. A native of Florence, Arizona, Clair described her town as having "five prisons" and "not even a grocery store." Standing before Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell, and Mel B, Clair shared her story, saying, "They gave him a 5 percent chance to live, and he still continued working and supporting our family," she said of her father, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. Clair further added, "So tonight, I’m here to sing for him."
Clair performed the ballad 'Arms' by Christina Perri, explaining, "When my dad is having rough days, then I go up to his room and I sing him this song to help him feel better and just to give him comfort and strength to continue fighting," per Billboard. Clair's moving rendition moved the audience to tears, and all four judges gave her a standing ovation. All four judges voted "yes," sending her to the Judge Cuts round. In the next round, she performed Macy Gray’s 'I Try' and impressed the judges enough to move on to the quarterfinals.
In Week 2 of the Quarterfinals, Clair performed Birdy’s 'Wings' while playing piano. All four judges gave her a standing ovation. Though she placed in the 6th–8th range in America’s vote, she was saved by the Dunkin' Save, advancing her to the Semifinals. In the semifinals, she performed 'Yours' by Ella Henderson and again received standing ovations from Klum and Cowell. Finishing in the middle three again, she won the Dunkin’ Save for the second time, securing a place in the final, per America’s Got Talent Wiki. For her final performance, Clair sang a touching rendition of 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong, earning another round of standing ovations from all judges.
During the grand finale, she sang her original song 'Okay Day' in a duet with British singer James Arthur. Despite her emotional performances and strong fan support, she did not receive enough votes to enter the Top 5 and was eliminated just before the final results. Notably, Clair has been singing and playing piano since age two. She began her public performing career at age eight as Molly in Annie at the Hale Theater. Over the years, she performed the National Anthem at a Diamondbacks game, released original singles, and earned recognition for her covers, including a Judges Choice award for 'Glorious' and an Arizona Interfaith Movement award for her 'Take On Me' video promoting the Golden Rule.
She also recorded music for The Cokeville Miracle soundtrack with Rob Gardner and contributed as a soloist on the 'Stars Shine Brightly' album. Clair opened for the Duttons, won a contest to sing the theme for 'Once I Was a Beehive,' and had an original song featured on its soundtrack. She participated in global Mormon.org Christmas campaigns and released her pop single 'Love You One More Time' across major platforms. Tragically, on September 7, 2017, her father, Amos Abplanalp, passed away from Stage IV cancer.