Dear Miss VanderWaal,
I hope that's not too formal for the 12-year-old winner of this year's "America's Got Talent." While I was catching myself up with this competition during the summer, I felt that your overall performance must've made Simon Cowell show a softer side of him as the show's newest judge. Nobody could argue with him stating that you're the next Taylor Swift when you first auditioned. The best part about that is you don't need ex-boyfriends to inspire you to make songs. If you do, let's hope it won't be too much heartbreaking. But now for achieving your own show in Las Vegas and the million dollars, it's the least of your worries.
There has been a lot of buzz about the eleventh season of "America's Got Talent" being filled with so much talent to compete with each other. Honestly, I have enjoyed the most to see the contortionist Sofie Dossi and the comedic mime Tape Face advancing each round with you all the way to the finals. But it was also wonderful to see you sharing the stage with two other young singers: Sal Valentinetti and Lauren Bretan. Being 20 years old, Sal sang some swinging jazz from beyond his years. For Lauren at 13, she sang opera. All three of you as contestants have some skilled, mature voices and all received the Golden Buzzer to advance into the live shows to give all that you got.
Grace, you might still have some growing up to do. But I believe you became famous because your original songs express so much of your humble personality. I relate to you so much from just saying that your friends never heard you sing before at your audition because nobody ever thought that I could do stand-up comedy until I was 18. Then, you performed "I Don't Know My Name" earning the Golden Buzzer by judge Howie Mandel. (He's like a good luck charm with the Golden Buzzer because comedian Drew Lynch earn it from Howie in the auditions last year and finished as the runner-up of the tenth season.) You had to perform only four of your songs in the competition, but you work so hard on finding the right ones to perform. My favorite one that didn't appear on "America's Got Talent" is "The Good Just Gets Better." The song shows your hard work and patience paying off as a lesson for a lot of kids at your age.
I'm going to always remember that song, "Clay," at the finals. You're just at that age when growing up is about never letting those who tease or doubt you. At the end, you learn how to accept yourself as an individual. A strong message like that doesn't just stop as you becoming a winner of "America's Got Talent." You owe the world to become a recording artist. Keep it up with your voice and ukulele on whatever you set your heart into.
Sincerely yours,
Gavin
