The lights of the America’s Got Talent stage had a way of swallowing people whole. Contestants either shone brighter than ever or disappeared under the pressure. At thirteen years old, Evelyn Errante was about to discover which one she would be.
Backstage, her hands shook as she clutched the microphone. She wasn’t just any teenager. She was the daughter of a music teacher, the granddaughter of an opera singer, and the girl who had spent more nights practicing than sleeping. Yet, as the stage manager waved her forward, she whispered to herself, Please don’t let me fall apart.
When she stepped into the spotlight, the massive theater went quiet. Thousands of eyes were locked on her, waiting. Simon Cowell raised his brows, leaning back with folded arms. Sofia Vergara smiled warmly. Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel exchanged curious glances.
“Tell us your name,” Simon said.
“Evelyn Errante,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
“And how old are you?”
“Thirteen.”
That drew a ripple of surprise from the audience. Even the judges leaned forward.
“What are you singing for us tonight?” Heidi asked.
Evelyn hesitated. She had debated for weeks whether she should risk it. The song was infamous—one of the hardest in musical theater. But she hadn’t come this far to play safe.
“I’ll be singing Defying Gravity from Wicked.”
The crowd erupted. Simon’s lips curled into a half-smile. “Big choice,” he said. “Let’s hear it.”
The First Note
The music began.
At first, Evelyn’s voice was soft, almost fragile, like a bird just learning to take flight. A few audience members looked nervous for her. But then, as the piano swelled, she lifted her chin. Her voice steadied, grew, and transformed into something powerful, commanding, mature beyond her years.
The theater held its breath.
When she reached the chorus—“It’s time to try defying gravity…”—her voice soared effortlessly, filling every corner of the hall. The sound wasn’t just technically perfect—it was raw, emotional, as if she wasn’t just singing about Elphaba’s defiance but her own.
The Audience Rises
People stood before the song had even ended. Some wiped tears from their eyes, others shouted encouragement between verses. By the time Evelyn belted the final high note, the entire room was on its feet.
She lowered the microphone, chest heaving, tears welling in her own eyes as the ovation crashed down like a tidal wave.
The judges sat in awe.
The Judges’ Words
Simon was the first to speak, his voice softer than usual. “Evelyn, that wasn’t just great—it was magical. I’ve heard professionals struggle with that song. You sang it as though it was written for you. You were born to be on stage.”
Sofia leaned forward, her eyes glistening. “You’re only thirteen? That voice gave me chills all over my arms.”
Heidi shook her head, smiling in disbelief. “That’s one of the hardest songs in theater. And you made it look easy.”
Then Howie Mandel leaned toward her. “I think we just watched a star being born.”
Beyond the Stage
Backstage, Evelyn collapsed into her mother’s arms, trembling not from fear but from the sheer rush of what she had just done. Her mother whispered, “You did it, baby. You showed them who you are.”
What Evelyn didn’t know was that the clip of her audition would travel far beyond the walls of that theater. Within days, it had gone viral—millions of views on social media, thousands of comments comparing her to Broadway legends. Even the official Wicked account shared her performance with the caption: “The future of Elphaba is here.”
But with sudden fame came pressure. Interviews, invitations, and online debates filled her days. Was she just a one-song wonder, or could she sustain such brilliance?
The Rehearsal Room
Simon invited her for a mentoring session before the next round. Evelyn walked into the rehearsal room nervous but determined. He didn’t sugarcoat anything.
“You’ve got something special,” he told her. “But one great performance doesn’t make a career. You need consistency. You need to surprise us. Are you ready for that?”
“Yes,” she said, though her stomach tightened.
For hours, they worked through phrasing, breathing, and song choices. Simon pushed her hard, but when she finally nailed a difficult passage, his rare grin appeared. “That’s the Evelyn I want to see every week.”
The Next Round
When Evelyn returned to the stage for the quarterfinals, she didn’t choose another Broadway anthem. Instead, she stunned everyone with an intimate rendition of a Billie Eilish song. Her voice was stripped down, delicate, trembling with emotion. It was the opposite of her first audition—yet just as breathtaking.
The audience once again rose to their feet, and Simon whispered to his fellow judges, “She’s not just a singer. She’s an artist.”
The Broadway Buzz
By the semifinals, Broadway producers were already contacting Evelyn’s family. Forums buzzed with speculation: Would she be cast as young Elphaba? Could she handle a professional role at her age?
Her mother remained protective. “She’s still a child,” she told reporters. “Her education and happiness come first.” But Evelyn herself admitted in an interview: “When I sang Defying Gravity, I felt like I wasn’t just Evelyn anymore. I felt like I was flying.”
The Unexpected Twist
In the finals, Evelyn chose a risky move: an original song she had co-written with her music teacher. No one expected it. The lyrics told the story of a young girl who refused to be silenced, who rose above doubts and whispered fears.
Her voice cracked with emotion in the final chorus, but it didn’t matter. The imperfection made the moment real. When the last note faded, the room was silent for a heartbeat before erupting in cheers louder than anything she had ever heard.
Simon leaned into his mic and said, “Evelyn, I don’t care what happens with the votes tonight. You have a career waiting for you. And when that original song gets recorded, I want to be the first in line to buy it.”
Epilogue
Evelyn didn’t win AGT. She came second. But sometimes, second place is destiny in disguise. Within weeks, she was signed to a label. Within months, she was performing on Broadway stages as the youngest-ever understudy for Elphaba.
Looking back, people still talk about the moment a shy thirteen-year-old walked onto the AGT stage and dared to sing one of the hardest songs in the world. She didn’t just sing it—she transformed it into the first chapter of her own story.
And for Evelyn Errante, that story was only just beginning.