| Real Name: | Grace Avery VanderWaal |
| Birthday: | January 15, 2004 |
| Net Worth: | $2 million |
| Height: | 168 cm |
| Occupation: | American Singer-Songwriter |
Grace Avery VanderWaal is an American singer and songwriter. She won the 11th season of America’s Got Talent competition at just 12 years old. Grace bought her own ukulele at 11 years old. She fell in love with the ukulele after watching YouTube videos. After her viral audition and win at the AGT, Grace is among the most popular teenage stars.
Currently, Grace VanderWaal fortune is little over $2 million. She donated her prize money to charity. But with her popularity going up, her net worth will go up as well.
Fans love Grace for her distinctive vocals and her ukulele playing. She started by posting videos of original songs and covers on YouTube and performing open mic nights in her hometown. Let’s check her career trajectory.
Career Ups and Downs
Grace began singing and making up songs when she was just three years old. She drew inspiration for music by watching movies and trying to imagine what characters felt. After watching Brazilian au pair play and some Twenty One Pilots videos on YouTube, she decided to get a ukulele.
For her 11th birthday, she asked her mother to buy it. But she refused. But Grace didn’t give up. VanderWaal used her saved money to buy a ukulele.
In 2015, Grace started recording song covers and original songs. She accompanied herself on the ukulele and posted them to YouTube. Some of her videos included songs by Katy Perry, Twenty One Pilots, and Jason Mraz. Afterward, she even performed during open mic events at small venues near her home.
On June 7, 2016, she auditioned for the 11th season of America’s Got Talent. Howie Mandel, one of the judges, pressed the golden buzzer to put her in the live quarterfinal round. Simon Cowell called her the next Taylor Swift.
For her audition, Grace played an original song, “I Don’t Know My Name”. During the entire show, she performed her original songs. Grace sang Beautiful Thing in the quarterfinals, Light the Sky in the semi-finals, and Clay in the finals.
The video of her audition went viral. It amassed more than 100 million views on YouTube and ranked as the No.5 trending video of 2016.
Following the win at AGT, she appeared on several shows including the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Ellen DeGeneres show.
In September 2016, she signed a deal with Columbia Records. The young star released her debut EP, Perfectly Imperfect, on December 2, 2016. The debut EP included her four AGT songs and another original song, Gossip Girl. She promoted her EP with several appearances and performances. For example, she performed her song Light the Sky at halftime during a New York Knicks game at MSG.
By early 2017, she began working on the full-length album. She chose the title Just the Beginning. The process changed. Now, Grace writes songs on-demand with a collaborator. In June the same year, she participated in the YouTube OnStage. Her popularity went sky high to the point she modeled at the New York Fashion Week for Marc Jacobs.
In the fall of 2017, she performed on Ellen and promoted her album. In November, she released the album and went on a solo concert tour. The Just the Beginning tour ran through February 2018 and sold out instantly.
In 2018, she was the opening act for Imagine Dragons in North America for their Evolve World Tour from June to August.
In early 2019, she released her single Stray and recorded a soundtrack for the animated movie Wonder Park. During 2019, she toured with Florence and the Machine in the southeastern US. In August and September of 2019, she went on her North American Tour.
2020 started great for Grace. VanderWaal appeared as the title character in Stargirl, a movie on Disney+.
Most Successful AGT Winners
The prize money for America’s Got Talent is $1 million. Grace VanderWaal’s cash flow is over $2 million. And she donated her prize money. But not all winners succeed after the show. Some fall of a cliff, others reach for the sky. Here are some of the most successful winners.
Grace was just 12 years old when she won the 11th season. Since then, she won a Teen Choice Award, released an album, and toured with Imagine Dragons.
Darci Lynne Farmer won the 12th season. The Ventriloquist toured nationally after the win and has a cash flow of $3 million.
Michael Grimm won the 5th season. After a couple of tours and albums, he stepped away from the spotlight.
Mat Franco wowed judges with his magic act. He performs regularly in Las Vegas. His cash flow is $3 million.
Jackie Evancho finished in second place, losing to Michael Grimm in the fifth season. She is a classic crossover singer. At the time, she was just 10 years old. Since then, she racked 2.4 million in album sales in the US.
Lindsey Stirling is a violinist, dancer, and performance artist. She got only to the quarterfinals in 2010 but has a more successful career than some of the winners. Her 2014 and 2016 albums hit No.2 on the Billboard 200. Lindsey’s YouTube channel has more than 11 million subscribers.
Terry Fator is the most successful winner of America’s Got Talent. The ventriloquist won Season 2, and his career sky-rocketed since then. In 2008 he signed a $100 million deal with the Mirage Las Vegas. The deal goes through 2021. As of 2020, Terry Fator’s fortune is more than $140 million.
She Could Have Been an American Idol
What few people know is that Grace could easily finish on American Idol. Initially, she wanted to compete on the show that launched Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. But because of her young age, she couldn’t do it.
American Idol sets a minimum age limit of 15 years for auditions. Instead, she auditioned for America’s Got Talent. And the rest is history.
Many people compare her to Taylor Swift because of their country style. But Grace is a Katty Perry fan. She loves Katty because she is true to herself.
Personal Life
Despite winning America’s Got Talent, Grace still goes to school. She hangs out with kids her age. And tries to feel normal while doing it. But she says school gives her material for new songs.
In an interview, she said that the “demanding touring lifestyle is enjoyable”. She loves going on tours.
Her plans for the future are set. She wants to perform and work in her twenties. And she wants to live in New York.
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