A BIG BREAK

Grace VanderWaal’s parents are the probably the happiest people in the world right now. That’s because their daughter has just won the top prize in the America’s Got Talent 2016 competition. Smashing Debut
VanderWaal started out nervously but as soon as she started singing, it was clear that she was an exceptional talent . It was her big break . She played her ukulele and sang an original song called “I Don’t Know My Name” . She herself wrote the song and composed the music for it. By the time she finished her song, the judges were in awe. Simon Cowell named her the “next Taylor Swift” . She was an overnight sensation.
Baby, You’re a Star !
The credit needs to be giv en to VanderWaal’s parents, who have encouraged her and supported her throughout this incredible journey. VanderWaal was a regular 12 - year - old girl just a few weeks ago and now she is a household name all over America. In fact, her fans are already posting cover versions of her song, “I Don’t Know My Name” on YouTube!
A Loving Family
Grace VanderWaal was born on January 15, 2004 to her parents, Tina and Dave VanderWaal. She has two older siblings, a brother named Jakob and a sister named Olivia. She lives in Suffern, New York with her family and their two dogs. Her family is the reason that VanderWaal has already achieved so much at such a tender age. Her parents were the ones to give her the strength and support she ne eded to win the com petition, and make that million - dollar dream come true!
Spreading Her Wings 
VanderWaal is a prodigy in the truest sense of the word. Her mother, Tina says that VanderWaal was singing songs right from the age of three. Talk about star ting young! She bought her ukulele on her 11th birthday with her own allowance. Her parents had no clue, but VanderWaal actually learned to play the ukulele by watching YouTube videos! After gaining confidence by performing in front of her family, VanderWa al started performing in front of small audiences in New Jersey and around New York. The funny thing is, her friends had no idea that VanderWaal could even sing so well!
Time to Party
I’m sure that she won’t be one of the one - hit wonders . She has just won the prize money of $1.0 million and in October, she will headline her own show in Las Vegas. At such a young age, the music industry could just eat wannabe celebrities up, and send them to a dead end so she will have to depend on her family for guidance and support. It certainly helps that she has an amazing family and support system backing her through this exciting time!