From the beginning of her audition, it was clear that America’s Got Talent’s four judges – Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B, and Heidi Klum – didn’t have high expectations for 13-year-old singer Courtney Hadwin when she auditioned for the show back in 2019. “Don’t be nervous,” Mel B said, trying to reassure the teenager after she admitted the nerves were getting to her. “I know this is a big stage and there’s lots of people here. But you’re here for a reason, so go for it and good luck.”

As it turned out, Courtney didn’t need any luck whatsoever. As soon as she started singing – putting her own fiery, soulful take on Otis Redding’s ‘Too Hot To Handle’ – the judges’ mouths fell open in shock, unable to believe that such an incredible voice could come from a young girl who only a few seconds before had seemed so shy and unsure of herself. Her confidence levels were also off the scale, and she danced wildly around the stage as though she had been doing it all her life.

But the best was yet to come for Courtney, because when she finished her performance, judge Howie Mandel decided he loved her voice so much that he was going to press his golden buzzer, putting her straight through to the America’s Got Talent quarter-finals. “Oh my gosh, you’re not from this era,” he said, clearly awe-struck, “you’re from a whole different era,” while an impressed Simon Cowell told her, “you were this shy little thing when you came out, and then you sing and you’re like a lion.”

Sadly, Courtney didn’t win America’s Got Talent; instead, she made the top ten. However, she did give numerous other jaw-droppingly good performances throughout the competition, particularly in the final where she gave a rip-roaring rendition of Tina Turner’s ‘Nutbush City Limits”. “You are on fire, you’re amazing, you’re a superstar,” said Howie after watching her, with the latter phrase surely being the most appropriate to describe this young woman’s incredible vocals and charisma.

With her unique dancing and unmistakable vocal sound, from her America’s Got Talent audition alone, you could tell that Courtney Hadwin was born to be onstage. As such, it’s no surprise that since the show finished, she has gone on to forge a career for herself as a successful performer. With five original singles under her belt already and a hotly- anticipated debut album on the way alongside an American tour, no doubt we’ll be hearing more from this very talented young woman in the near future.

If you want to see more of the incredibly talented Courtney Hadwin, you can subscribe to her YouTube Channel for more stunning performances. You can also keep up to date with her latest news on her Facebook page.