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Hudson Valley Starlet Belts Out New Original Song In NBC's 'AGT' Finale

As is customary before each prime-time “America’s Got Talent” performance on NBC-TV, a pre-taped video aired. Reflecting on her meteoric rise, Suffern's Grace VanderWaal touched on the song she planned to perform.

Grace VanderWaal performed her original song, "Clay" during the America's Got Talent finale.

Photo Credit: America's Got Talent
“Tonight, I’m going to be singing words that came from my heart. Hopefully they’re enough to win America’s Got Talent."

“Tonight, I’m going to be singing words that came from my heart. Hopefully they’re enough to win America’s Got Talent,” she said.

VanderWaal, the 12-year-old singer, songwriter and ukulele player, delivered her final performance on the AGT stage on Tuesday night during the live finale, her backdrop a florid arch, and accompanied by a cello.

A conglomerate of YouTube videos consisting of people playing her song “I Don’t Know My Name,” preceded VanderWaal’s performance before she belted out another original song, “Clay.”

”Your silly words, I won’t live inside your world, because your punches and your names, all your jokes and stupid games, they don’t work,” she sang.

A standing ovation followed, something that has become routine after VanderWaal’s performances.

Judges Mel B and Hiedi Klum lavished praise on VanderWaal but Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell took it a step further.

“America, you’ve got to vote. Grace has to win. This is my favorite moment of tonight,” Mandel said.

“Finding stars should be difficult. And people in a few years time are going to look back at you and say the reason this girl did so well, and why she’s going to be someone we’re all going to look up to and remember, is because that you did it in a real way. No Gimmicks. It was just you,” Cowell said.

When asked afterward by host Nick Cannon how she felt, VanderWaal was candid.

“It just feels good to just honestly get it over with and get it out of the way,” VanderWaal said.

Votes can be cast for VanderWaal and the other contestants until 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. Up to 10 votes can be cast per act via each voting method. To vote, call 866-602-4812, visit the AGT website, or download the app.

Tune in to NBC tomorrow night at 8 p.m. for the results. 

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