Mandy Harvey, a 29-year-old singer, shared a deeply emotional and inspirational story with the America’s Got Talent (AGT) judges. She revealed that she had lost all her hearing when she was 18 due to a connective tissue disorder, which caused her nerves to deteriorate. Having studied vocal music education, this loss devastated her, forcing her to abandon her dream of being a singer. The turning point came when her father encouraged her to try again, prompting her to relearn how to sing using visual tuners, muscle memory, and by feeling the tempo through the floor without her shoes.
For her audition, Mandy performed an original song she wrote called “Try.” She explained that she wrote the song after she had initially given up on her dreams, realizing she wanted to do more with her life than simply quit. As she sang, her voice was immediately captivating—delicate, clear, and full of raw emotion. Her performance was a stunning display of talent and resilience, especially given the technical difficulty of performing perfectly in tune without being able to hear the accompanying music or her own voice. The vulnerability and power of her message, delivered through her beautiful, self-penned lyrics, resonated deeply with everyone in the theater.
The judges were overwhelmed by the quality and courage of her performance. When the song ended, the audience was on its feet, and Simon Cowell, visibly moved, declared to Mandy, “I don’t think you’re going to need a translator for this.” Before saying another word, Simon reached over and slammed the Golden Buzzer. As gold confetti rained down, he told the tearful singer, “I’ve done this a long time. You’re one of the most amazing I’ve ever seen and heard.” Simon confirmed her stunning performance sent her straight to the live shows, calling her an incredible talent that had amazed him completely.
