Simon Cowell Predicts Stardom For Hudson Valley Singer

A 12-year old singer from the Hudson Valley was compared to Taylor Swift by judge Simon Cowell on this week's episode of America's Got Talent. Grace VanderWaal is from Suffern, New York and appears poised for success on this season of the NBC reality show and possibly beyond.

VanderWaal appeared on Tuesday's episode and earned a standing ovation from judges Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandell. It was Mandell who pressed his buzzer to advance her straight to the next round of the completion. She took a big chance by performing an original song, but the judges were impressed regardless. She's been singing since she was very young, but most of her friends don't even know she's a performer.

When asked how she felt about her first round victory, Grace had this to say,

I feel kind of like I'm daydreaming but I'm getting ready to wake up.

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