A deaf singer’s performance on “America’s Got Talent” on Wednesday (Tuesday in the US) brought audiences and social media to tears.
Before singing her piece, 29-year-old contestant Mandy Harvey narrated her poignant life story: She lost her hearing at the age of 18 years due to a connective tissue disorder and nearly surrendered her dream of becoming an artist.
“So basically, I got sick and my nerves deteriorated,” Harvey narrated. She was chaperoned by a sign language translator to help her communicate with the judges.
Later, Harvey played her original song titled “Try,” a tearjerking acoustic performance that moved everyone on the show, including crude critic and TV mogul Simon Cowell.
“It was incredible,” he said as he pushed the Golden Buzzer, elevating her to the show’s next round. “I’ve done this a long time. That was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen and heard.”
Harvey’s performance stirred the internet as well, with the clip uploaded on “America’s Got Talent” Facebook page winning millions of views. Gianna Francesca Catolico /ra