Filipino-American singer Jessica Sanchez capped her “America’s Got Talent” season 20 finals performance with heartfelt gratitude, telling fans she gave them her “very last breath on stage.”
Hours later, she went on Facebook Live to thank supporters for carrying her to the finale, calling the experience both a dream and a test of resilience.
"I just wanted to get on here and just thank you guys so much for all of the support. I am just overwhelmed by the amount of comments and the love that you guys have shown me. I love you guys so much. Thank you for bringing me this far. If you guys didn't know, I am nine months pregnant and I am a finalist on 'AGT' and this is just been like such a dream. I didn’t think that I would make it this far and you guys made that possible for me so I just want to thank you guys so much. I don’t know what’s gonna happen tomorrow. I don’t know there’s just so many amazing talents. I did my very best tonight for you guys. I hope you guys love it. I don’t know what’s gonna happen," Sanchez said.
"I'm just grateful for you guys. You guys have been so amazing to me. You have showed so much love. This has been so crazy coming back 20 years later, you know being 10 years old on the first season and then also being on 'Idol'. Like I said I fell out of love with music for such a long time and I had to find myself again and you guys have been really supportive through this season of my life where it was really scary for me to come back. I’m just so grateful for you guys, so thank you, thank you for all of the love," she added.
In the live session, Sanchez's husband Rickie Gallardo also requested everyone to vote for his wife, whom he praised for doing an amazing job.
For Gallardo, more than anything, Sanchez's journey in "AGT"is about purpose.
"It’s a purpose thing... there’s nothing greater in the world than to see somebody fulfill their purpose and calling, who has a profound gift. I was with her when she fell out of love with music and it’s been a journey back and so I’m proud of you. I love you and I’m excited for you," he said.
Sanchez said she is now leaving her fate to God's hands and "AGT" voters, adding that inspiring people to follow their dreams again is the reason she continue to do music again.
"I am just so blessed to have made it this far nine months pregnant. I’m blessed that she hasn’t tried to come out yet too, so I’m just so grateful. This has been such an amazing season for me and like I said I can’t thank you guys enough for showing me so much love. Like, when I did the audition, I was able to read a lot more comments 'cause I had some more like a gap time and to see so many comments, saying that you know people were inspired by the audition to follow their dreams again, like that is why I wanted to continue doing music again and why I got back into it. Because like it’s a purpose thing for me, like it goes beyond you know winning and the money and the fame and all that stuff. I genuinely want to inspire people. I want to use whatever God gave me to pour into other people so that they can put into others and just be trickling domino effect. So I’m super happy that was able to accomplish that through this And we’ll just see tomorrow, what it is," Sanchez said.
Screen grab: Facebook/Jessica Sanchez
In the video, Sanchez also admitted that joining "AGT" again was in her mind for years.
"I’m like kind of afraid to get back into it 'cause I just I wasn’t sure for a while. But you know this year, it felt different and then literally a couple days later after I was like okay I’m gonna do this this 'AGT' thing, I find out that I’m pregnant. Like literally like four days after and I’m like 'oh like what do I do? Do I continue to walk through this door that God has presented to me. Ideally you don’t wanna be like kind of moving around so much when you’re nine months pregnant. But I was like you know what like the opportunity is there. I feel super at peace about it," Sanchez shared.
"This is like the first time where I’m like, you know what like I wanna go for it and just because I’m pregnant I don’t think that that should stop me from what God might have for me. So I watch that door and then like you know here I am now nine months pregnant doing this I feel. I feel like the strongest I’ve ever felt because this has been the most vocally challenging thing I’ve ever gone through when I tell you like I’m walking and I’m out of breath. I get up out of bed and I’m out of breath. I’m sure women who have been pregnant before understand the feeling. But I mean it’s been so hard like teaching myself how to sing again. So again, like all of your comments telling me how amazing I’m doing and like you know how great I sound it means even more because I’ve been struggling with my voice this like towards the end of the pregnancy. It’s been really really hard so thank you guys again I love you all so so much," she added.
She concluded her video by expressing her love and gratitude to all her fans and supporters.
"I did the best I could for you guys tonight. I hope you guys felt I literally gave you my very last breath on stage. ... Again, I’m so grateful for you guys. I really do love every single one of you. I wish I could give every single one of you guys the biggest hug. Thank you so so much for believing in me and we’ll see what happens tomorrow," she said.
On Tuesday night (US time), Sanchez stunned everyone and received standing ovation and praises from the show's judges after she delivered a powerhouse rendition of Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile” for the show's finals.
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