Jessica Sanchez: Destiny delayed is not destiny denied
In the very first season of “America’s Got Talent (AGT)” back in 2006, a then 11-year-old Jessica Sanchez faced judge Piers Morgan’s stern question: “Do you think you’re worth a million dollars?”
“Yes,” the young singer meekly replied. She didn’t advance past the semifinals that year.
But she sure is now. Nineteen years and nineteen seasons later, Sanchez returned to the “AGT” stage—one of the first to introduce her to a national audience—and made history as the first contestant of Filipino descent to win the competition. The victory was announced on Sept. 25 (Philippine time).
Long-overdue victory
Now a seasoned 30-year-old and pregnant with her first child, Sanchez proved that destiny delayed is not destiny denied. She delivered a show-stopping finale performance—a stirring and soulful rendition of Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile”—that sealed what could be described as a long-overdue victory.
Her win was seen as another affirmation of Filipino talent on the global stage—the second major international victory for a Filipino artist in less than a year, following Sofronio Vasquez’s win on “The Voice USA” in December 2024.
Soon after Sanchez was declared winner, social media was flooded with congratulatory posts from Filipino celebrities, including Ogie Alcasid and Ice Seguerra, some of whom shared photos with Sanchez from past encounters or collaborations.
Judges’ raves
“I was honestly just honored to make it to the Top 2,” Sanchez told the Hollywood entertainment site The Buzz shortly after her win. “I kept thinking, ‘Whatever happens, happens. I’m already going home a winner with my baby girl.’”
To celebrate, she plans to slip into pajamas, cuddle with her husband, and maybe shed a few tears over some ice cream.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” said Sanchez, who’s due anytime now.
Sanchez, who clinched the win over freestyle rapper Chris Turner after garnering the most audience votes, earned raves from the judges.
Sofia Vergara said of her performance: “I’ve never heard anything like that.” Howie Mandel declared her “the best act of the night.”
Simon Cowell, pointing out her full-circle moment, said it was important that she returned to prove that “even if you don’t win the first time, you have to always believe in yourself.”
But believing wasn’t always that easy.
Sanchez, raised in California by a Mexican-American father and a Filipina mother from Bataan, first rose to fame in 2012 as the runner-up in “American Idol” season 11—the highest placement ever achieved by a Filipino contestant on the show.
After her “American Idol” stint, she released an album, made a guest appearance on the hit musical TV show “Glee,” and visited the Philippines several times to connect with her roots and fans.
Leap of faith
However, somewhere along the way, she stepped away from music, admitting that she had “fallen out of love with it” for a while.
Her return to “AGT” was a conscious decision.
“This has been years of fighting for this dream. I finally decided to come back for season 20 to take a leap of faith and ask God, ‘Is this what you want me to do?’ And I feel like He just put a stamp on it, like, ‘Yes, this is what you’re meant to do.’ I’m so grateful I took the risk.”
The moment was made even more special with her baby girl on the way. “She has been kicking! I think she’s celebrating right now,” she said, adding that new music is definitely in the offing.
“I’ve been working in my home studio. My goal now is to inspire people, help them believe in themselves, and touch people through music. I’m so ready to get back out there and collaborate with other artists,” Sanchez said.
Reflecting on her journey, she had one message for aspiring artists: “Please do it. I joined the first season and didn’t make it through—I was devastated. But I kept believing in my dream. And now, almost 20 years later, I’m standing here as a winner. It’s been such an amazing journey. So yes, do it.”
In a text message to the Inquirer, Carlo Orosa, head of Stages Talents which represents Sanchez in the Philippines, said: “Jessica extends her profound, heartfelt gratitude to the Filipino community for their unwavering love and support, and she looks forward to visiting the Philippines after welcoming her first daughter, Eliana.”
