The top 10 on “America’s Got Talent” included an impressive mix of singers, rappers, dancers and aerialists, but in the end, the show could only crown one winner.
On Wednesday night, at the end of a two-hour finale, “AGT” revealed its newest champion.
RelatedKodi Lee had the most viral moment in ‘AGT’ history. This is his storyAnd based on how this act’s audition went viral — not to mention the wild reception she received for her performance in the finals — the outcome shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Let's give a round of applause for the Season 20 winner of AGT! 👏 pic.twitter.com/EUqu1j5Bc1
— America’s Got Talent (@AGT) September 25, 2025Singer Jessica Sanchez — who is currently nine months pregnant — has secured a headlining slot in Vegas and the show’s $1 million prize.
The victory comes 20 years after Sanchez competed on the first season of “AGT” as a 10-year-old and made it to the semifinals.
Jessica Sanchez performs during the "AGT" finals. | Trae Patton/NBC Jessica Sanchez wins ‘AGT’ 2025 Sanchez was one of the front-runners to win this season of “AGT” — her audition for the show alone has 10 million views on YouTube.
During the audition, which featured a rendition of Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” the 29-year-old singer revealed that she had actually competed on the first season of “AGT” 20 years ago when she was just a kid and had made it to the semifinals.
A few years after that, she competed on “American Idol” and made it all the way to the finale, where she ended up placing as the runner-up to winner Phillip Phillips.
But eventually, Sanchez told the judges during her “AGT” audition, she found herself needing a break from music because she had been so young when she started and she wanted to make sure she was doing it for herself and not for others.
Now, marking a major step in her return to music, Sanchez performed “Beautiful Things” to such an enthusiastic audience on “AGT” that the cheers nearly drowned out the feedback from the judges.
RelatedFrom ‘American Idol’ Dropout to Grammy Nominee: The Rise of Benson BooneBenson Boone has an ice cream truck in Utah — and his own Crumbl cookie“I think they like you,” judge Simon Cowell said.
“AGT” judge Howie Mandel praised Sanchez for making the song her own while Mel B said she was “speechless.”
Ultimately, Sofia Vergara opted to hit her golden buzzer for Sanchez, advancing her straight to the quarterfinals.
By the time her performance in the live quarterfinals came around (the “AGT” auditions had been filmed a few months in advance), Sanchez was eight months pregnant.
She almost didn’t perform because belting Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” — and executing the proper breath control for the song — at this stage of pregnancy seemed daunting, but she walked out onstage and delivered a performance that had the judges in awe.
“I am absolutely blown away,” Cowell said.
“You he never sounded better,” Mel B added.
Sanchez’s performance during the semifinals didn’t go over as well, with Mandel in particular criticizing her song choice (JKVE’s “Golden Hour”). But the singer’s fate was in the hands of viewers, who pushed her through to the finale.
The YouTube video of Sanchez’s performance for the finals, a rendition of Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With A Smile,” posted Tuesday night and already has 1 million views.
Sanchez received a standing ovation from all of the judges — Mandel called it the best act of the night and Cowell said it was her best performance on the show.
“You look like a little pregnant angel,” Vergara said. “You look beautiful. Your voice, I’ve never heard anything like that.”
RelatedAfter ‘America’s Got Talent,’ this Utah singer rebranded herself — with help from Air Supply“No matter what song you sing, your vocals are just flawless and pitch perfect,” Mel B added. “Every single time.”
View CommentsCowell praised Sanchez for choosing to return to “AGT” and showing persistence in her drive to pursue a music career.
“It was so important for our 20th anniversary that you came back,” he said. “Partly to show that even if you don’t win the first time, you’ve got to always believe in yourself.”
Who competed in the ‘AGT’ 2025 finals?As the Deseret News previously reported, the following acts competed in the “AGT” Season 20 finals:
Chris Turner, improv rapperJessica Sanchez, singerSteve Ray Ladson, singerLeo High School Choir, singersLightWire, dance troupeMama Duke, rapperJourdan Blue, singerMicah Palace, rapperSirca Marea, aerialistsTeam Recycled, dance troupeSinger Jourdan Blue came in third, with improv rapper Chris Turner placing as runner-up.
Related‘I’m not 12 anymore’: Ventriloquist Darci Lynne ditches her puppet in surprising performance on ‘America’s Got Talent’Kids love hearing this middle school janitor sing. Now he’s won $1 million on ‘America’s Got Talent’