Toronto’s Roberta Battaglia falls short on America’s Got Talent

Theglobeandmail.com
Sept.24, 2020

Toronto’s own 11-year old Roberta Battaglia may not have won the coveted US$1-million America’s Got Talent grand prize this year, but this charismatic young Canadian has crept into just about everyone’s heart.

The winner of America’s Got Talent’s Season 15 is Brandon Leake. Leake was Judge Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer winner and AGT’s first-ever spoken word poet to compete. The first runner-up was singing duo Broken Roots.

Battaglia was one of the last four standing during elimination countdown.

“This is only the beginning,” said Battaglia. “I love you, judges. Thank you to the world.”

Said Judge Sofia Vergara: “You’re amazing. This is just the beginning for you, because now the world is watching you. You’re so young –11 years! The world is about to open up for you. I love you and I think America loves you too.”

On Tuesday night, in Los Angeles, Battaglia competed against five music acts: an aerialist, a poet, a salsa duo and an acrobatic trio.

Winners are selected by audience vote, although Canadians were not eligible to cast votes.

Battaglia was the first of ten finalists to perform in the finale, singing Canadian artist Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful”.

Battaglia told the Globe and Mail on a break during rehearsals, “I love the song. I feel like it carries a great message to other people.”

Following the performance, Cara tweeted, “This angel girl (and fellow Canadian) covered my song on AGT tonight and I’m so flattered. 11 years old and absolutely killed it. Congratulations!!!”

After her stunning performance, the judges gave Battaglia a standing ovation and Toronto native, AGT Judge Howie Mandel had the foresight to say, “You are the one to beat tonight, I really believe that.”

Poised in a pink party dress, Battaglia owned the stage, swaying with confidence as she maintained steady vocals with a range of control well beyond her years.

Only one other Canadian has ever won AGT --Vancouver-born magician Shin Lim in Season 13.

Early in the season, Battaglia sang Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s duet “Shallow” from A Star is Born, earning the coveted Golden-Buzzer from Judge Sofia Vergara, sending her directly to the live show. It earned her worldwide attention. Vergara said, “You keep surprising me every time you’re on stage, more and more.”

The two youngest finalists of the season, Roberta Battaglia and Kenadi Dodds, sang “If the World Was Ending” by JP Saxe and Julia Michaels, who joined them for the performance.

Of her experience on AGT, Battaglia said, “I was so overwhelmed with emotions and excitement…the most amazing moment I will probably ever have in my life. It’s such an amazing journey; I don’t want it to end.”

Battaglia named Pink, Etta James and Aretha Franklin as her strongest influences. From as young as age 3, the singer has loved the stage. Her father and mentor, Alessandro, an Italian-born singer who plays the saxophone and piano, performed with Roberta at local banquets and weddings. Battaglia began to enter singing competitions, finishing second place at the CNE Rising Star Talent Competition for juniors. America’s Got Talent discovered the preteen after her powerful rendition of “Shallow” on Toronto’s Breakfast Television morning show went viral in March, 2019. Battaglia was just nine years old.

Even apart from her music, Battaglia is a standout. At age 8, she raised about $3,000 for Toronto’s SickKids Hospital by selling bracelets she designed herself. And when faced with cruel bullying, Battaglia used her platform to speak up for others facing similar persecution.

There were forty-four AGT acts that qualified for the quarter-finals when Battaglia performed a pitch-perfect rendition of Lauren Daigle’s “You Say,” winning enough audience votes to advance her to the semifinals on September 8th, when she covered “What About Us” by Pink, her first stage appearance since turning 11 a week earlier.

What’s next for the singing sensation?

“I’ll be going back to school, online,” said Battaglia.

With some 38,000 Instagram fans following this Canadian superstar.