Nine-year-old Journeyy from New Jersey entered the America’s Got Talent stage with a self-assurance that belied his age. He informed the judges that he would be playing an original song and that he was there with his family while grinning broadly. His bravery and innocence instantly won over the judges and the audience. He was going to do something that would shock everyone and demonstrate that talent knows no age restrictions.
Journeyy picked up a microphone and started singing “Paradise,” one of his original songs. The lyrics demonstrated a remarkable degree of imagination and originality for a youngster of his age, painting a lovely and fantastical picture of a planet with endless music and purple clouds. Singing was only one aspect of his performance; another was introducing the world to his singular vision. His assured performance enthralled the entire audience, and the judges were clearly pleased by his songwriting abilities.
The judges unanimously praised Journeyy and gave him a standing ovation after his performance. The fact that he had composed his own song astounded them all. He was advanced to the following round of the tournament after receiving “yes” answers from each judge individually. Journeyy was ecstatic and said it felt like a dream come true to be on America’s Got Talent. His audition demonstrated that a young dreamer can have a significant impact if they had a great deal of talent and a small amount of confidence.
