Courtney Hadwin seemed like a very shy and anxious teenager when she entered the America’s Got Talent stage at the age of thirteen. The young girl appeared almost too scared to talk, so Mel B even had to give her some words of encouragement. Courtney made succinct, reserved responses in front of a large live audience and a panel of well-known judges, leaving everyone in the room wondering if she could handle the strain of such a high-stakes performance.
But as soon as the music began, Courtney completely changed, leaving the judges in a state of stunned silence. She shed her shy façade and began a passionate, soulful performance of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle.” She sounded like a teenage Janis Joplin with her loud, raspy vocals and crazy dance routines. The audience’s cheers instantly changed the atmosphere in the room, and it was a startling contrast to the calm girl who had been standing there moments earlier.
The judges were completely stunned by her performance, which had the entire auditorium on its feet. Howie Mandel was so delighted that he likened her finding to the signing of Janis Joplin, while Simon Cowell lauded her for being “from a different age.” Howie was so excited that he hit the Golden Buzzer, which sent Courtney right to the live performances. This memorable audition demonstrated that genuine skill can overcome even the most severe nervousness and that appearances may be deceiving.
