Americas Got Talent season17 winner is Brandon Leake. The singer, who was born with cerebral palsy, took home the $1 million prize after winning over viewers with his story and his voice. Brandon Leake, a ventriloquist from Kansas City, Missouri, was named America’s Got Talent champion on Wednesday. The 32-year-old beat out runner-up Darci Lynne Farmer in the NBC talent competition.
“I’m on cloud nine,” said Leake after his win. “It’s just so surreal to me.”
“It never gets old,” Leake told host Tyra Banks about the feeling of winning the competition and getting his dream job — performing on three different cruise ships around the world beginning in 2020. The one-hour show also featured performances from some of the judges and former winners.
Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel appeared in a skit that saw them dancing with a 12-year-old boy while Mel B performed with her AGT co-stars from season one, Kenichi Ebina and Terry Fator (who won Season 2). Keith Urban played guitar on stage as young singer Michael Ray sang “Ain’t Easy” and fellow country star Maddie & Tae performed their hit song “Girl in a Country Song.”
Americas Got Talent: Brandon Leake takes the Glory
In addition to the above performances, there was also a video message from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who praised the show for its focus on stories and said that he was rooting for all of the finalists of Americas Got Talent.
The top 10 competed across two shows this week, with five finalists in each episode. Viewers got to vote live throughout both nights. Those who had the most votes would go onto compete in the next round.
In the end of Americas Got Talent, it was Brandon Leake who got enough votes to take home $1 million and be named winner of season 17 of America’s Got Talent. Brandon Leake is the winner of Americas Got Talent season 17.
The magician from Texas walked away with $1 million on Wednesday night’s finale, beating out runner-up and fan favorite Darci Lynne Farmer by a margin of 26% to 24%, in what was one of the closest AGT finals ever.
Leake was introduced as a “young David Blaine” by Howie Mandel during his audition performance, which saw him swallow swords, cut himself open with a chainsaw and pull an entire person—namely his mom—through an empty space in another half-inch thick piece of steel using only two key rings!
The show also featured performances by Fifth Harmony and Boyz II Men (who gave their very first performance since Shawn Stockman replaced Nathan Morris), plus appearances from Michelle Obama and Stevie Wonder.