Ansley Burns, a 12-year-old girl from Easley, South Carolina, is full of dreams and energy. The moment she steps on stage, her excitement is contagious—you can’t help but smile and root for her even before she starts singing! For her audition on America’s Got Talent, Ansley chooses a bold song: Aretha Franklin’s legendary hit, “Think.”
As she announces her song choice, judge Simon Cowell looks surprised. “You’re going to sing Aretha Franklin? At 12? Are you sure?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Think” is a powerful and challenging song, even for professional singers. But Ansley doesn’t seem nervous at all. Her audition begins, but Simon quickly stops her. He feels the backing track is overpowering her voice. Instead, he asks her to sing the song a cappella—just her voice and no music.
Without missing a beat, Ansley agrees. And then? She wows everyone.
Her voice is nothing short of incredible. For someone so young, her singing is beyond her years. The audience is blown away as Ansley walks confidently across the stage, owning every moment. People start clapping and cheering, swept up by her performance. It’s clear this isn’t just a regular audition—it’s a moment to remember!
The judges are just as amazed as the audience. Judge Gabrielle Union can’t hold back her excitement. “Your level of professionalism at 12…I mean, I work with people three, four, five times your age who don’t have the talent you have in your little finger. You’re truly something special,” she says, glowing with praise.
Simon agrees, adding, “You just proved to me that personality is just as important as talent. You’re someone we’ll never forget.”
But this isn’t the first time Ansley has caught people’s attention. A year before her big audition, Ansley went viral online for singing Carrie Underwood’s hit song, “Cry Pretty.” This is another challenging song, but Ansley nailed it. Her mom posted the video on Facebook, where it racked up an incredible 14 million views! Even Carrie Underwood herself noticed and was just as impressed as everyone else.
With such a strong start to her music career, Ansley seems unstoppable. After America’s Got Talent, she continued to follow her passion for music. In 2017, she was crowned Best Singer in South Carolina’s Youth Division and won several other awards. These days, Ansley is performing original songs and working hard to become a star in her own right.
If you’re as amazed by Ansley as we are, you can follow her journey. She has a YouTube channel, an Instagram page, and an official website where you can find more updates and music.
What do you think about Ansley’s incredible talent? Let us know in the comments below!
