Where Is ‘AGT’ Season 11 Winner Grace VanderWaal Now? Her Life 9 Years Later
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Grace VanderWaal was just 12 years old when she was named the winner of America’s Got Talent Season 11 in 2016. Her unique voice and ukulele skills earned her a Golden Buzzer after her audition, and she eventually went on to take home the win.
Being thrust into the spotlight at such a young age wasn’t easy for VanderWaal, which she has been very open about. But how has it affected her music career? Scroll down for updates about what she’s up to today.
What is Grace VanderWaal doing now?
VanderWaal is still working in the entertainment industry, having released her most recent album, Childstar, in April 2025. The album explores VanderWaal’s life as a young starlet and was accompanied by a tour. This was only her second full studio album, with the first, Just the Beginning, released in 2017. She also released her Perfectly Imperfect EP in 2016 and Letters Vol. 1 EP in 2019.
“I feel what I was making before was just stupid and trash,” VanderWaal admitted to The Hollywood Reporter before Childstar’s release.
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The young star has also begun dabbling in acting. She made her debut in the 2020 film Stargirl, then returned for its sequel, Hollywood Stargirl, in 2022. She also had a role in Francis Ford Coppola‘s Megalopolis in 2024.
What does Simon Cowell think of Grace VanderWaal?
AGT judge Simon Cowell credits VanderWaal with making the show “cool” for others. “When I joined the show in 2016, I prayed we were going to find a great singer and that was the year we met Grace,” he said during an AGT Golden Buzzers special in 2022.
He continued, “This is one of the reasons this audition became such a monster because she didn’t sing a cover, she did sing her own song. And you know, she’s a great songwriter, a brilliant songwriter. I would say this is the moment when AGT became cool, because she was so cool.”
What happened between Grace VanderWaal and Jacob Sartorius?
In 2017, VanderWaal got into a bit of an online feud with Jacob Sartorious. It began after he posted a video with the caption, “Thankful. Just a kid out here working my butt off, so glad I have you guys with me. I wouldn’t be anywhere without you guys. Here’s to 2018 being the biggest year yet!!”
VanderWaal popped into the comments section to respond, “This is all out of respect. Please let me inform you on how women and men have worked harder than you or I could ever imagine for 3 times our years. No internet, no Spotify, no nothing that makes it so easy to gain so many fans in such little time, just dedication and pure hard work, pushing and pushing to make their dreams happen. Lip syncing on an app and manipulating young girls’ feelings and hearts is NOT ‘working your butt off.”
After being on the receiving end of wrath from Satrorius’ fans, VanderWaal apologized. “I’m so sorry I was not expecting or trying to start anything … Just really think your talented and should stay grounded remembering and thinking about what the word work really means,” she wrote. “Really amazing you’re taking time and saying thanks all respect to you brother.”
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