A 21-year-old Gaithersburg, Maryland, woman got the ultimate surprise from her mother: the chance to perform live on “America’s Got Talent!”
Anna Wilson, of Gaithersburg, sings during a surprise audition on “America’s Got Talent.”(Courtesy Anna Wilson)
Anna Wilson, of Gaithersburg, sings during a surprise audition on “America’s Got Talent.”(Courtesy Anna Wilson)
After traveling from her home in Montgomery County, Maryland, and flying to California, Anna Wilson thought she was simply attending a taping of “America’s Got Talent” with her mother.
Little did she know that her attendance would turn into one of the most emotional and talked about moments of the season.
In a surprise twist orchestrated by her mom, the Gaithersburg resident was called up from the audience to perform an audition song.
“I had absolutely no clue!” Wilson told WTOP.
Initially, Wilson, 21, was told that she was a VIP guest in attendance to watched taped auditions.
“My mom, being how awesome and great she is, said that a part of the VIP experience was getting my hair and makeup done,” she said.
Once hair and makeup were complete, Wilson and her “momager” headed to the auditorium.
“And then the audio guys came up to me and they were like, ‘You’re a VIP audience member, we want to hear the ad-libs and the oohs and the ahs in the audience, so can we mic you up?’ and I was like, ‘Sure, whatever,’” Wilson recalled.
Back at home on the East Coast, Wilson is an active singer, with upcoming performances around the D.C. area and a new single titled “I Know.”
Wilson’s mom later shared with her daughter that producers from “America’s Got Talent” reached out to her after a video of her singing went viral.
“About a year ago, my mom made a very mom-like TikTok video of me, posted it on her TikTok. And it was me singing karaoke when I was 16 years old,” she said. “And they found it, one of the producers, because it kind of blew up a little bit. It had almost a million views.”
Back in the crowded California auditorium, Wilson’s mom sneaked away to “the bathroom,” and when she was told she was not allowed to go check on her mom, “I thought the next act was coming out, and it happened to be my mom.”
When she looked up, her mom was on stage with a microphone in her hands.
“I’m actually here surprising my daughter. She thinks we’re here for a VIP experience in the audience. But I nominated Anna to audition today,” Wilson’s mother explained to the judges before asking them to let her daughter sing.
The stunned crowd and judging panel watched as Wilson overcame the shock, took the stage and delivered a powerful audition that left everyone in awe, singing a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” and Maren Morris’ “My Church.”
“I was just going through so many emotions at that point. I thought my mom was in the restroom. … I was happy to be there, but shocked,” Wilson said.
The feel-good moment has since gone viral, with thousands sharing the video of Wilson’s raw, unexpected performance and the touching story behind it.
“I trust her because she’s my mom. I don’t think she would steer me down the wrong path,” she said. “Not only does this show that I’m a good singer, but I’m also a professional and I can be put on the spot and just be unfazed. So I think that was actually, honestly, a blessing.”
Spoiler alert: Wilson made it through to the live shows, which begin airing in mid-August.
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