Darci Lynne Farmer, a young singing ventriloquist from Oklahoma City, won the 12th season of “America’s Got Talent.”
Farmer, 12, was crowned the champion on Sept. 20, during the Wednesday night show, besting 10-year-old singer Angelica Hale.
Farmer started ventriloquism only two years ago, after her mother gave her a dummy as a surprise present for her 10th birthday. The comedic art helped her overcome shyness, she said during her audition.
Indeed, it was her composure that impressed the judges as well as her remarkable vocal range.
For her finale show, Farmer brought with her on stage Terry Fator, a fellow singing ventriloquist, comedian, and winner of the 2nd season of “America’s Got Talent.”
They performed “Anything You Can Do” from the 1946 musical “Annie Get Your Gun” featuring Farmer’s rabbit dummy Petunia and Fator’s Winston the Impersonating Turtle.
Her previous performances were The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends” featuring both Petunia and her mouse dummy Oscar; Aretha Franklin’s “A Natural Woman” featuring dummy Edna Doorknocker; Jackson 5’s “Who’s Lovin’ You” featuring Oscar, and her audition performance with Petunia where her jaw-dropping rendition of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” earned her Golden Buzzer from judge Mel B.
Farmer attends 7th grade at Deer Creek Middle School in Edmond, Oklahoma. She has three brothers Nate, 20, Dalton, 17, and Nick, 9.
The top 10 acts were:
Darci Lynne Farmer, singing ventriloquist
Angelica Hale, singer
Light Balance, light-up dance group
Mandy Harvey, singer, songwriter, ukulele player
Sara and Hero, dog act
Chase Goehring, singer, songwriter, guitarist
Diavolo, acrobatic dance group
Evie Clair, singer
Kechi Okwuchi, singer
Preacher Lawson, stand-up comedian