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Singer Ava Swiss impressed judges with her heartwarming audition on Season 17of America's Got Talent (AGT) in an episode that aired on July 26, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on NBC. The 18-year-old singer opened up about her story of surviving the Oxford School Shooting last year with her brother, which brought a wave of emotions amongst the audience and viewers back home.
The AGT contestant displayed her vocal range and musicality to win over judges Sofia Vergara, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Heidi Klum. She earned their and the audience's approval to move forward to the next round. Viewers will have to tune in next week to see if she makes it through the judges' cuts and reaches the competition's semi-finals.
AGT contestant Ava Swiss shares Oxford school shooting survival story
Ava was welcomed with wide applause from the audience as she made her debut on the AGT stage. She said that her original name is Ava Swieczkowski, but she kept her last name as 'Swiss' because it was shorter, cooler, and easier to pronounce. Behind her lovely personality, she held a strong survival story, which she shared during her audition.
The Oxford, Michigan native shared her story of surviving the Oxford School Shooting with her brother. While talking about the reason behind her choice of song, Remember by Lauren Daigle, she opened up about the tragic experience on stage.
On November 30, 2021, a mass shooting at Oxford High School, Michigan, left four students dead and seven others injured, including a teacher. Authorities arrested and charged 15-year-old sophomore Ethan Crumbley for 24 crimes, including murder and terrorism.
Although currently a senior at Oxford High School, the contestant and her brother couldn't attend school for a long time as they struggled to come to terms with the incident. Ava confessed that it was tough, but both the siblings have been attending school for over two months, and "things have been better."
Upon asking if music has been like therapy to get through hard times, Ava said:
"It definitely has been..When I sing..I remember the good, I remember my community, my family, just the love..And I remember that it's all there for me..And it will help me get to be where I need to be. And that's why I'm so grateful to be here today...that I can share with more people than I thought I could."
After her soulful performance, the judges had only one word for the same, "amazing." Howie Mandel then took it from there and said that it was tough to show up after a traumatic experience, but she was able to "break through that and shine" as an inspiration. The judges then applauded her strength and courage to bounce back from tragedy.
Check out what fans had to say about Ava's performance on AGT.
Other contestants who auditioned on this week's episode include magician Maxence VIRE, singer Freckled Zelda, acrobat groups Duo Mico and RCC Aruba, among many others. The next episode will host the final round of auditions before the judges decide who moves forward to the semi-finals.
Tune in to an all-new episode of AGT on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET on NBC.
