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Matt Mauser is the latest contestant to impress in the ongoing season of “America’s Got Talent.” The California native earned a standing ovation from all the judges after delivering a soulful rendition of Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds.”
The singer dedicated his performance to his wife, Christina, who lost her life in the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash. After gracing the stage, Matt Mauser detailed the heartbreaking story of his wife’s passing:
“She [Christina] got the opportunity to coach girls basketball with Kobe Bryant. But on January 26th, 2020, I lost my wife in the same helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant.”
Mauser’s started his performance on an emotional note and left the panel moved with his heartfelt cover. As his voice broke towards the final lyrics, the judges and audience stood up in unison.
Following the applause, Howie Mandel mentioned:
“We felt your emotion. If you’re able to move strangers, and we can feel it in our hearts, and I am not only speaking about at the stage but everybody at home that heard that. I don’t have words to describe it.”
Heidi Klum shared that she felt the performance was special:
“There was just a different kind of vibe in your voice, and when you were singing, it definitely went inside of me. It was beautiful, it was sad. As a strong man standing there, it was very special.”
Sofia Vergara added:
“That was very emotional, very touching. Thank you for being here.”
Before sharing his opinion, judge Simon Cowell asked Matt Mauser what would happen if he did well on the show. To which, the singer answered:
“I would like to make sure that my children see that in spite of the grief we’ve been through this year, that grief is not going to define who we are as a family and that my children see that you have to find joy in life and you have to continue. If this can anyway help my children to chase their dreams, then I’ll take.”
The emotional judges quickly gave their nod to the singer, sending him forward in the competition. Matt Mauser shares two daughters and a son with Christina.
All three of his three children stood near the AGT stage to cheer for their father. Following the selection, the family of four embraced each other onstage.
Who is Matt Mauser?
Matt Mauser is based in Southern California and is a singer-songwriter known for his Frank Sinatra-style of singing. Before pursuing his career in singing, Mauser was a professional swimmer. He is also a Spanish teacher.
Matt was fond of music since his childhood and wrote his first song when he was just eight years old. To combine his passion for music and his profession in the academic field, Mauser created an educational project called “Rockin’ the Class.”
The program introduced the basic fundamentals of Spanish to children with certain songs written and recorded by Matt Mauser.
The 51-year-old met Christina while performing at a local show with his band, the Tijuana Dogs. The two fell in love and married after dating for a few months, starting a beautiful family together with their three children.
Mauser has also worked with Kobe Bryant. The NBA legend hired him to create music for “The Punies,” an educations podcast for children.
After losing his wife in the tragic helicopter crash, Mauser started “The Christina Mauser Foundation” to help provide scholarships and financial aid to female athletes.
Also read: Who is Alyssa Edwards? Meet RuPaul’s Drag Race fame, who highlighted AGT auditions
Matt Mauser on his relationship with his late wife, Christina Mauser
Before taking the stage, Matt Mauser spoke to AGT host Terry Crews, sharing excerpts from his life with Christina in a pre-recorded footage. He mentioned how the couple had a “dreamy life” together:
“Before January 26th, me and Christina live this dreamy kind of life. We met in 2004, she came and saw me playing at this dive bar, and I asked her out. We sat in my car, and we talked about music.”
He also shared how Christina was as a person:
“She was just this very humble, powerful, and beautiful human being. My mom said, ‘If you don’t marry that girl, you are stupid.’”
Matt Mauser and Christina were married for 15 years. The singer shared that their lives were always “filled with love.” He also wrote the song “Lost” to pay tribute to his wife after her passing.
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