When they tell you that the next contestant coming up on the stage of America’s Got Talent is a 10-year-old girl, you probably think of a tiny girl with an immature voice, who is more likely to impress the audience with her cuteness than with her voice.
And then, Roberta Battaglia walks in and she starts speaking- not even singing yet- and you immediately know that she’s not going to be forgotten easily.
Alessandro Battaglia reportedly moved to Toronto from Italy in 2008, right before his daughter, Roberta, was born. He is a musician who plays the keyboards and the saxophone, and also sings.
“All of my family loves music. My grandfather was a music professor, my dad plays the keyboard and saxophone and sings, so I followed in his footsteps. We’re just a family of music,” the young singer explained.
Ever since Roberta was a toddler- as early as 3 years old- she used to accompany her dad in his performances and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and more.
“I would sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star when [dad] would leave the microphone on the floor,” Barraglia said, with her mom adding that “she had the courage to be in front of people, and start singing a song.”
But, soon, her parents realized she had an innate musical talent and encouraged her to follow her dream.
The young girl appeared in the CNE Rising Star Talent Competition for juniors in 2019, where she won second place. In March of that same year, Roberta also participated in Canadian morning show Breakfast Television, where she sang Lady Gaga’s Shallow.
So, with the experience that she had gotten from her appearance on those shows, Roberta felt ready to compete in her favorite TV Show.
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It was a dream come true for her to be able to perform on the stage of America’s Got Talent in front of some of her favorite celebrities, including Sofia Vergara who she admired for her role in Modern Family.
When she went on stage, she couldn’t hide her excitement about being in front of the judges- especially Sofia Vergara.
The judges tried to make her feel a little more comfortable by asking her simple questions and even offering her some water.
They just couldn’t believe that she’s so young, and they certainly couldn’t have guessed how incredibly talented she is.
So, after a quick chit-chat with the judges and a sip of water, Roberta starts singing Shallow and the four celebrities can’t believe their ears.
The girl’s voice is so deep and well-trained that it sounds like that of a professional adult singer.
Still, she’s only a 10-year-old girl with immense talent and lots of perseverance.
When the song is over, Roberta explains that she sometimes gets bullied, and that’s when the most amazing thing happens: Sofia Vergara slams the Golden Buzzer and golden confetti fills the studio.
“You know what? Let’s see who’s going to bully you after this,” she said as she hit the buzzer.
Roberta can’t believe it and she’s still in shock when the actress joins her on stage and gives her and her mom a warm hug.
That’s how the young girl ended up in the semi-finals, and from there she won fourth place. The video of her performance has gone viral and she hasn’t stopped singing ever since.
Watch the video of Roberta’s audition below.
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