In a stunning and historic verdict that electrified the Dolby Theatre, Filipino-American powerhouse Jessica Sanchez, once the runner-up on American Idol, claimed the America’s Got Talent 2025 crown with a performance for the ages. Taking on the daunting challenge of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s soulful “Die With A Smile,” Sanchez began a cappella, her voice a hushed, vulnerable whisper that held the audience in a breathless silence.
As the first gentle chords of the piano joined her, she built the narrative with exquisite control, but it was the song’s bridge where “crazy” brilliance erupted: abandoning the original’s smooth funk, Sanchez unleashed a jaw-dropping, gospel-infused vocal run that soared into a breathtaking whistle note, holding it for an impossible duration before cascading back down into the song’s final, poignant chorus.
The moment was pure alchemy, transforming the track into a triumphant anthem that earned a thunderous, instantaneous standing ovation from all four judges—including a visibly emotional Simon Cowell, who called it “one of the best performances I have ever witnessed on any stage.”
This victory, decided by a record-breaking public vote, made Sanchez the first former Idol contestant to win the rival show, cementing her journey from teen phenom to a truly historic champion.