Where The Most Successful America's Got Talent Stars Are Today

Has it really been 20 years since "America's Got Talent" introduced the world to eventual Season 1 winner Bianca Ryan? We blinked and suddenly 21 seasons went by. In the early 2000s, Simon Cowell came up with what turned out to be a brilliant idea: Put a bunch of ordinary people with extraordinary talents in one audition room, let the court of public opinion have a voice, and let the magic happen. 

"Once I'd done ['American Idol'] and I enjoyed it, I kind of thought, 'I think I'd probably enjoy a show that has singers along with other acts,'" Cowell told People in 2025. "It was a light-bulb moment ... and it evolved into what it is now."

Over time, Cowell's "light-bulb moment" has directly changed too many lives to count, both in the United States and across the entire "Got Talent" franchise. We're not just talking about all the winners, either: It turns out that some of the most successful "AGT" stars never even made it to the finals. For those wondering what some of these former contestants are up to now, we've got you covered. 

Before chronically online people learned new moves from addictive TikTok dance trends, they got inspired by extraordinary crews like the Jabbawockeez. The Jabbawockeez also appeared on "America's Got Talent" Season 2, although they didn't get very far: They were eliminated during the Las Vegas callbacks, before the live shows.

If you forgot that the Jabbawockeez were on "AGT," it's because they shot to stardom on another popular competition series: "America's Best Dance Crew." The Jabbawockeez auditioned for their inaugural season in 2008 and almost immediately became a household name. This level of popularity increased when they eventually won; the Jabbawockeez have subsequently performed here, there, and everywhere. 

Today, the Jabbawockeez can mainly be found busting a move at the Jabbawockeez Theater, located within the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The dance crew has been performing their fifth residential show, FREQNCY, since October 2025. "[There are] so many Easter eggs in there," co-owner Joe Larot told Las Vegas Weekly. "If you pay attention, you'll have a lot of candy."

The Texas Tenors (J.C. Fisher, John Hagen, and Marcus Collins) were a hit on "America's Got Talent" Season 4 in 2009. With each of the tenors skilled in a particular musical genre — opera, country, and pop, respectively — this trio ultimately landed in fourth place. Ten years later, they competed again on "America's Got Talent: The Champions," though they didn't make it past the preliminaries. 

Although the Texas Tenors didn't win "AGT," they've sure done incredibly well for themselves. To date, they've released more than six albums and two major specials on PBS. One of these specials, "You Should Dream," won three Emmy Awards in 2014. "We've talked about more TV specials, maybe even a documentary at some point, and we'd love to keep creating content for kids and families," Collins later told Egyptian Theatre in 2025. 

So what are the Texas Tenors up to now? The same things as always: traveling around the world, performing for the masses, and entertaining as many people as possible. Between July and October 2026 alone, they sang with the Augusta Symphony in Georgia, spent a week in Las Vegas, judged a pageant in Florida, and performed the National Anthem at a baseball game. 

Lindsey Stirling set a new standard when she auditioned for "America's Got Talent" Season 5 in 2010: with enough talent, dedication, and passion, it's possible to dance and play the violin at the same time. What's ironic, though, is that Stirling's rendition of Flo Rida's "Right Round" was barely televised. Despite her initial lack of screen time, Stirling advanced all the way to the quarterfinals before getting eliminated. 

Stirling has accomplished so many things since her time on "AGT" that going through them would take way too much time, so here are some highlights: she's dropped eight studio albums over the years, with the last released in 2024. Stirling has won several awards, including two Billboard Music Awards. She's written comic books, sells sheet music online, and was the runner-up on "Dancing With the Stars" Season 25. 

On top of all that, Stirling has been essentially touring nonstop since 2012. She currently has two upcoming tours scheduled: "The Snow Waltz Tour," expected to run between November and December 2026, and the "Master of Tides Cruise," which will be at sea between January and February 2027. 

Melissa Villaseñor was an unknown 23-year-old when she auditioned for "America's Got Talent" Season 6 in 2011. At the time, Villaseñor explained that she was a retail worker, but wanted to be a full-time comedian and impressionist. Villaseñor's hilarious routine, which included impersonations of Miley Cyrus, Kathy Griffin, and Barbara Walters, got her as far as the semifinals. 

Villaseñor's career exploded after "AGT." From 2016 to 2022, Villaseñor was a cast member on "Saturday Night Live." During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Villaseñor stayed extra relevant with a new podcast, "Laughing With Myself." In 2022, Villaseñor revealed to The Daily Beast that she left "SNL" due to mental health. "I was struggling. I always felt like I was on the edge of a cliff every week," she explained. 

While "SNL" didn't work out, Villaseñor has her feet firmly planted in multiple sections of the entertainment industry. In 2026, Villaseñor voiced animated characters in projects like "Hoppers," "Toy Story 5," and "Rock, Paper, Scissors." Villaseñor still performs stand-up comedy, runs her podcast, and between all that, has become a children's book writer. She released her debut graphic novel, "Cat and Lola: School Picture Day," in September 2026.  

Many magicians have appeared on "America's Got Talent" over the years, and Mat Franco was the first to actually win. For Franco's Season 9 audition in 2014, he told a story with a deck of cards that appeared to be randomly shuffled, only for every single card to perfectly highlight each sentence. With unbelievable skills like that, Franco was practically destined for victory. 

Whatever happened to Mat Franco after "AGT"? The short answer is: a lot. In 2015, Franco launched his own Las Vegas show, "Mat Franco: Magic Reinvented Nightly." That same year, he filmed his own TV special with NBC and hard-launched his own YouTube channel (although he actually created it in 2013). In 2026, Franco had a theater named after him; Las Vegas also declared April 26 to be "Mat Franco Day."

All of which is to say, Franco is still performing "Magic Revinted Nightly" to sold-out crowds on the Strip; he celebrated his 3,000th show in June 2026. In August 2026, Franco announced that his own Netflix special was in the works and would be taped in October. "I love having a place where I can do my live show on a nightly basis," Franco told 8 News Now (via YouTube). "You can find anything in [Las Vegas]."

Terry Fator's audition for "America's Got Talent" Season 2 was unexpected in the best way: As soon as Emma Taylor opened her mouth and delivered the first note of Etta James's "At Last," Fator (and his puppet) breathed new life into the art of ventriloquism. How did Fator do it then? How does he still do it now? We can't begin to explain the science and skill behind it, but we can undoubtedly say that his "AGT" win was justified. 

While Bianca Ryan reportedly doesn't watch "AGT," Fator has appeared on the show multiple times since his own victory. In 2023, Fator competed on "America's Got Talent: All Stars," where he was eliminated during the preliminaries. That same year, Fator returned once more to perform with "AGT" Season 12 contestant Darci Lynne Farmer (more on her later). 

Fator performed at The Mirage in Las Vegas for over a decade. After his residency finally ended, Fator started to gravitate more toward tour life. Currently, Fator is knee-deep in his "Pure Imagination: Once Upon a Voice" tour, which is scheduled to run through March 2027. "You can look forward to seeing and hearing Willie Nelson, Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, plus a few surprise guests," he teased (via his official website). 

We're not going to lie: When Grace VanderWaal first graced "America's Got Talent" Season 11 in 2016, we weren't expecting much. As soon as she opened her mouth and strummed that first note on the ukulele, however, we were hooked. VanderWaal's unique voice, coupled with her powerful original lyrics, helped her win the entire competition at just 12 years old. 

VanderWaal didn't just enjoy a robust singing career after "AGT," but also transformed into a model and actor: In the early 2020s, VanderWaal played the lead character in two Disney movies, "Stargirl" and "Hollywood Stargirl." To date, VanderWaal has put out two studio albums and two EPs and won several awards, including a Rising Star Award from Billboard Women in Music. 

VanderWaal may look completely different now, but her voice remains just as powerful as it was when we met her. VanderWaal frequently posts singing videos on her social media, but outside of that, she's largely retreated from the public eye. VanderWaal was supposed to go on tour with Natalie Jane in 2026, but dropped out due to mental health. "I've been struggling for a while and am choosing myself," VanderWaal explained in an Instagram statement. 

Sam Willis, better known as Tape Face, made quite an impression when he auditioned for "America's Got Talent" Season 11. While Grace Vanderwaal sang her heart out, Tape Face brought the house down without a single word spoken. In the end, Tape Face finished near the bottom of the top 10, although he certainly left a lasting impact with his dark aesthetic and impeccable timing.

Interestingly, Tape Face returned for so many renditions of "AGT" that he became one of the biggest faces of the entire franchise. After his initial appearance in 2016, Tape Face showed off his skills on "America's Got Talent: The Champions" and "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League," as well as versions in France, Spain, Canada, and Great Britain. 

As of 2026, Tape Face has a residency at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas; he performs every Tuesday through Thursday with dates currently set through December 2027. When he isn't in Las Vegas, Tape Face is touring in virtually every place that will have him. He announced a U.K. tour set for March 2027 in October 2026, and he's bound for Canada in November. Earlier in the year, he performed in Australia. 

Darci Lynne Farmer was only 12 years old when she swept the competition on "America's Got Talent" Season 12 in 2017. Farmer's singing ventriloquism acts with Petunia and her other puppets blew everyone away, especially Terry Fator — heartwarmingly, Fator served as one of Farmer's inspirations. "I have to get my mom a dishwasher, and maybe get a fridge along with it," Farmer told USA Today after her victory. "I want a pug so bad, because I love puppies and it's been a long time since I had a puppy."

For those curious, Farmer did eventually get a dog. Career-wise, Farmer has successfully transitioned from a child performer into an adult entertainer. In fact, Farmer, Petunia, and the rest of their crew have been on tour for nearly two years now. At present, Farmer is in the middle of "The Growing Pains Tour," which is currently scheduled to end in March 2027. 

Interestingly, outside of her famous profession, Farmer seems to live a relatively normal life. According to Farmer's Instagram, she celebrated her 21st birthday with an apparently 1980s-themed party, has run several half-marathons, and attends an annual Christian camp.

Simon Cowell may not be able to act or sing, but he seems to always know if a contestant will be a star. Such was the case with Preacher Lawson, who made his mark on "America's Got Talent" Season 12. While Cowell is normally a tough cookie, Lawson's comedic timing melted his tough facade like butter. Lawson may have lost to Darci Lynne Farmer, but he sure won a lot of fans. 

In 2019, Lawson appeared on three more "Got Talent" shows: "America's Got Talent: The Champions," "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League," and "Britain's Got Talent: The Champions." Fast-forward from his initial appearance: In the years since his first audition, Lawson has cultivated a popular YouTube channel (which he actually launched in 2010) full of comedic stand-up and skits. 

In October 2026, Lawson announced a new tour with stops across the United States and Canada; shows are currently expected to run through April 2027. A few months prior, Lawson released his third stand-up special, "Keep Preacher Weird." "I self-funded this project to keep it independent and personal," Lawson revealed on YouTube. "Hope you enjoy it."

Unlike most of the others here, Shin Lim already had a following when he auditioned for "America's Got Talent" Season 13: he managed to put one over on Penn & Teller on national television not once, but twice. Similarly, Lim decided that one "AGT" victory wasn't enough; he became the first (and still only) two-time winner in 2019. 

Lim secured his first Las Vegas residency after his second stint on "AGT." The popular family-friendly magic show, "Limitless," ran from late 2019 to mid-2024 at The Mirage. When The Mirage shut down — it's reportedly being renovated into a Hard Rock —  Lim was offered another residency at The Venetian Resort. He's been performing "Limitless" there ever since, with no end date in sight yet. 

"If I eventually have my own theater, I want to do something truly unique and kind of mix it around with magic as well. ... I want to be able to immerse the whole theater and make everything be a part of it," Lim once told Las Vegas Magazine. "Vegas is where it's at. All the best shows are here."

Kodi Lee delivered one of the most unforgettable "America's Got Talent" auditions of all time on Season 14 in 2019. Lee, a blind and autistic musical savant, brought everyone to tears with his stunning rendition of Leon Russell's "A Song for You." Lee received the Golden Buzzer from Gabrielle Union and was eventually crowned the winner over the Detroit Youth Choir and Ryan Niemiller. 

During the first half of the 2020s, Lee released several singles, maintained a strong social media presence, and returned to "AGT" three times: He performed with Teddy Swims and Neal Schon in 2022, competed on "America's Got Talent: All Stars" in 2023, and returned once more for "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League" in 2024. During the latter appearance, Lee received another Golden Buzzer. 

Lee released his debut studio album, "Exactly As I Am," in April 2026. It peaked at No. 9 on iTunes and featured his siblings, Derek and Kayla. That month, Lee also partnered with the Doug Floutie Jr. Foundation for Autism to create the Kodi Lee Give Back Grant; the organization awards scholarships of up to $1,000 to autistic musicians. 

The Mayyas, a Lebanese dance troupe founded by Nadim Cherfan, stole the show on "America's Got Talent" Season 17 (it's worth noting that they previously competed on "Britain's Got Talent" and won "Arabs Got Talent"). Their precise choreography and intricate arm movements earned them a Golden Buzzer from Sofia Vergara; that Golden Buzzer eventually led them to their second "Got Talent" victory. 

Out of everything the Mayyas have accomplished post-show, their collaborations with Beyoncé arguably stand out the most. They've performed with Queen Bey three times thus far: in Dubai in 2023, in France in 2025, and in New York City in 2026. "Proud to witness my choreographies come to life on the world tour of the biggest star of the century," Cherfan once wrote on Instagram. 

As evidenced by their work with Beyoncé, the Mayyas are seasoned travelers; in 2026, they also performed at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. At the end of the day, however, the Mayyas remain deeply rooted within and dedicated to Lebanon. That January, they danced for roughly 8,000 attendees. "Beirut ... our home, our beginning, our heartbeat," the Mayyas wrote on Instagram. "Seeing [the show] unfold in our city once again reminded us why we do what we do."