Olivia Calderon greeted the America’s Got Talent judges in Spanish before introducing herself. She said she was a detention officer, and when they asked if the people at work knew she was there, she smiled and said not yet.
She had been in the corrections field for 21 years, the last 12 of them in Tempe, Arizona. She was 47, and her mother had come with her to the audition. When the judges asked why she came, her answer was simple. She had always dreamed of being a professional singer.
Then she sang My Way in Spanish with a big, dramatic voice, and the audience cheered all the way through 🎶.
One judge admitted it was not their cup of tea but wished her a ton of luck. Simon wanted to know what had stopped her from singing at a younger age. Olivia explained that she had earned a degree in vocal performance and another in criminal justice, but she put her dream on hold to help her mom take care of her dad.
Simon told her he loved the drama she brought to her performance and said he would love to be the first to say yes. Two more yeses followed, and Olivia went through. Backstage she said she knew her dad was with her the entire time ❤️.
