America’s Got Talent season 11 winner, Grace VanderWaal, recently signed with performing rights organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI). The 12-year old New York native has garnered praise from some of recording industry’s biggest stars, including BMI Icon Stevie Nicks, who applauded Grace’s talent and individuality by telling the show's host, Nick Cannon, that, “she [Grace] reminds me a lot of me in a lot of ways.” Nicks went on to say, “She's got it. Whatever happens, Grace is going to the top."
After being dubbed the “next Taylor Swift” by Simon Cowell, VanderWaal went on to win the coveted title in last week's season finale. Although the spirited musician received a flood of congratulatory notes on social media from Ellen DeGeneres, Katy Perry, Reese Witherspoon and Jason Mraz, to name a few, it was fellow BMI songwriter Swift who surprised VanderWaal the most with a huge bouquet of flowers.
Pictured: VanderWaal at BMI’s New York City headquarters. (l-r): Samantha Cox, Brooke Morrow and Tim Pattison of BMI.
