There’s no denying that “America’s Got Talent” has given us some of the most iconic reality TV moments of the last two decades. The show’s format allows anyone to compete, regardless of their passions and origin, demonstrating that there’s talent in even the most unexpected places.
The competition is hard, so it’s always difficult to choose a favorite among such a wide range of people with diverse skills and talents, as the show never fails to deliver top-tier entertainment.
So who are the past 10 winners of “America’s Got Talent”, and what are they doing now? Keep watching to find out!
Adrian Stoica and Hurricane
The latest winners of “America’s Got Talent” are Adrian Stoica and his loyal friend Hurricane, a border collie female dog. The pair debuted in the show’s 18th season, gaining the audience’s approval with their unbelievably dynamic joint act, which usually consists of choreographed performances in which man and dog do their best to entertain and lift everyone’s moods.
Adrian and Hurricane were named the season’s winners in September 2023, becoming the first dog act to win the competition in 11 years. Besides the juicy $1 million prize, Adrian and Hurricane won a headline show in Las Vegas named SuperStars Live, held in January 2024. Just a couple of weeks before that, Adrian and Hurricane appeared in “America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League”, making it to the Semifinals before being eliminated.
The man-dog duo celebrated the incorporation of a new family member, a puppy named Diva, with whom they went to visit Italy for a press tour in May 2024.
Mayyas
The Lebanese dance group Mayyas was the winner of the 17th season of “America’s Got Talent”, after delivering amazing and complex performances throughout their journey. They were named winners of the show in September 2023, with singer and dancer Kristy Sellars coming second.
Mayyas reportedly didn’t headline the Las Vegas show they gained upon their show victory, but they’ve seen success and recognition coming in other ways. In October 2022 they performed at the event “Meet The Artist”, held by the Lebanon-based US embassy, on top of appearing in a commercial for Tiffany & Co and Marie Claire in November of that year.
We can’t wait to show you what’s next ✨ @AGT #Mayyas #AGT https://t.co/TNNGrmJQ26
— Mayyasofficial (@mayyasofficial) September 23, 2022
In January 2023, Mayyas performed alongside Beyonce at the Atlantis The Royal opening in Dubai, and returned to the “America’s Got Talent” stage a year later as guests.
Regarding the impact of Mayyas, Cherfan told NBC that the group’s victory was a ‘message of hope’ for Arab women and the Lebanese diaspora around the world.
Dustin Tavella
As the winner of season 16th of “America’s Got Talent”, Dustin Tavella has since been building a successful path in the entertainment industry. Following the Las Vegas headline show he headlined as part of his prize, Dustin launched his show Here Comes Trouble, successfully combining his love for magic and passion for music.
While Dustin briefly appeared in “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars” first season without advancing far, he continued actively performing around the US throughout the year. In May he announced the launch of his “Now I See” show, which he described as ‘surpassing everything’ he’d ever done before.
Brandon Leake
It’s hard to not be moved by Brandon Leake’s powerful word poetry, made more than obvious from the first time we saw him in “America’s Got Talent”.
He became the winner of the show’s 15th season aired in late 2020, then traveled the US with his word prose, and delivered motivational speeches for a couple of years before stopping touring in August 2023 to take care of his mental health.
Nevertheless, Brandon actively shares audio content on streaming services such as Spotify, besides connecting with his followers through his motivational social media posts, which allow him to share his experiences and struggles such as dealing with sudden health issues and facing an autoimmune disease diagnosis that was given to one of his children in early 2024. Despite it all, Brandon continues to updates his accounts, and promises to keep creating content for years to go.
Kodi Lee
There are very few auditions in “America’s Got Talent” which are as unforgettable as Kodi Lee’s. From the first time he sat on the piano to sing a rendition of “A Song For You” by Leon Russell, it was a given that he was meant for greatness.
Kodi won the 14th season of “America’s Got Talent” in 2019, starting a very successful musical path from there. From 2022, Kodi has released several singles, including “A Song For You”, “You Are The Reason” and “Journey Of You And I”. He also has a very popular YouTube channel, and has also launched a signature shoe line in early 2024.
Shin Lim
Not only is Shin Lim one of the most impressive performers to ever be featured in “America’s Got Talent”, but he’s also one of the most successful. Ever since winning the show’s 13th season and the first season of the spin-off “The Champions”, Shin has become one of the most sought-after magicians in the world.
Shin began performing his “Limitless” live show at the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas in 2019, though it’s unclear where his show is moving to following the Mirage’s announcement of closure due to a years-long renovation of the casino starting in 2024. Nevertheless, Shin surely has some great projects planned for the future.
Darci Lynne
One of the few ventriloquists to ever make it big in “America’s Got Talent” is Darci Lynne. Her amazing puppet-control skills could only be matched by her singing prowess and good humor, something which became evident from her audition and only strengthened as she advanced in the competition, becoming the 12th season’s winner in September 2017.
After becoming an internet sensation thanks to “America’s Got Talent”, Darci has successfully toured the US, and appeared in several TV shows such as “My Hometown Christmas Special” and “America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League”. In 2022 she released the song “Just Breathe”, followed by her single “Push Our Luck” in 2024.
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Grace VanderWaal
From the first time that Grace VanderWaal performed at “America’s Got Talent”, it was clear that she would be big in the entertainment industry. After winning the 11th season in 2016, Grace has widely explored her musical talents, starting off her path with the 2017 album “Just The Beginning” and following with singles such as “Ur So Beautiful” and “Boyfriends”, which had her exploring her varied musical tastes and styles.
Grace’s acting debut came in 2020 with the movie “Stargirl” and its sequel “Hollywood Stargirl”. Her newest movie “Megalopolis” was released in 2024.
Paul Zerdin
The comedian and ventriloquist Paul Zerdin is one of the most memorable winners of “America’s Got Talent” of the past decade. After conquering the show’s top spot during season 10, Paul went on to start his Hollywood Planet’s show “Mouthing Off” and also went back to “America’s Got Talent” stage in the spin-off “The Champions” and its British version.
Nowadays, Paul is touring the US with his “Puppetman Show”.
Mat Franco
Another magician who conquered the “America’s Got Talent” audience was Mat Franco, the winner of the ninth season in 2014. Since his victory, Mat has been busy with his magic live shows held in Las Vegas, winning a Golden Best Show plaque by the site Best Of Las Vegas in 2019 for his “Magic Reinvented Nightly” show held at the Linq Theater.
On top of that, Mat has appeared in shows such as “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and “The Talk”. This demonstrates that winning “America’s Got Talent” is very often just the beginning of very successful careers in the entertainment industry.
