America’s Got Talent is one of the most-watched and beloved talent competitions on television in the USA as the show enters its 19th season. However, the AGT has been called out several times for not implementing strict age restrictions for the participants. This issue floated again after 10-year-old vocalist, Pranysqa Mishra’s heartbreaking performance.
Pranysqa Mishra’s semifinal performance
The debate about imposing an age restriction for participants kicked off after the performance of Mishra, the nine-year-old Indian-origin girl from Florida, on the AGT stage on Wednesday, September 11. The young vocalist struggled during her performance due to a lack of performing experience. She chose the track, High Hopes but her pitch was off and the high notes came out scratchy. The performance was especially disappointing as the episode marked the semifinals of the competition.
On the brighter side, Mishra looked adorable in her outfit. Her good luck charm and biggest inspiration, Mishra’s grandmother was also present for her performance.
The participants of the show are required to adhere to strict regulations which include waking up at 6 in the morning and shooting round the clock. It is also a given the participants perform for a nation which can be anxiety-inducing. Therefore, it is usually advised to bring children to such major competitions after they have gained some practical experience.
Mishra won the Golden Buzzer from Heidi Klum during the auditions of the season and the latter remarked that she “gave us such a moment” that day. Howie Mandel described her vocals as “the voice of an angel” with “such power, such poise,” Sofia Vergara praised her for the self-assurance she exhibited at her age. Simon Cowell called her performance “gutsy, gutsy, gusty” for choosing to sing a song of that calibre alone.
AGT’s past participants
While Mishra’s performance stirred up the topic of age restriction on the show, she is not the youngest ever to perform on the AGT stage. The youngest performer was Devan, a two-year-old boy who tried out for the talent competition. He exhibited his algebraic skills during the interview. The oldest participant, AFT stage has witnessed, was burlesque dancer Penny Starr Sr. in Season 17 of the show. The 88-year-old was eliminated during the Deliberations. Penny, the oldest known burlesque performer and an inductee into the Burlesque Hall of Fame, performs each year at Exotic World in Las Vegas.
