Side-by-side images of Jessica Sanchez and Rickie Gallardo posing together, and their newborn daughter Eliana Mae Gallardo. The couple called her arrival an answered prayer and the start of a new chapter in their lives. (Photos courtesy of Jessica Sanchez / Instagram)
Los Angeles – Filipino-American singer-songwriter Jessica Sanchez has joyfully announced the arrival of her first child, marking a year of triumph both on stage and at home.
From stage lights to baby lullabies
The couple chose the name Eliana, meaning “God has answered,” reflecting their deep sense of gratitude for this new chapter in life.
A winning season followed by new beginnings
Just weeks before giving birth, Sanchez was crowned the AGT Season 20 champion. Her victory came less than a month prior to her daughter’s birth – a profound personal and professional milestone. Her journey on the show is particularly notable because she first appeared as a contestant nearly two decades earlier, and came back to win while expecting her first child.
A journey rooted in Filipino and Mexican pride
Born in Chula Vista, California, Sanchez is the daughter of a Filipina mother and a Mexican-American father who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Her multicultural upbringing has shaped the authenticity she brings to her music, amplifying her voice not only as an artist but as a symbol of representation. As a second-generation Filipino-American and the daughter of a Mexican-American father, her achievement resonates deeply within the Asian-American and Latino communities alike.
A love story grounded in partnership
Sanchez married Rickie Gallardo, a lighting professional, in April 2021. The couple, who dated for several years before tying the knot, have often spoken about how their shared faith and creative pursuits support their relationship. With the arrival of their daughter, they have entered a new phase together, parenting and professional growth hand in hand.
Looking ahead to new music and motherhood
With the arrival of Eliana, Sanchez says she is entering “her most creative season yet.” She plans to release new music inspired by themes of faith, renewal, and family – a natural extension of her own life story. From her breakout moment as a finalist on American Idol in 2012 to her comeback and win on AGT and now becoming a mother, Sanchez continues to embody resilience, representation, and reinvention.
Congratulations on ur new gift. She is beautiful ! Cherish her everyday & appreciate the joys she’ll bring into ur life’s. I have 9 children & 9 grandchildren they’ve made my life undescribable. They are why I enjoy the world.