Jessica Sanchez is AGT Season 20 champion

From prodigy to champion: Jessica Sanchez first appeared on America’s Got Talent as an 11-year-old in 2006 (left), rose to fame as the runner-up of American Idol Season 11 in 2012 (center), and returned nearly two decades later to win AGTSeason 20 on September 24, 2025, while nine months pregnant (right). (Photos from AGT/NBC, Jessica Sanchez/Instagram, and file sources)

Nearly two decades after first competing on AGT and finishing as runner-up on American Idol, Jessica Sanchez completes a full circle journey with her Season 20 victory.

LOS ANGELES — Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez, 30,  is an American singer of Filipino and Mexican descent who has lived much of her life on the public stage. She is best known as the runner-up of American Idol Season 11 in 2012, and before that, she was a contestant on the inaugural season of America’s Got Talent in 2006.

Nearly two decades later, she has come full circle, capturing the America’s Got Talent Season 20 crown on September 24, 2025. The Chula Vista native’s victory, announced live on NBC, came with a $1 million prize and secured her a rare place in television history.

From Idol runner-up to household name

Sanchez first captured attention in 2011 when she auditioned for American Idol Season 11 in San Diego. She advanced through Hollywood and Las Vegas rounds with renditions of powerhouse classics. In April 2012 she faced elimination in the Top 7, but judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and Randy Jackson unanimously used their one “save” of the season to keep her in the competition. That decision propelled her all the way to the finale, where she squared off against Phillip Phillips. On May 23, 2012, Phillips was declared winner, while Sanchez placed second, a finish that nonetheless cemented her status as one of the franchise’s standout performers.

Her Idol run included bold song choices — “I Will Always Love You” during the Top 13 Whitney tribute week and “The Prayer” in the finale. Those performances earned her acclaim and helped cement her reputation as a powerhouse vocalist, despite finishing second.

Music and television career

Following Idol, Sanchez signed with Interscope Records and 19 Entertainment. She released her debut studio album Me, You & the Music in April 2013, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 26. Its lead single, “Tonight,” featured R&B star Ne-Yo. That same year, she appeared on the Fox series Glee as Frida Romero, delivering a pair of guest appearances that showcased her vocal range to a younger audience.

Over the next decade she continued to release singles, perform internationally, and cultivate a following, particularly among Filipino American fans who identified with her heritage. Sanchez is the eldest child of Editha Bugay, a Filipina from Samal, Bataan, and Gilbert Sanchez, a Mexican American who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve.

Returning to the AGT stage

What made her AGT win remarkable was that this was not her first encounter with the program. At just 11 years old, Sanchez competed in Season 1 of America’s Got Talent in 2006 and reached the semifinals. Nearly two decades later, she returned for the milestone 20th season. Her audition earned the Golden Buzzer from judge Sofía Vergara, sending her directly to the live shows.

Sanchez’s 2025 performances came with an added layer of attention: she was nine months pregnant throughout the live rounds. In the semifinals she sang Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” as a dedication to her unborn child. In the finale she performed “Die With a Smile,” the Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars duet that has become a global anthem in 2025. Both performances drew strong public response and reinforced her narrative of resilience and artistry.

A landmark win

On finale night, Sanchez topped a diverse field that included freestyle rapper Chris Turner, LED troupe LightWire, pop vocalist Jourdan Blue, and the Leo High School Choir. When host Terry Crews announced her as the winner, it marked the first time in AGT history that a competitor from its earliest season returned to capture the crown years later.

Her victory also underscored the breadth of her career. From a young contestant on Apollo Theater’s Showtime at the Apollo, to a teenage powerhouse on Idol, to an established recording artist, and now to a pregnant champion on AGT, Sanchez’s arc is virtually unmatched in televised talent competition history.

Full circle moment

For Sanchez, the win represents validation of perseverance across two decades of performing. For Filipino Americans, it adds to a growing list of success stories in mainstream U.S. competitions where cultural heritage and talent intersect on a global stage. And for America’s Got Talent, it provided a narrative that connected its very first season with its twentieth, underscoring how the franchise has become a platform for both discovery and reinvention.

As of this month, Sanchez is preparing to welcome her child while carrying the distinction of being AGT’s newest champion. Her next chapter will be shaped by how she balances motherhood with the opportunities that now come with her latest victory. What is beyond dispute is that Jessica Sanchez has secured her place in entertainment history: an Idol runner-up turned AGT champion whose story spans generations of television audiences.