When America’s Got Talent returns this Tuesday, there will be some familiar faces on the show.
One of these is singer Aubrey Burchell, who once competed on the United States’ biggest reality TV stage.
Here is what you need to know about Aubrey and the start of her America’s Got Talent journey this season.
Who is Aubrey Burchell on America’s Got Talent?
Aubrey Burchell showed up as a 17-year-old and auditioned on American Idol in Season 16, the show’s second season aired on ABC. She made it past the audition round and ended up in the top 70 of the competition before going home.
However, that was enough to convince Aubrey to keep chasing her dreams. She kept singing live in Pennsylvania but then, when the pandemic hit, she had to stop and ended up working at a Target, and she told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “the art had gone from my life.”
Aubrey then sang Jolene by Ray LaMontagne while sitting on the floor of a Target bathroom and uploaded it to Instagram. She wrote on the screen, “This is the only thing that makes me feel good so here’s me singing.”
“To be transparent.. my mental health has been at an all time low. Everyday has been an upward climb. And that’s okay. And I am getting help,” she wrote in the caption.
She kept recording her songs, and then when a friend died, she hit rock bottom. However, her sitting on the floor and singing Jolene offered her the biggest opportunity of her life.
Aubrey Burchell will compete on America’s Got Talent
In her interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aubrey said that some America’s Got Talent scouts saw her performance while sitting on the floor in the Target singing and called her out of the blue.
They invited her to come and audition before the AGT judges. She flew cross country on the plane – her first time to do that alone – and auditioned for the show.
“This feels like the light at the end of the tunnel, the comeback of the music,” Aubrey said. “It kind of goes to show that if you’re a local artist, put yourself out there. I don’t care if you’re sitting on the bathroom floor and singing. Be seen and put stuff out there.”
She then thanked her friends and fans on Facebook.
“After all the pain and suffering the last two years brought.. I’m so glad you guys supported me and encouraged me to pick myself back up! You’ll just have to see how I did when the show airs.”
America’s Got Talent premieres on Tuesday night, May 31, at 8/7c on NBC.