The Success Story of Grace VanderWaal
Who Is Grace VanderWaal?
Grace VanderWaal is a 16-year-old singer-songwriter, musician, and ukulele player from Suffern, New York. She gained fame after her audition on America's Got Talent in 2016 and has since released several singles and albums. She has also been featured in publications such as Billboard magazine and Rolling Stone. Early Life and Career Beginnings
VanderWaal was born on January 15, 2004 in Kansas City to David and Tina VanderWaal. At the age of three, she began taking piano lessons and soon after started writing her own songs. She taught herself how to play the ukulele at age eleven. In 2016, she auditioned for America's Got Talent with an original song called “I Don’t Know My Name” and wowed the judges. After winning America's Got Talent, she signed with Columbia Records in September 2016. Rise to Fame
VanderWaal's debut EP Perfectly Imperfect was released on December 2nd, 2016. The EP debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart and reached number one on the US iTunes Store. Her first full-length album Just the Beginning was released in November 2017 and featured the lead single “Moonlight”. In 2018, she released her second full-length album titled Clearly. This album featured the single “Clearly” which peaked at number eight on the US Adult Top 40 chart. Collaborations and Tours
VanderWaal has collaborated with artists such as Steve Aoki, Linkin Park, Jason Mraz, Imagine Dragons, Kygo, Shawn Mendes, Tori Kelly, Alessia Cara, and many more. She has also embarked on multiple headlining tours around the world including her Just the Beginning tour in 2018. Awards and Accolades
Throughout her career, VanderWaal has won numerous awards including a Radio Disney Music Award for Best New Artist in 2017, a Teen Choice Award for Choice Next Big Thing in 2017, and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist in 2018. She was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2018.
