Darci Lynne Farmer, the 12-year-old singing ventriloquist, won “America’s Got Talent” on Wednesday, earning $1 million and a headlining gig in Las Vegas.
“It just means so much to me that America voted for me and I get to see all my friends and family supporting me and crying with me,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “It just made me feel so overcome with joy and tears, lots of tears.”
After her knockout performance of “With A Little Help From My Friends” with two puppets on the first night of the finals on Tuesday, panel judge Cowell said she would emerge victorious.
Then the 52 million votes cast made it so.
As host Tyra Banks announced the result with Farmer and fellow finalist Angelica Hale, a 10-year-old singer, onstage, Farmer bent to her knees and covered her face before receiving a hug from her opponent.
According to People, Farmer is the third female act to win the TV talent show in its 12 seasons. And she is not the first ventriloquist. Terry Fator, whom Farmer called her “idol,” won season 2. As it happened, Farmer and her bunny puppet Petunia performed with Fator and his puppet, Winston the Impersonating Turtle, Wednesday in a charming rendition of “Anything You Can Do.”
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![At the age of 10, Okade is already enrolled in college courses at Open University. She's a math super genius who not only became the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/09/africa/esther-okade-maths-genius/" target="_blank">youngest undergraduate student in the U.K.</a>, this year, but she's also at the top of her class. "I want to [finish the course] in two years," she <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/09/africa/esther-okade-maths-genius/" target="_blank">told CNN</a>. "Then I'm going to do my Ph.D. in financial maths when I'm 13. I want to have my own bank by the time I'm 15 because I like numbers and I like people and banking is a great way to help people."](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/jl5pyefDVd9czyf2AifFag--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MA--/https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/56156f191800002d00dc16cd.jpg)
![These prodigal siblings are using their talents to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/talented-siblings-play-music-subway-station-money-homeless_55f6d7a7e4b042295e36c6bc" target="_blank">raise money for New York City's homeless</a>. Lauren and Ashleigh play the violin while their younger brother, Christian, is an accomplished cellist. “I saw [the homeless people] on the street and I felt sad for them,” Christian told<a href="http://www.people.com/article/kids-classical-music-subway-busk-homeless" target="_blank">People</a>. So the siblings, at the advisement of their mom, began playing classical music in a subway station to raise money for their cause. They plan to give a portion of their earnings to the homeless after they reach a large enough amount. Despite having to return to school this fall, the trio continues to play their instruments in subway stations on the weekends.](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Gcpx1wE5WkP0AN3WhaAxZg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MA--/https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/56156f191600002d000384c7.jpg)
