Jonathan Allen entered the America’s Got Talent stage with a quiet voice and a heartbreaking story rather than a gaudy outfit or a large ego. He was expelled from his parents’ home when he was eighteen just for being gay. For two years he’d been on his own, clutching onto one thing that never left him: his love for music.
He said in front of the judges that singing had helped him get through his toughest times and that his family didn’t accept him for who he was. Then the music began, and Jonathan went into the well-known Andrea Bocelli hit “Time to Say Goodbye.” Nobody anticipated the quiet young guy on stage to have such operatic strength, yet his voice was rich, expressive, and controlled. Within seconds, the room went utterly silent, the listeners hanging on every note.
By the end of the play, the entire theatre was on its feet. Judge Howie Mandel welcomed him “home” on live television, telling him that AGT would be his new family if his own family had rejected him. He is an amazing son that his parents should be proud of, according to Howard Stern. With four resounding “yes” votes, Jonathan didn’t just move on to the next round – he converted his sorrow into a moment of absolute triumph, illustrating that being yourself is never something to be embarrassed of.
