Bianca Ryan Biography

There's nothing small about 13-year-old Bianca Ryan's dynamite voice, which won the up-and-coming vocalist $1 million in the first season of the NBC reality television show America's Got Talent in 2006. Ryan wowed judges Brandy, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan, along with host Regis Philbin (some of them to tears) with songs like her rendition of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" on the show at age 11, and the young starlet hasn't looked back since.A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native, Ryan's musical talents started to show at a young age. By the time she was eight years old, Ryan had already discovered her powerful singing voice, quickly developing an interest in gospel and R&B genres of music. Word of the pint-sized prodigy started to spread with public appearances, and she graced the scenes of Showtime at the Apollo and The Tom Joyner Show before entering and qualifying for a slot in the hit competition show Star Search. Although she ended up losing the competition in Star Search, Ryan persisted at a career in the music industry, entering the first season of NBC's America's Got Talent. A fan and judge favorite from the start, it was no surprise when Ryan brought down the house in the finale of the television show, beating out Rappin' Granny and the juggling team Passing Zone for the title of the American with the most talent.A stunned Bianca Ryan was last shown at the end of 2006's America's Got Talent, but the talented vocalist has continued to wow audiences since the conclusion of the talent competition. Wasting no time at the conclusion of the show, Ryan signed a recording contract with Columbia Records, soon thereafter releasing her self-titled debut album, which made the Billboard 200 in 2006.