Kristen Cruz stepped onto the *America’s Got Talent* stage in 2022 with a dream of turning her passion for singing into something much bigger. Before appearing on the show, she had already attracted attention online by posting videos of herself singing while making drinks. However, performing in front of the AGT judges and a huge live audience was an entirely different challenge.
For her audition, Kristen chose to sing “I See Red” by Everybody Loves An Outlaw. From the moment she began singing, the atmosphere in the room completely changed. Her deep, raspy, and surprisingly powerful voice immediately caught everyone’s attention and showed a completely different side of the young singer.
As the performance continued, Kristen became increasingly confident. She filled the stage with energy, delivering the song with impressive vocal strength and emotion. The audience quickly rose to their feet, while the judges watched in amazement as she demonstrated the distinctive tone and range of her voice.
When the performance ended, the judges were full of praise. Simon Cowell described the audition as unbelievable and praised Kristen’s seasoned voice, tone, range, and song choice. Heidi Klum called her a star in the making, while Howie Mandel was amazed by the power she produced as soon as she started singing.
Kristen’s unforgettable audition earned her four “yes” votes and sent her through to the next stage of the competition. More importantly, the performance proved that she was capable of taking her talent beyond social media and commanding a major stage. Her unexpected voice, confidence, and raw vocal power made the audition one of the memorable singing moments of *AGT* Season 17.