America's Got Talent crowned Darci Lynne Farmer its Season 12 champion during Wednesday night's live finale broadcast on NBC.
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The voting total was the highest in the reality talent competition's history, according to America's Got Talent host Tyra Banks.
"We had 52 million votes last night, that is the highest the show has ever had!" Banks said.
As America's Got Talent's Season 12 winner, Farmer won a grand prize of $1 million as well as the chance to headline an "America's Got Talent Live" stage show that will perform November 3 and 4 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Angelica Hale, a 10-year-old powerhouse singer, finished as America's Got Talent's Season 12 runner-up.
Despite their youth, Farmer and Hale had both remained composed and complimentary as they stood on stage with Banks and waited for her to reveal the season's winner.
"I just want to say no matter what happens, I'm still a winner. So thank you America, for everything you've done for me," Hale told Banks.
"No matter what happens -- it's just been much fun, and we're just all winners on the show and it doesn't matter who wins now," Farmer added.
Light Balance, a glowing dance crew, finished in third place. Fourth place went to Mandy Harvey, a 29-year-old deaf singer and songwriter.
Sara and Hero, an animal act comprised of 22-year-old dog trainer Sara Carson and her five-year-old dog Hero, finished in fifth place.
Earlier in the finale broadcast, Banks had revealed that the five other Top 10 acts -- Evie Clair, a 13-year-old singer and pianist; Diavolo, an acrobatic dance group; Chase Goehring, a 21-year-old singer/rapper and songwriter; Kechi Okwuchi, a singer who survived a fiery airplane crash; and Preacher Lawson, a 26-year-old comedian -- had not finished among the Top 5 vote-getters.
America's Got Talent judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Melanie "Mel B" Brown had all been impressed by Farmer's performance during Tuesday night's performance show.
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Farmer sang a song with a male and female puppet, and Brown said the performance was "hands down incredible, incredible, incredible!" Being a self-taught ventriloquist at age 12 who is both professional and poised, Brown had gushed about how she "could win this."
Klum had agreed there is a "special something" about Farmer and "she might have just won herself a million dollars right there." Cowell said Farmer could appeal to all ages and he had just "witnessed a star emerge" on the stage.
"You are special, incredible, funny, talented -- and I think you're going to win," Cowell noted, before Mandel told the young ventriloquist she reminded him of why he got involved with the entertainment industry to begin with.
About The Author: Steven Rogers
