Months ago, Escondido's Celina Graves stole the show on NBC's "America's Got Talent" with her amazing voice.
On Tuesday night, she was one of 11 acts fighting for votes to advance to the semi-finals. Graves found time in amid her busy performance day schedule to sit down with NBC 7, and said she hopes she can keep pursuing her dream and inspire along the way.
“This is my shot right now, I just want this to work in my favor,” she said. ‘I’m getting to the point where I am getting older and it’s scary because this is what I want to do forever.”
Graves, 31, rocked the stage back in June and heard raving reviews from the judges.
“I have a good feeling about you, Celina,” judge Simon Cowell told her.
But now, it's up to the American public to decide who moves on. You can find out if Graves advances on Wednesday night’s episode airing at 8 p.m. on NBC 7.
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Due to COVID-19, AGT contestants can no longer perform in front of a crowd, but Graves is less worried about how she can feed off of her audience’s energy and more concerned with her own effect on them.
“It doesn’t really matter where they are watching from, as long as I can touch them with my voice,” she said, adding that it’s up to her to help lift people's spirits during this time of crisis.
“People need some positive things to look at, and, you know, everyone is at home not working so if I can give them something to smile about or to watch and be happy, then that’s definitely a plus for me, especially during a time like this.”
And no matter what happens, Graves said she wins because she gets to push others to pursue their dreams, no matter the odds.
“Even if it ends, I want them to be able to look at me and say, 'Wow, if she can do it, I can do it," Graves added.
