Bianca Ryan
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Bianca Taylor Ryan (born September 1, 1994) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from
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, Pennsylvania. Ryan was the first winner of
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's ''
America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is an American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distributed by) and ...
'' at the age of eleven. Singing two
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show tune A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context. Th ...
s along the way, Ryan was announced as the winner of season one on August 17. Her self-titled first album was released later in 2006, followed by two Christmas albums. Two singles followed in 2007 and 2010. After a break to finish her education, Ryan recorded a cover of the
John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...
song " All of Me" and posted the video to her YouTube channel in March 2014. Her original song "Alice" was self-released in May 2015. Following a delay due to health problems, Ryan premiered her single "One Day" in May 2017; since then, she has written and released singles including "Man Down" and "Remember". Her EP ''The Reintroduction, Pt. 1'' was released in January 2019. Following the release of several singles, a second Christmas EP was made available in November 2020, followed by a series of videos made for the holidays. Ryan has acted in the feature film '' 12 and Holding'' (2005) and played the lead role in a music video by The Wrecking in 2010. The independent film '' We Are Kings'' premiered in 2014, featuring Ryan as one of two down-on-their-luck teen musicians who are guided by an angel to save an elder
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
man from freezing to death. Ryan co-wrote much of the film's music, and the video for her song "Broken Down House" was released in October.


Early life

Bianca Ryan is the second of five children of Shawn and Janette Ryan, who moved from
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
to Philadelphia when Bianca was three years old. Her father, a fan of
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
, named her after
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
's ex-wife. Ryan is "mostly" Irish and calls herself a mix of Japanese, Irish, Italian, German and
Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...
. "I'm basically just America ... the
melting pot A melting pot is a Monoculturalism, monocultural metaphor for a wiktionary:heterogeneous, heterogeneous society becoming more wiktionary:homogeneous, homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" with a common culture; an alternative bei ...
."''Bianca Ryan by Decently Funny'', 11:52–12:01 Ryan's singing talent came as something of a surprise to her family, given that she was an award-winning tap dancer as a child. Ryan said she did not even attempt to sing until she was eight years old and started enjoying
LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and o ...
and country music. Shawn Ryan started sharing his record collection with his daughter, and Bianca "fell in love" with
rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...
and
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...
. Eventually, she began rehearsing nightly with her father. Ryan convinced him to take her to an audition for ''
Star Search ''Star Search'' (later known as ''Ed McMahon's Star Search'') is an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 29 ...
'', where her performance of "
Think In their most common sense, the terms thought and thinking refer to cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. Their most paradigmatic forms are judging, reasoning, concept formation, problem solving, and delibe ...
" impressed the judges and shocked her father. "I'd never heard her sing like that." During the Junior Singers competition, Bianca Ryan lost to
Spensha Baker Spensha Baker is an American singer from San Antonio, Texas. She is best known for coming in fourth place on the fourteenth season of '' The Voice''. Career Spensha Baker started her singing career at a very young age as a 2004 contestant on '' ...
. Ryan later won Amateur Kids Night on ''
Showtime at the Apollo ''Showtime at the Apollo'' (formerly ''It's Showtime at the Apollo'' and ''Apollo Live'') is an American variety show that first aired in syndication from September 12, 1987, to May 24, 2008. In 2018, the series returned on Fox with Steve Harve ...
''. Ryan has sung the
Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of For ...
for several
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teams, including the
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, the
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and its Westchester affiliate, and the
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.


''America's Got Talent''

In 2006, Ryan learned that ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' judge
Simon Cowell Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality and businessman. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003), ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor UK ...
was serving as executive producer for an upcoming competition titled ''
America's Got Talent ''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is an American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distributed by) and ...
'', and the tryouts in New York City were happening on the same day as a family outing in the city. Ryan almost left without performing when she looked at the other contestants and saw a lady with a beard "probably about, like, two feet long," juggling
torches A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in jugglin ...
. She decided to stay when her father told her the grand prize was
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
1 million.''Bianca Ryan by Decently Funny'', 13:15–14:20 For her televised audition, she chose the ''
Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. It is based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, and p ...
'' show tune "
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (also known in short as just "And I Am Telling You") is a torch song from the Broadway musical ''Dreamgirls'', with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. In the context of the musical, "And I Am ...
", surprising the audience and the judges with her powerful voice. The video of her audition performance quickly became popular on YouTube. For the semi-finals of the show Ryan performed "
Piece of My Heart "Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the '' Billboard'' Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart ...
". The judges praised her performance, but they did not think the song was right for Ryan. She rebounded for her finals performance, singing " I Am Changing" (also from ''Dreamgirls''); judge
David Hasselhoff David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952), nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on the soap ...
called her "the best" in the competition, while
Piers Morgan Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; O'Meara, born 30 March 1965) is an English journalist and media personality. He began his career in 1988 at the tabloid ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun''. In 1994, at the age of 29, he was appointed editor of ...
predicted she would win. During the finale results aired on August 17, 2006, 11-year-old Bianca Ryan was announced by emcee
Regis Philbin Regis Francis Xavier Philbin ( ; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest-working man in show business", he held th ...
as the winner of
season one Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...
of ''America's Got Talent''. Ryan made a brief appearance during the show's season two finale in 2007. In a video recorded during
Live Nation Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American multinational Entertainment industry, entertainment company that was founded in 2010 following the Mergers and acquisitions, merger of Live Nation (events promoter), Live Nation and Ticketmaster. It ...
's Nextfest tour, she wished good luck to the top two finalists.


Career


Music


2006–2009: ''Bianca Ryan'' and holiday albums

One week after her victory, Ryan announced on her website that she had flown to New York to meet with representatives from a record label and some of the recording industry's top songwriters. The ''
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'' reported the same day that Ryan met with
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
-winning producer
David Foster David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian record producer, composer, arranger, and musician. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His career began as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s befor ...
and was being managed by Peter Rudge. Ryan signed a five-album record deal with
Syco Syco Entertainment is a British media entertainment and production company, headquartered in London, founded and owned by British entrepreneur and record executive Simon Cowell. The company focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2 ...
music as part of
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
on September 18, 2006. She was the first
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. artist to sign with SYCOmusic; during the press conference, Simon Cowell called Ryan "potentially one of the best singers I have ever heard in my life." The following month, Ryan was in Los Angeles to record her first CD. The self-titled debut was released on November 14, 2006, featuring
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s of " The Rose" and "
I Believe I Can Fly "I Believe I Can Fly" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer R. Kelly from the soundtrack to the 1996 film '' Space Jam''. It was originally released on November 26, 1996, and was later included on Kelly's 1998 album '' R ...
", and original songs like "I Wish That" and "Pray for a Better Day". Eight days later, the album debuted at No. 57 on the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
album charts, showcasing "her gargantuan chops and sweet charm". Matt Collar of ''
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
'' added that the arrangements were "grandiose" for someone of Ryan's age, but they were "more than matched by her truly impressive vocal talent." ''
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'' reviewer Sandra Barrera wrote that Ryan handled the songs "like the old pro that her big, powerful voice makes you think she is". One month later, the EP ''Christmas Everyday!'' was released as a promotional giveaway. She then joined several artists in a televised 2006 Christmas performance for President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
and First Lady
Laura Bush Laura Lane Welch Bush (née Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American educator who was the first lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009 as the wife of George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States. Bush was previously the fir ...
at the
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to benefit the
Children's National Medical Center Children's National Hospital (formerly Children's National Health System, DC Children's Hospital, Children's National Medical Center) is a freestanding, 323-bed, pediatric acute care children's hospital located in Washington, D.C. It is affili ...
. Ryan's first concert tour took her across the United States as the special guest artist for Nextfest in 2007. That August, she released the single "That's Not Me"."That's Not Me". A1. . (Columbia Records). 2007. In 2008, Ryan left SYCOmusic/Columbia Records; she released her second holiday-themed EP, ''True Meaning of Christmas'', on November 3, 2009, on the indie Music Forever label.''True Meaning of Christmas''. . (Music Forever). 2009. This second collection, co-written with
Anthony Marinelli Anthony Marinelli (born March 19, 1959) is an American musician, composer, synth programmer, record producer and conductor. In his early career, he composed and performed accompaniment on the synthesizer for albums including Michael Jackson's ' ...
and
Siedah Garrett Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett (born June 24, 1960) is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand ...
, included updated versions of "
The Christmas Song "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells (songwriter), Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat K ...
" and "
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical '' Meet Me in St. Louis''. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. ...
"; the title track featured a duet with gospel pop singer Brent Jones.


2010–present: Singles, videos and EPs

In 2010, Bianca Ryan wrote and recorded a song inspired by '' Twilight: New Moon'' called "In My Head". The single was released digitally on August 21 through the indie label Tuned in Music and Media, followed by performances at Trump Plaza in
Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...
. Ryan was asked in October 2012 about the differences between her debut album and her future projects. She said she didn't get to choose what songs went on her first CD, and while the experience she gained by working with people like David Foster and
Kara DioGuardi Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi ( ; December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She primarily writes music in the pop rock genre. She has worked with many popular artists; sales of albums ...
was amazing, "I didn't feel like it was really me. ... You can relate to songs that ''you'' write." Ryan spent much of her teen years out of the spotlight. She explained in 2014 that she had put her career on hold to go back to school even though, as it turned out, she hated high school—besides "a couple of stalkers", she was mostly ignored by other students and didn't make any friends until after school was over.''Bianca Ryan by Decently Funny'', 44:11–46:27 Nevertheless, she "wanted to live a life, and have purpose and things to write about" due to her passion for writing music.Psych Word Radio Show: ''America's Got Talent'' Special (Part 1). 47:25–47:33. Ryan described her musical style as a blend of
neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from Soul music, soul ...
, R&B and pop.''Bianca Ryan by Decently Funny'', 20:44–20:47 Ryan announced in February that she was working with industry veterans like
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024) was an American record producer, composer, arranger, conductor, trumpeter, and bandleader. Over the course of his seven-decade career, he received List of awards and nominations re ...
on a new EP featuring her own work, which she called more "mainstream" than anything she had written before. She started her own record label, Bianca Ryan Records LLC, to promote her artistic freedom as well as make a profit. "I could literally sell 1% of what I would sell with a record company and finally make money off my music to where I can fund other projects". She also went back to work on her YouTube channel in 2014. Her cover of " All of Me" was uploaded in March. In 2015, Ryan created a music video for "Alice", an original song she had written years earlier. The video was funded in part by a
Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...
project and was self-released in May 2015. It features dancer
Chloe Lukasiak Chloe (; ), also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root , which relates to the colors yellow and green. Th ...
, who called the video her favorite project since leaving ''
Dance Moms ''Dance Moms'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime on July 13, 2011. Created by Collins Avenue Productions, the show followed the training and careers of children in dance and show business ...
''. The single was released via Ryan's own label through
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,
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and ReverbNation. Her cover of " God Bless the Child" was released on iTunes in July. Ryan was a featured performer at the Hollystock Music and Arts Festival in
Mount Holly, New Jersey Mount Holly is a Township (New Jersey), township that is the county seat of Burlington County, New Jersey, Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest city as of 2020. As ...
, in August 2015. Performances in November included the
Macy's Macy's is an American department store chain founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. The first store was located in Manhattan on Sixth Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets, south of the present-day flagship store at Herald Square on West 34 ...
Christmas Window unveiling and the
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/
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Thanksgiving Parade, both in Philadelphia. Her plans were put on hold in October 2016 due to health problems that required several surgeries. Her first performance following her recovery was at the Nashville Christmas Parade on December 3. Ryan's single "One Day" was released in May 2017. Two follow-up singles, "What I Gotta Do" and "Man Down", were released in June; "Man Down" was called "the ultimate breakup anthem" by '' TigerBeat''. Also in June, Ryan was the subject of an artist profile produced by
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
. Ryan intended to release two EPs in 2017, but her plans were delayed. Instead, she chose to release singles, including "Don't Wanna Come Down" in October, and "Remember" in May 2018, featuring an official video using old family footage. Live appearances in 2018 included co-headlining the Houpalooza Music Festival on June 16 in
Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, Texas, part of the Women's Empowerment Movement Tour.
Nick Cannon Nicholas Scott Cannon (born October 8, 1980) is an American comedian, television presenter, actor, and rapper. In television, he began his career as a teenager on Nickelodeon's '' All That'' before going on to host '' The Nick Cannon Show'', '' ...
was a co-host; performers included
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
, and Paul Anthony of
Full Force Full Force is an American music group of hip hop and R&B singers, songwriters and producers from Brooklyn, New York. Members *B-Fine (Brian George) – drums and drum programming, backing vocals *Shy Shy (Hugh Junior Clark) – bass guita ...
. Ryan joined season six winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. for his Christmas Tour of Champions in December, making several stops in Murphy's native
West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
. ''The Reintroduction, Pt. 1'' was released on January 6, 2019; Ryan's single "They Wanna Be Us Now" went on sale one day later. The accompanying video, shot the previous August in Los Angeles, was uploaded on May 1, 2019; it features ''America's Got Talent'' alumnus Merrick Hanna as Bully No. 1 and Zoephia Decker-Knealing as young Bianca. In November 2020, Ryan released the Christmas EP ''What the World Needs Now Is Love'' with six songs, including the title track and an updated version of "Why Couldn't it Be Christmas Every Day?" ''
Dance Moms ''Dance Moms'' is an American reality television series that premiered on Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime on July 13, 2011. Created by Collins Avenue Productions, the show followed the training and careers of children in dance and show business ...
'' Lilliana Ketchman returned for a series of music videos created for the holiday season.


Return appearances on ''America's Got Talent''

In October 2018, Bianca Ryan announced that she would compete in the new spinoff series '' America's Got Talent: The Champions'', taped in advance in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
, for broadcast in January 2019, and featuring 50 total winners and finalists from across the ''
Got Talent ''Got Talent'' is a British talent show TV format conceived and owned by Simon Cowell's Syco Entertainment. It has spawned spin-offs in over 60 countries, in what is now referred to as the 'Got Talent' format, similar to that described by Frema ...
'' franchise including Britain, Ukraine and Australia. Ryan was the first act to perform on the premiere episode, singing " Say Something" to a standing ovation. Afterward, the judges praised Ryan for overcoming both her setbacks and her nerves; Simon Cowell credited her for the success of the franchise and said he was "thrilled" to see her return. Two acts out of ten made it to the finals:
Susan Boyle Susan Magdalane Boyle (born 1 April 1961) is a Scottish singer who rose to fame in 2009 after appearing as a contestant on the third series of '' Britain's Got Talent'', singing " I Dreamed a Dream" from '. As of 2021, Boyle has sold 25 ...
won judge
Mel B Melanie Janine Brown, Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 29 May 1975), commonly known as Mel B or Melanie B, is an English singer, songwriter, television personality, and actress. She rose to fame in the mid 1990s as a member of the Pop mus ...
's Golden Buzzer, while Ryan finished second in the fan voting to Preacher Lawson. Ryan was a guest performer during the first live results show of ''AGT'' 14th Season, along with contortionist
Sofie Dossi Sofie Clarice Dossi (born June 21, 2001) is an American YouTuber, singer, actress, contortionist, aerialist, dancer and internet personality. In 2016, she rose to fame on the eleventh season of ''America's Got Talent''. , her YouTube channel ha ...
, violinist Brian King Joseph and card magician & season 13 winner
Shin Lim Liang-Shun Lim (; born September 25, 1991), known professionally as Shin Lim, is a Canadian-American magician, recognized for his use of card manipulation and sleight of hand. He is known for elaborate close-up card magic routines, during wh ...
. Ryan released her single "Plastic Lovers" the same day.


Broadway

Ryan sang in the 2017
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
production "Home For the Holidays", which ran from November 17 through December 30 at the
August Wilson Theatre The August Wilson Theatre (formerly the Guild Theatre, ANTA Theatre, and Virginia Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 245 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1925, the theat ...
. Vocal performers included ''American Idol'' season 12 winner Candice Glover, ''The Voice'' season six winner Josh Kaufman, and
Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...
and Evynne Hollens.
Kaitlyn Bristowe Kaitlyn Dawn Bristowe (born June 19, 1985) is a Canadian television personality best known for being a contestant on the nineteenth season of ABC's '' The Bachelor,'' and as the lead on the eleventh season of '' The Bachelorette''. She won th ...
served as host; actor/singer
Danny Aiello Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. () (June 20, 1933 – December 12, 2019) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous motion pictures, including ''The Godfather Part II'' (1974), ''The Front'' (1976), ''Once Upon a Time in America'' (1984), ''Hide in ...
shared holiday memories. Reviews were mostly negative; ''
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'' writer Michael Giltz called the show a train wreck, and said Ryan's voice was shaky and she appeared uncomfortable on stage. Joe Dziemianowicz of the ''
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'' made the same observation. Ryan's performance invited mixed comparisons to
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
: Frank Scheck of ''
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'' called her a "desperate" wannabe; Heather Violanti of ''Theatre Is Easy'' offered a similar opinion, though she called Ryan "confident and capable"; and ''ZEALnyc'' critic Megan Wrappe said Ryan does Carey proud with "a voice that fluctuates amazingly between breathy and a soulful powerhouse". Scott Harrah of ''StageZine'' noted Ryan's occasional pitch problems and overdone hand gestures, but praised her "impressive vocals".


Acting

Ryan made several early attempts at an acting career, trying out unsuccessfully for such projects as ''
Camp Rock ''Camp Rock'' is a 2008 musical television film directed by Matthew Diamond from a screenplay by Karin Gist, Regina Hicks, Julie Brown, and Paul Brown. The 73rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), the film stars Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, ...
'' and ''
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''. She made her debut in a walk-off appearance in the 2005 film '' 12 and Holding;'' her character is shown at a school function singing the final line of "
Oh! Susanna "Oh! Susanna" is a folk song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), first published in 1848. It is among the most popular American songs ever written. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. ...
", thanking the audience, and leaving the stage. She returned to acting five years later, playing the lead role in the music video for "About to Fall" by The Wrecking. In 2012, Ryan joined the cast of '' We Are Kings'', an independent,
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feature film. She portrayed one of two homeless musicians who join up with a runaway rapper to help an elder bluesman raise the money he needs to save his comatose wife and their repossessed blues club. Ryan and her co-stars wrote their own original songs for ''We Are Kings.'' Her first single from the film, "Broken Down House", was released in November 2014."Broken Down House". A1. . (Various Artists). 2014. Upon the film's release, ''
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'' called Ryan, Long and Pryce "so bursting with talent that it's impossible to pick a favorite" while the ''
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'' looked past the "discordant" acting to praise the "palpable, soulful authenticity" of the music. Ryan admitted in 2014 that she could benefit from an acting coach;''Bianca Ryan by Decently Funny'', 1:03:37 in 2017 she said she had matured and would like to try acting again.


Beauty products

Ryan has long been interested in makeup and starting a line of beauty products. In December 2018, she launched her lipstick line Ciao Bianca with 23 shades, including some named after her songs.


Health

Ryan underwent two vocal surgeries and an abdominal surgery in 2016 after a doctor told her that she was a high-risk candidate for
esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer (American English) or oesophageal cancer (British English) is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing and weigh ...
. One of her vocal cords was paralyzed, and she was told she might never sing again. That surgery was successful and she felt like she was given a 'new' voice. The second surgery came after an
ENT Ents are giant humanoids in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth who closely resemble trees; their leader is Treebeard of Fangorn forest. Their name is derived from an Old English word for "giant". The Ents appear in ''The Lord ...
told her she had developed blood vessels on her vocal cords; it too was successful. Being out of the public eye during these setbacks left her feeling "like I had just disappeared and everybody was just forgetting bout me" The premiere of her song "One Day" was originally set for 2016, but Ryan revisited the lyrics following the surgeries and other roadblocks, "and I can finally say it is my story."


Discography

Studio albums * ''
Bianca Ryan Bianca Taylor Ryan (born September 1, 1994) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ryan was the first winner of NBC's ''America's Got Talent (season 1), America's Got Talent'' at the age of eleven. Singi ...
'' (2006) Extended plays * ''Christmas Everyday!'' (2006) * ''True Meaning of Christmas'' (2009) * ''The Reintroduction, Pt. 1'' (2019) Soundtrack albums * '' We Are Kings'' (2014)


Filmography


See also

* ''America's Got Talent'' (season 1)


Notes


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Bianca 1994 births Living people America's Got Talent winners American child singers American musicians of Japanese descent American people of Irish descent American women musicians of Japanese descent American child pop musicians Columbia Records artists Musicians from Philadelphia Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts alumni Singers from Pennsylvania 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers