It isn’t every day that a retail employee steps off the sales floor and onto one of the world’s biggest stages, but for 21-year-old Aubrey Burchell, that transition looked entirely natural. In a recent episode of America’s Got Talent, the Pittsburgh native traded her Target nametag for a microphone and delivered a performance that left the judges—and the audience—completely captivated.
A Humble Beginning When Aubrey first walked onto the stage, she appeared shy, introducing herself as a singer from Pennsylvania who currently pays the bills working at Target. She charmed the judges with a relatable confession: on her breaks, she often scurries off to the bathroom to sit on the floor and record singing videos to keep herself sane. But despite her humble day job, her ambition was clear. When asked what she wanted, she didn’t hesitate: “I want to sell out arenas all around the world. I want Grammys.”
Singing for a Purpose Before the music started, Aubrey shared a deeply personal motivation for her audition. She revealed that she was recently diagnosed as a Level 1 Autistic. She spoke candidly about struggling for a large portion of her life and wanting to use her platform to show other young autistic people that they don’t have to “fit in the box” to succeed. “You can follow your passion,” she told the crowd, “and just eat at it.”
The Performance Aubrey chose to sing a unique rendition of The Weeknd’s “Call Out My Name.” From the first note, the nervousness she showed during her interview vanished, replaced by a dark, soulful, and incredibly powerful vocal performance. The rendition was raw and emotional, showcasing a vocal range that had the audience cheering mid-song. By the time she hit the final notes, all four judges were on their feet.
The Verdict: “Absolute Genius” The panel’s reaction was unanimous. Heidi Klum praised Aubrey’s “fantastic voice” and “cool look,” joking that Target better put up a “Help Wanted” sign because Aubrey wouldn’t be working there much longer. Sofia Vergara went a step further, calling her the “perfect package” and predicting she had a real chance to win the entire competition.
However, the highest praise came from Simon Cowell. Known for being critical, Simon was visibly impressed, calling her version of the song “absolute genius”. He noted that while every note wasn’t perfect, it didn’t matter because the emotion was real. “I really do believe that we are just witnessing somebody’s career about to skyrocket,” he declared.
With four enthusiastic “Yes” votes, Aubrey Burchell moved on to the next round, proving that sometimes the biggest stars are hiding in plain sight—perhaps even in the aisles of your local Target.
