Jackie Evancho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jackie Evancho
Evancho performing in 2024
Background information
Born	(2000-04-09) April 9, 2000 (age 25) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Classical crossover pop
Occupation(s)	Singer
Labels	JE Touring Sony Masterworks Portrait Columbia Syco

Jacqueline Marie Evancho (born April 9, 2000) is an American singer. She became famous at a young age for singing classical crossover songs. These are songs that mix classical music with pop.

Since 2009, Jackie has released nine albums and several EPs. Three of her albums reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. She has also had three special concerts shown on PBS television.

In 2010, at age ten, Jackie became very well known. She finished second in the fifth season of America's Got Talent. Her holiday EP, O Holy Night, was released later that year. It made her the best-selling new artist of 2010. She was also the youngest artist to have a top-10 album debut in US history. Plus, she was the youngest solo artist to sell a million copies in the US.

In 2011, her album Dream with Me reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. She also became the youngest top-5 debut artist in UK history. Billboard named her the top Classical Albums Artist of 2011. Later that year, she released Heavenly Christmas. Jackie also became the youngest person to sing a solo concert at Lincoln Center in New York City. This was part of her first concert tour.

In 2012, Jackie released Songs from the Silver Screen. This was her third album to debut in the top 10. She performed in benefit concerts at Carnegie Hall in 2013. She also appeared in the 2012 film The Company You Keep. Other albums include Awakening (2014) and Someday at Christmas (2016). She also released Two Hearts (2017) and The Debut (2019). The Debut was her eighth album in a row to reach No. 1 on the US classical albums chart. Her album Carousel of Time came out in 2022.

In 2017, Jackie sang the US national anthem at the inauguration of Donald Trump. She also became the youngest person to perform a concert series at Café Carlyle. She has toured to support each of her studio albums. In 2020, Jackie was a contestant on The Masked Singer. In 2024, she released a new EP called "Solla". It includes songs like "Behind My Eyes" and "Consequences".

Early Life and Family Beginnings

Jackie Evancho was born on April 9, 2000, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her parents are Lisa and Michael Evancho. She has an older sister, Juliet, and two younger siblings, Zachary and Rachel. Jackie grew up in a Catholic family near Pittsburgh.

She started school in the Pine-Richland School District. As her singing career grew, she sometimes took online classes. She graduated from Pine-Richland High School in 2018.

Discovering Her Voice

When Jackie was young, she watched the film The Phantom of the Opera. She loved it and started singing the songs at home. Her parents did not realize how special her voice was until her first talent show. She entered this competition just before her eighth birthday and placed second.

After that, she began taking voice lessons. She sang at events, churches, and nursing homes, mostly in Pennsylvania. She also started a YouTube channel. She sang in the Children's Festival Chorus of Pittsburgh in 2008–09. In 2009, she played the main role in a school musical of Little Red Riding Hood.

In 2009, Jackie competed in the USA World Showcase Talent Competition in Las Vegas. She placed second there. She was also runner-up in the Kean Idol contest again. She won other talent contests in Massachusetts that year. Also in 2009, she sang "Ave Maria" for a PBS TV special. The composer Tim Janis saw her on YouTube and invited her to perform. She sang at various events in Pennsylvania in 2009 and 2010. This included singing The Star-Spangled Banner at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game.

Jackie's Singing Career

Working with David Foster and First Album

Evancho in concert with David Foster, December 29, 2011

Record producer David Foster first noticed Jackie in 2009. She was a runner-up in his "Hitman Talent Search Contest." In October 2009, she sang in a "David Foster & Friends" concert in New Jersey.

In November 2009, Jackie released her first independent album, Prelude to a Dream. It mostly featured covers of classical crossover songs. These included "Con te partirò" and "Amazing Grace". The album appeared on the Billboard 200 chart in August 2010. This was after her first performance on America's Got Talent. Jackie's parents later removed the album. They felt her voice had improved a lot since its release.

America's Got Talent Journey

Jackie tried out for America's Got Talent (AGT) twice before. She finally got on the fifth season by winning a YouTube competition in 2010. On August 10, 2010, she sang "O mio babbino caro" in the quarter-finals. Her performance amazed everyone. Some wondered if she was lip-syncing. Jackie then sang a quick vocal exercise to show she was singing live.

For the semifinals, she sang "Time to Say Goodbye". She moved on to the Top 10. There, she performed "Pie Jesu" and made it to the Final 4. Her last song in the competition was "Ave Maria" on September 14, 2010. At the AGT finale, Jackie sang "Time to Say Goodbye" with guest artist Sarah Brightman. She was announced as the runner-up, coming in second. Many viewers thought she should have won.

Up to 16 million people watched these performances. The finale was AGT's most-watched episode in three years. Jackie was a guest on The Tonight Show a week later. She sang and gave her first late-night interview. Jackie also performed in 10 cities with the America's Got Talent: Live Tour. She signed a record deal with SYCO music and Columbia Records. She also performed in Las Vegas with David Foster.

O Holy Night EP Success

Evancho in February 2011

Jackie's first release with a major record label was an EP called O Holy Night. It came out on November 16, 2010. The EP reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. This made Jackie the top-selling new artist of 2010. She was also the youngest solo artist to debut in the top 10. It also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Classical Albums chart.

The EP sold 239,000 copies in its first week. It was certified platinum, meaning it sold over a million copies. This made Jackie the youngest solo artist to go platinum in the US.

Jackie promoted the album with TV interviews and performances. She appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Today Show, and The View. She also performed at the 2010 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting. Billboard ranked O Holy Night as the No. 1 Classical Album of 2011.

Dream with Me Album

Jackie's second full-length album, Dream with Me, came out on June 14, 2011. David Foster produced it for Sony and Syco Music. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. It reached No. 1 on Billboard's Classical Albums Chart. It was also certified gold, selling over 500,000 copies. With this album, Jackie became the youngest artist to debut in the UK top 5.

The album includes popular songs like "Angel" and classical songs. It also has original songs, including the title track. Jackie helped write the lyrics for this song. She also sang duets with Barbra Streisand and Susan Boyle.

Jackie promoted the album on TV and at concerts. Her first solo concert TV special for PBS was called Dream With Me In Concert. It featured many of the same songs as the album. This special was the most broadcast program on PBS that year. It raised a lot of money for PBS stations. Jackie was the youngest person to have a special on this series.

In July 2011, Jackie started her first solo tour across the United States. She performed 18 concerts with orchestras. This included a concert at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in November 2011. She was the youngest person to sing a solo concert at Lincoln Center. The tour continued into June 2012.

Billboard ranked Dream With Me as the No. 2 best-selling classical album of 2011. It was also the No. 45 US album of 2011.

Heavenly Christmas Album

Evancho in December 2011

Jackie's 2011 Christmas album, Heavenly Christmas, was produced by Rob Mounsey. It included traditional Christmas carols like "The First Noël" and "White Christmas". It also had newer songs like "Walking in the Air" and "Believe". The album was released on November 1, 2011.

The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. It peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200. A review in The Wall Street Journal said Jackie "sounds like she's channeling a past life, a future self, or possibly an actual angel."

Jackie appeared on TV shows like The View and The Tonight Show to promote the album. She also gave concerts in December 2011. Billboard ranked Heavenly Christmas as the No. 4 best-selling Classical Album of 2011.

Songs from the Silver Screen Album

Evancho with conductor John Mario Di Costanzo in August 2012

Jackie's fourth full-length album, Songs from the Silver Screen, came out on October 2, 2012. The album features songs from popular films. These include "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King. It also has "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic, featuring Joshua Bell on violin.

A PBS special called Jackie Evancho: Music of the Movies featured many of the same songs. Jackie started a 42-stop tour to promote the album in August 2012. The tour included concerts in North American cities. She also appeared on many TV shows in late 2012.

The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. It was No. 1 on the Classical Albums chart. This made Jackie, at 12 years old, one of only two artists to have three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 at such a young age.

Awakening Album

Evancho in 2014 promoting Awakening at the WSJ Cafe

Jackie released her fifth full-length album, Awakening, on September 23, 2014. She promoted it with a concert tour and a third PBS special. The album includes classical pieces and classical crossover covers. These include U2's "With or Without You" and Within Temptation's "Memories". It also has several original songs.

Jackie returned to America's Got Talent as a guest artist to promote the album. She also appeared on NBC's Today Show and other TV shows. Her Awakening tour began in November 2014. Jackie's third PBS special, Awakening: Live in Concert (2014), was filmed at Longwood Gardens.

Awakening debuted at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 chart. It was No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. This was Jackie's fifth album in a row to reach No. 1 on that chart.

Someday at Christmas and Two Hearts Albums

Jackie released her sixth album, Someday at Christmas, on October 28, 2016. It was her third holiday collection. The album includes collaborations with Plácido Domingo and Il Volo. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. This was Jackie's sixth album in a row to do so.

She promoted the album with holiday concerts and TV appearances.

She released her seventh album, Two Hearts, on March 31, 2017. It has classical crossover songs and five pop tunes. Jackie co-wrote four of the pop songs. This was the first time Jackie had her own songwriting on an album.

Jackie started promoting Two Hearts during her 2016–2017 tour. She appeared on the Today Show and The View. In April 2017, Jackie performed at Café Carlyle in New York City. She was the youngest artist to perform there. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart. This was her seventh album in a row to reach the top of that chart.

The Debut and Carousel of Time Albums

On April 12, 2019, Jackie released her eighth album, The Debut. It features songs from 21st-century Broadway musicals and films. This album was her eighth in a row to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.

Jackie began a US tour in April 2019 to promote The Debut. The tour was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restarted in 2022. She also promoted the album on Good Morning America.

Evancho in 2024 at 54 Below

In 2020, Jackie started recording an album of Joni Mitchell songs. She released this album, Carousel of Time, on September 9, 2022. Before its release, she shared four songs from the album. These included "River" and "Both Sides Now".

Jackie performed concerts featuring songs from Carousel of Time. She sang at 54 Below in New York City in September 2022. She also performed at City Winery venues in other cities.

Jackie released an EP called Solla on May 3, 2024. She wrote all six songs on the disc. Its first song, "Behind My Eyes," reached No. 22 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. She returned to 54 Below in June 2024 for two concerts. She also appeared on TV to sing and promote the album.

Other Performances and Activities

2009 to 2012 Performances

Jackie sang the American national anthem at a memorial for the victims of United Flight 93 in 2009. She also sang at the 2011 NHL Winter Classic. In 2011, she performed at an event to help end the Canadian seal hunt. She became an ambassador for a program that helps children protect animals.

In February 2011, she gave her first full concert in Houston, Texas. She also sang at the 2011 Festival of the Arts Boca. Jackie sang at Muhammad Ali's charity event to fight Parkinson's disease. She performed "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on Oprah's farewell special in May 2011.

Evancho in concert in June 2012

By 2011, Jackie had recorded with Tony Bennett. She also appeared with David Foster in Japan. She returned to Japan in January 2012 for concerts. While there, she sang for the Imperial family. In February 2012, Jackie sang at the US National Prayer Breakfast. She also appeared on Dancing with the Stars. She sang "Ave Maria" for two dance teams. She was a guest star on the 2012 season finale of Canada's Got Talent. In June, she sang in Russia at an economic forum.

Jackie sang at the 2012 So The World May Hear Gala. This event helps provide hearing aids to people in need. In August, she sang in Hiroshima, Japan, for a "Peace for World" concert. She also performed with Tony Bennett in California. In October, she performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Jackie also partnered with WhyHunger to help end world hunger.

2013 to 2015 Performances

Jackie joined over 200 Cirque du Soleil performers in Las Vegas in 2013. This event helped provide clean water around the world. She sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and was lowered from the ceiling like an angel. In April 2013, she sang in concert in Taiwan with José Carreras. She performed another concert with Tony Bennett in May. In the 2013 broadcast of A Capitol Fourth, Jackie sang the national anthem.

Jackie performed a benefit concert called Jackie Evancho & Friends: We are Hope. This helped programs that teach music and art in US public schools. She sang the US national anthem at a Thanksgiving Day football game. She then performed a Christmas benefit concert at Carnegie Hall.

Evancho in concert, April 2014

In early 2014, Jackie performed for a breast cancer research benefit. She also sang for the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. She appeared in a gala for Chicago TV and radio stations. She also performed at the 2014 National Memorial Day Concert. Jackie sang "Over the Rainbow" at the Songwriters Hall of Fame awards dinner. In September 2014, she performed at a David Foster Foundation concert. This helped families with children needing organ transplants. In November, she sang John Lennon's "Imagine" at the United Nations.

In 2015, Jackie made a video to support the fight against seal hunting. She also joined Andrea Bocelli in his concert in Thailand. A review said her voice was "close to the sound of an angel." In September, she performed at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. This was part of the celebration of Pope Francis's visit. In December, she sang the US national anthem at a Pittsburgh Steelers game. She also released her first song on her own label, "Safe & Sound".

2016 to Present Performances

In January 2016, Jackie appeared at a luncheon to help abused women and children. In April, she sang the national anthem at the Pittsburgh Pirates' home game. She also released an original pop song called "Apocalypse." Billboard said she "has found a brand-new sound." Jackie said she would not leave her classical roots.

Jackie performed at the 2016 Project Sunshine benefit gala. She also returned to Washington, DC, for A Capitol Fourth. In September, she sang at a David Foster Foundation fundraiser. This helped pay for children's organ transplants. She performed at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame ceremony. She ended the year with a performance in AGT's first Christmas special.

Jackie sang the US national anthem at the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017. She said her decision to perform was not about politics. On the same day, she released a recording called Together We Stand. It included "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "America the Beautiful". Jackie said profits would go to charities that support her sister Juliet. Juliet advocates for fairness for transgender students. Jackie led a TV special in August 2017 called "Growing Up Evancho." It focused on her family life and efforts to support transgender rights.

In 2018, Jackie performed at a benefit gala to help preserve a mission in California. In 2019, she sang a concert in Pittsburgh to help homeless LGBTQ young adults. In July, she performed with the Pacific Symphony for the dedication of Christ Cathedral. In October, she sang in a concert of songs from a new rock musical.

In 2020, Jackie competed on season three of The Masked Singer as "Kitty."

Jackie divides her time between New York City and Pittsburgh. She continues to give Christmas concerts. For example, she performed "Home for the Holidays" in December 2021. In April 2023, she gave a concert in Texas. In August, she reunited with the Ocean City Pops orchestra. In late 2024, Jackie opened for Echosmith on their "Cool Kids" tour. She also performed with the San Francisco Symphony in December.

Other Activities and Appearances

Jackie performed in several musicals as a young child. She played the main role in Little Red Riding Hood. She also appeared as an extra in the 2010 film She's Out of My League. She was a guest on the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place in 2011. Her character sang "America the Beautiful" in the episode.

In the 2012 film The Company You Keep, Jackie played Isabel. She was the eleven-year-old daughter of a lawyer played by Robert Redford. Redford also directed the film. A review said Jackie "showed she's more than a singing prodigy with her earnest sweetness."

Jackie modeled for GUESS Kids in 2012. She also modeled for Justice Girls Clothing in 2014. She has appeared in other advertisements and public service announcements.

Music Albums

Billboard named Jackie the No. 1 Classical Albums Artist of 2011. She had three of the top four albums on the Billboard 2011 year-end Classical Albums chart. She was also the No. 10 Billboard 200 Artist of 2011.

Billboard ranked Jackie the No. 2 Classical Albums Artist of 2012. Three of her albums were in the top seven classical albums that year. She was the No. 37 Billboard 200 Artist of 2012.

Jackie was ranked the No. 5 Classical Albums Artist of 2013. She was No. 7 in 2014 and No. 4 in 2015. Her 2017 and 2019 albums, Two Hearts and The Debut, were her seventh and eighth albums in a row to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart.

See also

In Spanish: Jackie Evancho para niños