Mandy Harvey facts for kids

Amanda Lynn Harvey (born January 2, 1988) is an American singer and songwriter. She sings both jazz and pop music. Mandy became completely deaf at age eighteen due to an illness. Later, she became famous as a contestant on America's Got Talent in 2017. She performed her own original songs on the show.

Mandy Harvey's Early Life and Education

Mandy Harvey was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her family later moved to St. Cloud, Florida. As a child, she had hearing problems. She had several surgeries to try and fix them.

Her family moved to Colorado when she was young. Mandy loved to sing throughout her childhood. Her talent was noticed at Longmont High School. She graduated from high school in 2006.

Mandy slowly lost her hearing over time. This was because of a health condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She became completely deaf at age eighteen. At that time, she was studying music at Colorado State University. Because of her hearing loss, she left the university.

Her Music Career

After losing her hearing in 2007, Mandy felt very sad. She stopped making music for a while. But she found a way to continue. She used special visual tuners to help her find the right notes when she sang.

In 2008, she met a jazz pianist named Mark Sloniker. She started performing regularly at Jay's Bistro in Fort Collins, Colorado. Later, she performed at Dazzle Jazz Lounge in Denver. She also recorded three jazz albums.

Her first album, Smile, came out in 2009. The magazine JazzTimes said her singing was "rich and captivating." Her second album, After You've Gone, was released in 2010. In 2011, Mandy won a special award called VSA's International Young Soloist Award. She then performed at the Kennedy Center.

Her third album, All of Me, came out in 2014. Her fourth album, Nice to Meet You, was released in 2019. Her fifth album, Paper Cuts, arrived in 2022.

America's Got Talent Journey

In 2017, Mandy Harvey appeared on America's Got Talent. She was on season 12 of the show. She ended up taking fourth place in the competition.

During the show, she performed an original song with her ukulele. The judge Simon Cowell was so impressed that he gave her the Golden Buzzer. This sent her straight to the live shows.

In the same year, Mandy wrote a book with Mark Atteberry. It was called Sensing the Rhythm: Finding My Voice in a World Without Sound. In an interview, Mandy shared that some people in the deaf community had concerns about her performances. They felt her singing didn't fully represent their views.

In July 2022, Simon Cowell ranked his favorite Golden Buzzer moments from AGT history. Mandy Harvey's performance was ranked 5th out of 15.

Mandy Harvey's Personal Life

Mandy Harvey is an ambassador for an organization called No Barriers. This group helps people with disabilities overcome challenges.

In May 2022, Mandy announced she was expecting a baby. She and her husband had kept it a secret at first. This was because of worries about her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. In June 2022, Mandy and her husband welcomed their son, Louis.

Discography

• Smile (2009)
• After You’ve Gone (2010)
• All of Me (2014)
• Nice to Meet You (2019)
• Paper Cuts (2022)