After Maya Neelakantan took the world by storm last week, it is now the turn of nine-year-old Praniska Mishra who has stunned the judges of America’s Got Talent (AGT) and audiences across the world. With a stellar performance of Tina Turner’s River Deep Mountain High, the young singer from Florida won the golden buzzer from judge Heidi Klum. (Also read: My dream is to create my own music by mixing Carnatic music and heavy metal: America’s Got Talent’s Maya Neelakantan)
In this exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, the self-taught Praniska talks about her professional singing career and how she wants to inspire people with her music.
How did you start singing and who is your coach now?
I started singing at a very young age, around two years old. My mom saw me humming a song from Moana that we had recently seen, and she realized I had a passion for music. Since we were in Canada at the time and couldn’t find a singing coach for someone so young, I started learning songs on my own through YouTube. I still remember the funny video my dad recorded and posted on his YouTube channel when I was just two years and nine months old, singing Cheap Thrills by Sia. Then my parents enrolled me in piano classes, and I started singing for local communities at the age of five.
Later, I started singing the national anthems for Canada and the US for all major sporting events like NFL, MLB, NHL, US Open, etc. I was actually born in New Jersey, USA, and then moved to Canada for a while and in 2021, my family moved back to the US to explore more opportunities for my singing career. My parents are of Indian descent (my father lived and worked in Chennai and my mother in Delhi), and I am an American-Canadian with Indian heritage from my parents and grandparents. With regards to a vocal coach, I mostly learn on my own with the help of my parents. My father and aunt, having a musical background, help correct my pitch, and I have an online vocal coach from Atlanta who helps with warm-ups once a week.
What are you hoping to gain from America’s Got Talent?
I look forward to sharing my voice and talent with the world through the AGT stage. Getting the Golden Buzzer from judge Heidi Klum was a dream come true and shows how much she loved my performance. I am grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response I have received on social media. My goal is to pursue a career as a singer, and winning would be amazing, but my goal is to reach as many people as possible with my music and inspire others.
India started hailing Maya Neelakantan and now people here are hailing you too. How do you feel about this?
I am so happy to have the support from India. I saw Maya’s performance on AGT and admired her talent. Although our auditions happened at different times, it’s amazing to see the positive responses for both of us. It was great to meet Maya briefly on set, and I hope we get to connect more in the future. The support I get from India, Canada, and the US means a lot to me, and it motivates me to do my best.
Recently, I received a beautiful message from Mr. Anand Mahindra on X (formerly Twitter) appreciating my performance. His words were very encouraging and boosted my confidence even more. Knowing that a respected person like Mr. Mahindra is cheering me on makes this journey even more special. It is amazing to see how talent can bring people from different countries together, and I am truly grateful for everyone’s support. Such feedback motivates me to keep striving for excellence and make everyone proud.
Two Indian talents on AGT at the same time – what do you think about this?
It’s great to see so many Indian talents on AGT. Apart from Maya and me, there are other talented contestants with Indian heritage. It showcases the incredible talent that comes from India and the diverse skills we bring to the stage. I’m proud to be a part of this representation and excited to see what we all achieve.
You said your grandmother wanted to see you on the world stage. What did she say about your performance?
My grandmother has always been my biggest supporter. When I was little, we would do plays where I held a comb as a mic and she would clap in the audience. After watching my performance on AGT, she was so happy and burst into tears. Having Heidi Klum call her backstage was a surprise, and it made the moment even more special.
My grandmother’s encouragement means everything to me, and I always pray for her good health. I would like to honor her by continuing to perform and share my talent. Performing at Bollywood events in India and music festivals like Mahindra Blues would be a dream come true. Being able to connect with diverse audiences through different musical platforms is something I look forward to with great enthusiasm.
What is your favorite song to perform?
I like songs that I can sing along to, such as Whitney Houston, Tyne Turner, Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion. I gravitate towards power ballads and energetic performances. I also like songs by Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.
Finally, which role model do you want to meet? Beyoncé?
Meeting Beyoncé would be a dream come true, as she is an incredible artist and inspiration. I would also like to meet Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish. Also, I admire the musical styles of AR Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan and Himesh Reshammiya. I had the good fortune of meeting Jeet Ganguly in Tampa, and he appreciated my singing. Also, James from Bheegi Bheegi recently praised my rendition of the song.
