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You Probably Forgot AGT's 1st Winner, Bianca Ryan, Sings This Hit Christmas Song

The star recorded the holiday song shortly after winning the first season of AGT.

By Chris Phelan
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Bianca Ryan was only 11 when she became the first-ever winner of America's Got Talent. Today, she's 30 years old and sounding better than ever — especially when it comes to a certain Christmas song.

How to Watch

Watch the Season 20 premiere of Americaâs Got Talent on Tuesday, May 27 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock

After winning AGT Season 1, she put the $1 million prize to good use: Ryan went right to the studio to record "Why Couldn't It Be Christmas Everyday?", a holiday track that is found on countless Christmas playlists in 2024. Although she recorded the popular song as a child, she can still perform it like the champion she is, as evidenced by this jaw-dropping live 2020 performance in downtown Nashville.

The bright, bubbly holiday pop masterpiece was always tuned to Ryan's voice, but it sounds even better today. Her ability to hit powerful runs — especially the iconic one capping the song — has always been one of her best qualities.

This version of "Why Couldn't It Be Christmas Everyday?" feels like a Broadway performance coming to life on the streets of Nashville, with Ryan's impressive vocals the star of the show.

Believe it or not, the song is huge in The Netherlands.

Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Simon Cowell in America's Got Talent, Season 19 Episode 11.

Audition for AGT Season 20 Now!

If you have what it takes to appear on America's Got Talent, sign up for Season 20 auditions today at agtauditions.com. For details on how the process works — with guidance from AGT winners — check out NBC Insider's ultimate audition guide.

What happened to Bianca Ryan after winning America's Got Talent Season 1?

Since her 2006 self-titled album, Ryan has stayed busy. After undergoing multiple surgeries to correct vocal cord complications that threatened her health and singing career, the singer returned to the franchise that made her a household name.

Ryan memorably appeared as a contestant in America's Got Talent: The Champions, a full 12 years after her first audition, and also took the opportunity to give fans a much-needed update on her health:

These days, Ryan has been largely absent from the social media scene — until the release of Wicked, which prompted her to get back in the studio. Here's the 30-year-old nailing "Defying Gravity" just when you thought that song was finally out of your head:

"Wicked was released the first year I ever started singing around 9 years old and the shows songs were some of the first 20 songs I ever learned to sing. Here is to Defying Gravity and never letting anything bring you down 🧹," she said in a caption.

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