Arzen Rose Dulzura

Jessica Sanchez recalls winning ‘America’s Got Talent’ while pregnant

Article (news)

Alyana De Guzman

Push Team

<p>Ahead of her highly anticipated homecoming concert in Manila, Jessica Sanchez looked back on her musical journey and reflected on her winning journey on <em>America&#x27;s Got Talent </em>Season 20 while pregnant with her first child. </p><p>During her guest appearance on <em>Fast Talk with Boy Abunda</em>, the Filipino-American singer first shared how much she has changed as a performer, saying that she now follows a ‘ritual’ before every performance, which she admitted she never used to do when she was younger. </p><p>“I do a lot now. I nebulize, I steam, I have to get like 9 hours of sleep, which is very hard being a new mom. You know, getting sleep. There&#x27;s a lot of tips and tricks that I have for my throat.” </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/5/15/jessica-sanchez-promises-special-night-for-filipino-fans-at-her-manila-show-1021"><strong><u>READ: Jessica Sanchez promises special night for Filipino fans at her Manila show</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPCUO2Dgc9c/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A816105%2C%22ls%22%3A746740.3%2C%22le%22%3A747354.2%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="719" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>According to Jessica, becoming more mindful of her voice came with age and experience. During her early years competing on <em>American Idol</em> in 2012, where she finished as first runner-up, she admitted she would trust her ‘Filipino blood’ and go up on stage without doing warm-ups. </p><p>Now that she is a mom, Jessica makes a lot more effort before every performance due to the ‘hormonal shift’ in her body after pregnancy.  </p><p>“[Now] I nebulize... it moisturizes the vocal cords. I think after I gave birth, there was like a huge hormonal shift in my body, so that affects my vocal cords. So I have to stay on top of my hydration.” </p><p>Years after first making waves as a young contestant on <em>American Idol,</em> Jessica returned to the competition stage through <em>America’s Got Talent</em> Season 20 while expecting her first child with husband Rickie Gallardo. </p><p>For the singer, balancing pregnancy with the intense demands of the competition became one of the toughest experiences of her career. </p><p> “Immensely challenging. I actually don&#x27;t know how I did that. I think it was the Lord&#x27;s hand on me that helped me bring out the voice, or maybe my daughter was kicking out the notes because it was very hard.” </p><p>“For me, she was right up against my diaphragm, so usually I could sing a concert worth of songs and be good. When I was on AGT, I could literally only sing one song and be done because it was so much breath that I had to kind of find in my body,” she added.  </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUylv7DEjvC/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A791267.1000000001%2C%22ls%22%3A746740.3%2C%22le%22%3A747354.2%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="655" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Her return to the competition also carried deep emotional meaning, especially because she first appeared on <em>America’s Got Talent </em>as a child contestant years ago. </p><p>“I [was] on AGT the first season when I was 10 years old. So, this was the 20th season, I came back 20 years later and even after [American] Idol, so many trials and tribulations throughout my career, and I&#x27;ve been on this journey with the internet. The whole internet watching. So, it really meant a lot, not only to me, but I felt like to my supporters and fans to see me kind of get out there and just take another, like I said, leap of faith to try again.” </p><p>Winning the competition became a full-circle moment for Jessica, who described the victory as something deeply personal for both her present self and the young girl who once dreamed of making it big onstage. Just a week and a half after her win, she gave birth to her daughter, Eliana.  </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/5/16/jessica-sanchez-shares-how-motherhood-changed-her-identity-and-musical-direction-0914"><strong><u>READ: Jessica Sanchez shares how motherhood changed her identity and musical direction</u></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Despite the global recognition she has received through the years, Jessica emphasized that Filipino fans have remained one of the biggest sources of support throughout her journey. </p><p>“I would not been able to have won without the support of the Filipino people, without the support of the Philippines. So, I am always trying to find time and find words to express how grateful I am for all of the love and support, and that&#x27;s why I&#x27;m so excited to be doing this concert, this homecoming concert.” </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWyaoeWEdC8/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A747740.4000000001%2C%22ls%22%3A746740.3%2C%22le%22%3A747354.2%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="847" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>As part of her return to the Philippines, Jessica is set to hold her homecoming concert, <em>Jessica Sanchez: Live in Manila,</em> on May 16 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. </p><p>The singer said during the concert’s media conference that fans can expect a special night filled with Filipino songs, performances from her album <em>S</em><em>zn,</em> and collaborations with some of the country’s biggest OPM stars. </p><p>Joining her onstage are notable artists including Vice Ganda, Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Morissette Amon, James Reid, and Darren Espanto.</p>

<p>Ahead of her highly anticipated homecoming concert in Manila, Jessica Sanchez looked back on her winning journey on America's Got Talent Season 20 while pregnant with her first child. </p>

Ahead of her highly anticipated homecoming concert in Manila, Jessica Sanchez looked back on her winning journey on America's Got Talent Season 20 while pregnant with her first child.