Despite being just 16 years of age, Pittsburgh native and America’s Got Talent finalist Jackie Evancho has lived quite an interesting life. It will get even more interesting on Friday, January 20, 2017, when Evancho sings the National Anthem at Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C.
However, despite Evancho’s seemingly storied life for such a young age, it doesn’t make her exempt from being the target of some severe bullying at her high school back home. The insults are not just directed at Jackie, but her transgender sister as well.
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This Friday at noon, Jackie Evancho will be raising her voice — and what a voice! — to sing the National Anthem at the Inauguration. With Michelle Miller, we take note:
“It’s a normal sibling relationship,” said Juliet Evancho. “We have our good moments and we have our bad!”
Jackie and Juliet Evancho are typical sisters in many of the usual ways.
Miller asked, “Why do you have bad moments?”
“Well, ‘cause we’re competitive,” Juliet replied.
“She always had to have the prettiest Barbie and the prettiest dress,” Jackie said. “And me being the amazing person I am, I gave it to her!”
“Yeah, but now look — she wears the pretty dresses and performs for so many people!”
And that’s one of the few things that set them apart. At 16, Jackie Evancho in fast becoming an international star. With a voice like hers, you would think she was born singing, but that wasn’t really the case.
“I always sang a little bit, like, around the house, just like everybody else,” she said. “It was never good until I got my tonsils removed. And they were abnormally large. So my whole voice changed. My voice clicked and found its place. That was when I was eight. So, that’s when it happened!”
What happened was this:
Parents Mike and Lisa Evancho submitted a video of Jackie singing “Panis Angelicus” to the TV competition show, “America’s Got Talent” — and Jackie got the call.
She was 10 years old, with a voice way beyond her years. She came in second, but either way, a star was born.
Since then, Evancho has sung duets with Tony Bennett and Andrea Boccelli … released seven albums … and performed for President Obama and adoring crowds around the world.
Back home near Pittsburgh, life is a lot more ordinary. Jackie drives her two sisters and brother to school each day, and attends a public high school where, she admits, stardom comes at a price.
“You’ve been bullied?” Miller asked.
“Yeah,” Jackie replied. “I mean, everyone has in their own way. People just say things.”
“What do they say?”
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