Did Chapel Hart win ‘America’s Got Talent’ and $1 million prize? Here are the results.
They didn’t take the title and $1 million prize for season 17 of American’s Got Talent, yet Chapel Heart won fame and the backing of South Mississippi and millions of new fans this summer.
The Mayyas, a Lebanese dance act, won the title.
Chapel Hart came out at Wednesday night’s season finale and gave the audience “Something to Talking About,” dressed in black and gold bling and singing Bonnie Raitt’s classic song with country star Darius Rucker.
“America, I say country music’s in good hands,” Danica Hart declared at the end of the song, which got the audiences and the judges on their feet.
Chapel Hart — sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle — survived as the 11 finalists were narrowed down to the top 5.
But they did not make it into the top 4.
“Terry, this has absolutely meant everything to us,” Danica Hart told host Terry Crews.
“Talent like yours doesn’t dim, it just keeps shining brighter,” judge Heidi Klum told the girls.
More than 1.5 billion votes were cast this season on America’s Got Talent, said AGT creator and judge Simon Cowell, and Tuesday night’s votes were the most cast.
Cowell said he believes Chapel Hart has a hit with their original song “American Pride” they performed during the finals Tuesday.
Singing with Rucker is something the trio from Poplarville in Pearl River County only dreamed of two months ago when they first took the stage of the NBC show. Their original song “You Can Have Him, Jolene” — a take on Dolly Parton’s hit song “Jolene” 50 years before — won them a rare group golden buzzer from the judges, the blessing of Parton and the attention of the world.
“What a fun new take on my song!” Parton posted on social media.
Other celebrities continued to praise Chapel Hart as they continued to wow the audiences with each performance on AGT.
With all the new-found fame, the members of Chapel Hart remembered their roots in every interview and personal appearance. They told about how they got their start singing together at Harts Chapel in Poplarville.
The video for “You Can Have Him Jolene” was filmed in Pass Christian and the video for their 2020 “Country Paradise” at Red Creek in Stone County.
“There are little girls in Poplarville, Mississippi who think this isn’t possible but we’re doing it,” Devynn Hart said after their AGT audition.
Their community cheered them on. Officials from Poplarville and Pearl River County declared it “Hart Chapel” week to add their encouragement.
Watch parties were held Tuesday at Dobie Holden Stadium at Pearl River Community College during Tuesday’s AGT show and at homes and bars across South Mississippi.
On Wednesday night, South Mississippi watched and waited to see if their hometown girls would win.
What’s next?
AGT gave them the opportunity and Chapel Hart took that chance and became stars and they will continue their sparkle.
They already are scheduled to:
- Debut at the Grand Ole Opry Saturday, Sept. 17
- Perform at Dollywood’s Harvest Festival in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Oct. 2.
- Sing with Rucker on his next album
- Closer to home, tickets are on sale for their appearance at Ground Zero Blues Club in Biloxi on Nov. 30.
- They will be at the Bogalusa Blues & Heritage Festival Sept 23 in Bogalusa, Louisiana and at the Gretna Fest Oct. 9 at Gretna, Louisiana.
Fans also can hear the band on their new album, ”The Girls Are Back In Town.”
This story was originally published September 14, 2022 at 9:52 PM.
