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Dee Dee Simon’s Heavenly Voice Started an Actual Prison Riot
“I had to triage everybody,” said the registered nurse before wowing the Judges with her incredible voice.
Dee Dee Simon, a nurse at San Quentin state prison, stunned the judges into silence with her incredible singing voice. The Oakland, California resident put her heart and soul into her performance in Season 19 of America’s Got Talent, kicking off her shoes and falling to her knees — just as the audience jumped up to give her a standing ovation before she even finished.
Perhaps that’s no surprise, considering she once ignited a prison riot with her voice. The powerhouse singer explained to the Judges it happened right after she started her job as a prison nurse 19 years ago.
“After I sang a song, a riot broke out. Then I had to triage everybody,” she shared. Dee Dee waited years before singing to the prisoners again — perhaps a wise move. “They asked me again, and I just did it two months ago, and it was peace,” she said, smiling and flashing a peace to the audience.
What song did Dee Dee Simon sing?
Dee Dee nailed a song that Simon Cowell deemed “one of the hardest in the world”: Jennifer Hudson’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Living Without You.”
Her soaring rendition had the audience in tears and left the normally chatty Judges temporarily speechless. After they recovered, the Judges heaped praise on the singer, who believes that “destiny” brought her to the AGT stage.
When Simon asked about her dreams in life, she responded, “You know, it's always been this door. I get to this door and never get to go through it because of something.”
What did the Judges say about her performance?
“I think that you are out of [that door], you are free. Welcome to the world you deserve to be in,” exclaimed Howie Mandel. When Heidi Klum declared her one of the best singers of the season, Dee Dee erupted in a scream of joy.
Sophia Vergara added, “I thought it was spectacular. It’s coming from your soul. It was a beautiful treat to have you here tonight.”
But it was Simon Cowell’s remarks that brought the waterworks. Cowell, known for holding absolutely nothing back, offered words of encouragement that came from the heart.
“There’s nothing more frustrating than when you’ve got talent, and you just can’t be heard, and I promise you tomorrow, things are just going to be better. And I think you’re going to inspire a lot of other people,” said Simon. The Judges unanimously voted Dee Dee through to the next round. Fingers crossed, riots don’t break out all across America.
No one but close family knew Dee Dee would be appearing on America’s Got Talent, and her mom was by her side, praying with her backstage and singing along from her seat in the audience.
When asked by Simon if she would like to dedicate the song to someone, Dee Dee gestured to her mom in the audience, with tears streaming down her face. “To anyone who was told 'no,' keep going ‘cause it’s that one 'yes' that can change your life,” she said.
Watch all-new episodes as Season 19 of America’s Got Talent continues, Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC and streaming the next day on Peacock.
