America’s Got Talent is heating up as two more contestants have been sent straight to live shows, one of which being Liv Warfield who wowed the judges and audience with her original song “Stare.” Her audition episode aired Tuesday, June 4.
In fact Simon Cowell broke the rules by using his Golden Buzzer twice, using one of his buzzer decisions for Warfield – the other for the group Sky Elements. As Warfield is off to the Live Shows, viewers are wondering just who this seemingly unassuming singer is. (That being said, the R&B singer did reveal that she’s shared the stage with legends such as Prince if that’s any indication of the impressive extent of her career thus far.)
Read more to learn some surprising facts about a current AGT fan-favorite.
She is from Peoria, Illinois.
The singer’s real name is Olivia McCoy, and she first showcased her talent at Notre Dame High School where she grew up in Peoria, Illinois. She was the daughter of a deacon and went on to graduate from Notre Dame in 1997.
She was a track and field athlete first.
Turns out the singer can run, according to the Peoria Journal Star. Still holding the school records for the 100 and 200-meter races, Warfield continued her journey as an athlete at Portland State where she received a track scholarship.
“I was really quiet and all I knew was sports,” said the singer in a 2014 interview with Portland Monthly. “And then I got to Portland and just created a new life. Within two weeks, I went skydiving. I felt like I could do anything.”
She fell in love with singing at a karaoke bar in Portland, Oregon.
At a karaoke bar called the Galaxy, Warfield was dragged to the stage by a friend. Initially a shy performer, she would sing with her back to the audience. Later, she became so obsessed that she would perform daily from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. some night. Over time, her performances became more theatrical, featuring wigs and costumes.
She slept in her car to pursue a singing career.
Upon realizing her dream to become a professional singer, Warfield dropped out of school and for a while slept in her car. She eventually self-produced her first album “Embrace Me” in 2006, and she would sell CDs at the local market.
“I wanted to do anything just to be heard,” she said in the same interview.
She was first discovered by Linda Hornbuckle. Then Prince.
She first saw Hornbuckle – a Portland-based gospel singer – at an establishment called the Candlelight. She was later pulled up on stage by the artist who since then has become a “mother figure” to Warfield.
Then in 2009, she was selected to be a member of Prince’s backing band known as New Power Generation. She auditioned with the song “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones. She toured with the band for five years and is featured on his album “Lotusflow3r.” Before he died, Prince served as an executive producer on Warfield’s second solo album “The Unexpected,” and she performed at the 2017 multi-day celebration of the singer’s life as a tribute to him a year after his death.
She performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon which led to her appearing with Heart.
Warfield performed on the late night show, singing a cover of “Why Do You Lie?” This later led her to be handpicked by singer Nancy Wilson as an opening act for Heart’s Hollywood Bowl gig in 2015. Later the two women created a duo called Roadcase Royale, reflecting the sounds of their distinct styles through merging rock, R&B, and ballads. They released their first single “Get Loud” in 2017, which led to the debut full-length album “First Things First” later that same year.
Watch the Golden-Buzzer-worthy performance below.
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America’s Got Talent, Season 19, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 8/7c, NBC
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