Stockton’s Brandon Leake wins ‘America’s Got Talent;’ makes history in show’s 15th year
Stockton native Brandon Leake took home the top prize — $1 million and the opportunity for a Las Vegas concert residency — as he was named winner of “America’s Got Talent.”
Leake, 27, was the first spoken word poet not just to win but to even appear on the NBC reality competition series, which ended its 15th season Wednesday night.
Host Terry Crews unveiled Leake’s victory on an outdoor stage in front of Universal Studios Hollywood, where a socially distanced audience watched from golf carts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Leake, wearing a white suit jacket and a nervous smile before Crews named him the winner, dropped to his knees and pounded the stage in celebration as fireworks and confetti launched.
His acclaimed performances throughout Season 15 of the TV show included poems he penned about his family, including his newborn daughter and the loss of his sister; as well as centering the Black Lives Matter movement, in the wake of the police shootings of Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake, as well as the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans.
Leake has performed at open mic nights, workshops and poetry slams in Sacramento over the past few years.
The winner of “America’s Got Talent” each season earns the opportunity for a performance residency in Las Vegas. Leake will have the chance to continue his spoken word at Luxor Hotel & Casino.
Chicago-based singing duo Broken Roots took runner-up honors on “America’s Got Talent” in Wednesday’s final results show.
This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
