Julianne Hough Debuts First New Song in Nearly a Decade During America's Got Talent Finale
The season finale of America’s Got Talent is here — and so is new music from judge Julianne Hough!
During the show’s season 14 finale on Wednesday night, the star debuted her first new song in nearly a decade with a high-energy performance. The debut of the single, titled “Transform,” was accompanied by a dance performance from season 14 finalist V. Unbeatable.
“I couldn’t imagine a better stage,” Hough, 31, told reporters ahead of the finale. “This is where people’s lives begin, and I feel like I’m just getting started with my music again.”
Before Wednesday, Hough hadn’t released a new single since 2010, when she came out with her track, “Is That So Wrong.” Two years prior, in 2008, Hough released her self-titled debut album.
“When Mandy [Moore] said she was releasing new music after 10 years I literally DM’d her and said ‘Wait, what?! I am too! This is so cool!’ ” Hough said of Moore, who released her new single, “When I Wasn’t Watching,” on Tuesday.
“To be able to release new music after 10 years of feeling like I suppressed it and pushed it away [and] to find it again in my most creative and authentic voice is super empowering,” Hough shared. “As much as I want people to hear it and I want to share it, it really was a love note to myself. Being connected back to the artist rather the performer of who I am. I’m really excited.”
Ahead of debuting her new song on AGT, Hough teased her performance on Instagram, writing alongside a photo of herself laying on the ground and decked out in gold, “Getting grounded, literally. Can’t wait to perform tonight on the #AGTFinale! @agt.”
Those looking for more music from Hough will soon get to hear her sing with Dolly Parton on Netflix’s new scripted anthology series, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, which is based on the stories told through Parton’s songs. Hough will appear on the episode centered on Parton’s 1973 classic “Jolene” to play the song’s man-stealing title character.
“I get to be Jolene, one of the most iconic characters she’s written about,” Hough said of Parton. “I’m extremely pumped and honored to be doing music with Dolly. I sing in it, and I sing with her.”
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Competing in the AGT finals are dance troupe V. Unbeatable (guest judge Dwyane Wade‘s Golden Buzzer choice), opera singer Emanne Beasha (guest judge Jay Leno’s Golden Buzzer choice), the Detroit Youth Choir (Crews’ Golden Buzzer choice), comedian Ryan Niemiller and quartet Voices of Service.
Also in the finals are singer Kodi Lee (Union’s Golden Buzzer), violinist Tyler Butler-Figueroa (Cowell’s Golden Buzzer choice), dance troupe Light Balance Kids (guest judge Ellie Kemper’s Golden Buzzer choice), singer Benicio Bryant and Ndlovu Youth Choir.
The America’s Got Talent finale airs Wednesday (8 p.m. ET) on NBC.