Grace VanderWaal Discusses “Mental Repercussions” of Child Stardom

“I’m human and obviously things hurt sometimes,” she said of harsh social media comments. “I feel like I’ve been doing this for so long that you get desensitized to hate online. I went through a ton of hate online when I was really young. I’m happy it happened though because it prepared me for this life.”

Ultimately, it’s a life—and career—worth celebrating. Earlier this month, Simon called Grace’s audition one of his top Golden Buzzer moments of all time. And while some contestants break away from the spotlight after their time on the show, Grace is still releasing new music, including her latest single “Lion’s Den.”

“I was just a little girl and I fully didn’t know what I was doing,” Grace shared when looking back on her audition. “It’s so surreal the way that has just transformed my life. And now I’m sitting here years later still in the business. I never would have thought I’d be doing that.”