America 's Got Talent ( season 11 ) - wikipedia America 's Got Talent ( season 11 ) America 's Got Talent Season 11 Broadcast from May 31 -- September 14, 2016 Judges Howie Mandel Mel B Heidi Klum Simon Cowell Host ( s ) Nick Cannon Broadcaster NBC Winner Grace VanderWaal Origin Suffern, New York Genre ( s ) Singer Runner - up The Clairvoyants Chronology ◀ 2016 ▶ Season eleven of the reality competition series America 's Got Talent was ordered on September 1, 2015. The season premiered on NBC on Tuesday, May 31, 2016. Nick Cannon returned for his eighth and final season as host. Howie Mandel returned for his seventh season as a judge, while Mel B and Heidi Klum returned for their fourth season. Simon Cowell replaced Howard Stern as the fourth judge. The live shows began on July 26, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles instead of Radio City Music Hall in New York from previous years. Due to the 2016 Summer Olympics broadcast schedule on NBC, the show took a hiatus from August 9 -- 17. Dunkin ' Donuts sponsored the show for a second season, and this season again featured the golden buzzer for each judge and Cannon. Four guest judges joined the panel for the judge 's cuts : George Lopez, Reba McEntire, Ne - Yo, and Louis Tomlinson. Each judge was given a golden buzzer. Grace VanderWaal was announced as the winner on September 14, 2016, making her the second female act and the second child act to win the show since season 1. Mentalist duo, The Clairvoyants, placed second, marking the first time that females placed in the top two positions. Magician Jon Dorenbos, the NFL Long Snapper for the Philadelphia Eagles, placed third. Contents 1 Season changes 2 Preliminary auditions 2.1 Golden buzzer 3 Judge Cuts 3.1 Round 1 3.2 Round 2 3.3 Round 3 3.4 Round 4 4 Quarterfinals 4.1 Week 1 ( July 26 -- 27 ) 4.2 Week 2 ( August 2 -- 3 ) 4.3 Week 3 ( August 23 -- 24 ) 5 Semifinals 5.1 Week 1 ( August 30 -- 31 ) 5.2 Week 2 ( September 6 -- 7 ) 6 Finals 6.1 Finale 7 Top 36 acts 8 Ratings 8.1 U.S. Nielsen ratings 8.2 Specials 9 Contestants who appeared on other seasons or shows 10 International broadcasts 11 References 12 External links Season changes Season 11 judging panel and host Howie Mandel Mel B Heidi Klum Simon Cowell Nick Cannon On October 22, 2015, it was announced that creator Simon Cowell would replace Howard Stern as a judge for season 11. On January 12, 2016, it was announced that Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel would all return as judges, with Nick Cannon returning as host. The live shows will also move from New York back to Los Angeles, due to Howard Stern 's departure. The live shows will be held at the Dolby Theatre. This season will be the first time in the American version where the host, Nick Cannon, will also have the opportunity to use the golden buzzer. This is similar to the UK version of the series, Britain 's Got Talent, where together the co-hosts are also allowed to press the golden buzzer for an act. The position the judges sit at the judging table was flipped. From left to right ( as seen from the audience 's perspective ), the order is : Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel. This is likely because of the fact that Simon, who joined this season, has always been on the farthest left ( from the audience 's perspective ) whenever he 's on the judging panel. Preliminary auditions Auditions in front of the judges began on March 3, 2016 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California. The premiere aired on May 31, 2016. The season had preliminary open call auditions in Detroit, New York, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Jose, San Diego, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, and Dallas. As in years past, hopeful contestants could also submit online auditions. Golden buzzer This season again featured the golden buzzer, which allowed each judge ( and host Nick Cannon ) to send an act straight to the live shows. Mel B was the first judge to press it, using it for 13 - year - old opera singer Laura Bretan, who performed `` Nessun dorma ''. Howie Mandel was second to use it, for 12 - year - old singer / songwriter / ukelele player Grace VanderWaal, after she performed an original song titled `` I Do n't Know My Name '' in the third episode of auditions, Heidi Klum used her golden buzzer for 20 - year - old singer / crooner Sal Valentinetti, who performed `` My Way '' by Frank Sinatra. Simon Cowell used his golden buzzer for 16 - year - old Calysta Bevier, who performed `` Fight Song '' by Rachel Platten. All of the golden buzzers had been used for a singer until week 6 of auditions, when Cannon used his golden buzzer for Dorothy Williams, a 90 - year - old burlesque dancer. This was the first season in which Cannon was given a golden buzzer. This was the first time that an act who got a golden buzzer in the auditions round won a season. Judge Cuts This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2016 ) The Judge Cuts began on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 and ended on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Like the previous season, one guest judge joined the judges ' panel each show and was given one golden buzzer opportunity to send an act straight to the live shows. Twenty acts were shown each week and seven advanced, including the one that received the guest judge 's golden buzzer. Guest judges were not given a red buzzer to use. Any act that received all four red buzzers was immediately eliminated from the competition. The four guest judges were George Lopez, Reba McEntire, Ne - Yo, and Louis Tomlinson. This season, there were two Judge Cuts shows per week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Consequently, the Judge Cuts ended in two weeks rather than the four weeks they have taken in earlier seasons. This change was made to avoid competition with NBC 's upcoming Olympic Games broadcast. After the Judge Cuts, three wildcards were selected to compete in the live shows : FLIP, Sila Sveta, and Steven Brundage. Key Buzzed Golden buzzer Advanced Eliminated Eliminated Immediately Advanced Immediately Wild Card Round 1 Guest judge : Ne - Yo Date : July 12, 2016 This was the first Judge Cuts not to feature any acts getting four red buzzers. Act Order Performance type Buzzes Result Cowell Klum Ne - Yo Brown Mandel Hara Multimedia Illusionist Advanced Philippe and Marie - Lee Acrobatic Duo Eliminated Edgar Family Band Advanced Miniotics Dance Group Eliminated Jumpers in Command 5 Acrobatic Jump Rope Team Eliminated Christopher 6 Dancing Puppeteer Eliminated Brennley Brown 7 Singer Eliminated Lori Mae Hernandez 8 Comedian Advanced John Ferraro 9 Danger Act Eliminated Jon Call 10 Strongman Eliminated Duo Guerrero 11 Tightrope Duo Eliminated Jon Dorenbos 12 Magician Advanced Immediately The Passing Zone 13 Juggling Duo Advanced Julian Davis and the Hayburners 14 Bluegrass Band Eliminated Raii and Whitney Smith 15 Singing Duo Eliminated Ronee Martin 16 Singer Advanced Cory Kahaney 17 Comedian Eliminated Axel Perez 18 Balancing Acrobat Eliminated Rory Freeman 19 Contemporary Dancer Eliminated Linkin ' Bridge 20 A Cappella Group Advanced ^ 1 Although Hara is a multimedia illusionist, his act he performed did not include any multimedia. Round 2 Guest judge : Reba McEntire Date : July 13, 2016 Act Order Performance type Buzzes Result Cowell Klum McEntire Brown Mendel Kadie Lynn Roberson Singer And Guitarist Advanced Vello Vaher Contortionist Advanced House of Lewis Hip Hop Band Eliminated Zach Sherwin Comedic Rapper Eliminated Skylar Katz 5 Rapper Eliminated Erik Cavanaugh 6 Contemporary Dancer Eliminated Sofie Dossi 7 Contortionist Advanced Immediately Moya Angela 8 Singer Advanced Parker Garrison 9 Contemporary Dancer Eliminated Youngster 10 Dance Group Eliminated Cody Carter 11 Baton Twirler Eliminated Kadan Bart Rockett 12 Illusionists Advanced Adam Grabowski 13 Comedian Eliminated Julia Scotti 14 Comedian Advanced OneVoice 15 Singing Group Eliminated RL Bell 16 Singer Eliminated Cecile and Mighty 17 Singing Illusionists Eliminated Steven Brundage 18 Rubik 's Cube Magician Wild Card Gary Sladek and Jim 19 Trampolinists Eliminated Deadly Games 20 Extreme Knife Throwers Advanced Round 3 Guest judge : George Lopez Date : July 19, 2016 Act Order Performance type Buzzes Result Cowell Klum Lopez Brown Mandel José and Carrie Dancing Dog Act Eliminated Daniel Joyner Singer Advanced Ilan & Josh Beatboxers Eliminated The Finest Family Dance Group Eliminated Blake Vogt 5 Magician Advanced Alla and Daniel 6 Ballroom Dancing Duo Advanced Charles & Rose 7 Singing Duo Eliminated Mason Bumba 8 Martial Artist Eliminated Tape Face 9 Mime Advanced Good Girl 10 R&B Vocal Group Eliminated Dominique Dy 11 Singer And Pianist Eliminated Madison Watkins 12 Singer Eliminated Charlie Plaças 13 Aerialist Eliminated Malevo 14 Malambo Group Advanced Immediately Ian Stewart 15 Crossbow Act Eliminated Ryan Stock & AmberLynn 16 Sideshow Act Advanced Al Ducharme 17 Comedian Eliminated Ryan Beard 18 Comedic Singer Eliminated Sam Morril 19 Comedian Eliminated Brian Justin Crum 20 Singer Advanced Round 4 Guest judge : Louis Tomlinson Date : July 20, 2016 This was the only episode of Judge Cuts this season in which acts received four red buzzers. Act Order Performance type Buzzes Result Cowell Klum Tomlinson Brown Mandel ThroWings Extreme Acrobats Advanced Campbell Walker Fields Singer And Pianist Eliminated FLIP Dance Group Wild Card Shane and Shannon Jessen Ballroom Dance Duo Eliminated Outlawz 5 Dance Group Advanced Ary Hill 6 Singer Eliminated Avonlea Martin 7 Singer Eliminated Jayna Brown 8 Singer Advanced Immediately John Hetlinger 9 Rock Singer Eliminated Nathan Bockstahler 10 Comedian Eliminated Viktor Kee 11 Juggler Advanced Sos and Victoria 12 Quick Change Duo Advanced Jon Bernhardt 13 Musician Eliminated Immediately Jonathan Nosan 14 Contortionist Eliminated The Amazing Armando 15 Magician Eliminated Immediately Musicality 16 A Cappella Group Advanced Oksana Grishina 17 Contemporary Dancer Eliminated The Baron of the Universe 18 Strongman Eliminated D.J. Demers 19 Comedian Eliminated The Clairvoyants 20 Mentalists Advanced ^ 1 Because Mel B was on stage during Armando 's act, Louis pressed her buzzer. Quarterfinals The live quarterfinals were held at the Dolby Theatre, starting on July 26, 2016. They featured the nine golden buzzer acts, the 24 acts passed through during the Judge Cuts round, and three wildcard acts chosen by the producers and judges. Twelve acts performed each week. Seven acts made it through to the semi-finals, while five were eliminated. Outlawz, ThroWings, Vello Vaher and Alla and Daniel received an `` X '' in the live shows. Key Buzzed Advanced Judges ' Choice Won Judges ' Choice Lost Judges ' Choice Dunkin ' Save Judges ' Wildcard Week 1 ( July 26 -- 27 ) Guests : Mat Franco, Paul Zerdin Act Order Act Buzzes and judges ' choices Result Simon Heidi Mel B Howie Jayna Brown Singer Advanced Hara Multimedia Illusionist Eliminated Outlawz Hip - Hop Dance Group Eliminated Musicality School Choir Advanced Lori Mae Hernandez 5 Comedian Dunkin ' Save Deadly Games 6 Extreme Knife Throwers Judges ' Choice Jon Dorenbos 7 Magician Advanced Daniel Joyner 8 Singer Eliminated Tape Face 9 Mime Advanced Dorothy Williams 10 Burlesque Dancer Eliminated Sila Sveta 11 Videomapping Dance Duo Eliminated Laura Bretan 12 Opera Singer Advanced ^ 1 After Howie 's vote tied the Judges ' Choice, Deadly Games was announced to have received more of America 's votes than Hara, and advanced to the semi-finals. ^ 2 In the middle of the Dunkin ' Save vote during the results show, Deadly Games 's picture was portrayed as Daniel Joyner, bringing Deadly Games 's voting percentage to 0 %. It was later fixed. Week 2 ( August 2 -- 3 ) Guests : Fitz and The Tantrums featuring Team iLuminate Act Order Act Buzzes and judges ' choices Result Simon Heidi Mel B Howie FLIP Dance Group Eliminated Moya Angela Singer Eliminated Viktor Kee Juggler Advanced Kadie Lynn Roberson Singer And Guitarist Judges ' Choice Ryan Stock and AmberLynn 5 Sideshow Act Eliminated Calysta Bevier 6 Singer Advanced Sofie Dossi 7 Contortionist Advanced The Clairvoyants 8 Mentalists Advanced Sal Valentinetti 9 Singer Dunkin ' Save ThroWings 10 Extreme Acrobats Eliminated Steven Brundage 11 Rubik 's Cube Magician Advanced Sos and Victoria 12 Quick Change Duo Eliminated ^ 1 After Simon 's vote tied the Judges ' Choice, Kadie Lynn Roberson was announced to have received more of America 's vote than ThroWings, and advanced to the semifinals. ^ 2 AmberLynn accidentally shot Ryan in the chest, but he was declared okay. ^ 3 Simon pressed his buzzer after his comments on ThroWings. He later stated that he did press his buzzer after the performance due to safety reasons. Week 3 ( August 23 -- 24 ) Guests : Recycled Percussion, Michael Phelps Act Order Act Buzzes and judges ' choices Result Simon Heidi Mel B Howie Vello Vaher Contortionist Eliminated Ronee Martin Singer Eliminated Kadan Bart Rockett Illusionists Advanced Linkin ' Bridge A Cappella Group Judges ' Choice Alla and Daniel 5 Ballroom Dance Duo Eliminated Blake Vogt 6 Magician Advanced Edgar 7 Family Band Advanced Julia Scotti 8 Comedian Eliminated Brian Justin Crum 9 Singer Advanced Malevo 10 Malambo Group Dunkin ' Save The Passing Zone 11 Juggling Duo Wild Card Grace VanderWaal 12 Singer - Songwriter / Ukulele Player Advanced Semifinals The live semifinals started on August 30, 2016. They feature the 21 acts voted to the semifinals, plus the judges ' semifinal wildcard pick. Each week, eleven acts will perform. Five will go through, while six will be eliminated. No acts got buzzed. Key Advanced Judges ' Choice Won Judges ' Choice Lost Judges ' Choice Dunkin ' Save Week 1 ( August 30 -- 31 ) Guests : The Illusionists Act Order Performance description Judges ' choices Result Simon Heidi Mel B Howie Sal Valentinetti Singer, performed `` That 's Life '' by Frank Sinatra. Advanced Blake Vogt Magician, performed a trick in which he tore off a piece of a card that Simon chose, and made it reappear in the empty card box. Vogt then got on a scissor lift and covered himself with a large cloth, only to disappear upon dropping the cloth and reappearing on one of the theater 's balconies. Eliminated Edgar Family Band, performed `` Bless the Broken Road '' by Rascal Flatts. Eliminated Lori Mae Hernandez Comedian, performed a routine in which she joked about the U.S Olympic team, her barbie doll collection, and Nick and the judges. Eliminated Musicality 5 School Choir, performed `` Born This Way '' by Lady Gaga. Eliminated Deadly Games 6 Extreme Knife Throwers, performed a routine consisting of Alfredo using a whip to cut a rose off of a stem in Anna 's mouth, throwing knives at Anna while she was obscured by a long white canvas, and shooting a crossbow at her whilst holding balloons with her mouth / hands. Eliminated Tape Face 7 Mime, performed a routine in which he brought an audience member to the stage to `` duel '' with him using staple guns and balloons under both men 's armpits and between their legs. Dunkin ' Save Jon Dorenbos 8 Magician, performed a trick in which he made the judges throw a football at a U.S. map, then proceeded to reveal 4 quarters in a locked chest that represented the states the judges threw their footballs at. Dorenbos also revealed a hidden map to the judges that predicted the locations of the judges ' throws. Advanced Grace VanderWaal 9 Singer - Songwriter / Ukulele Player, performed her original song, `` Light the Sky ''. Advanced Malevo 10 Malambo Group, performed an Argentine folk dance routine with elements such as water and percussion incorporated. Eliminated Laura Bretan 11 Opera Singer, performed Andrew Lloyd Webber 's `` Pie Jesu ''. Judges ' Choice Week 2 ( September 6 -- 7 ) Guests : Andra Day, Blue Journey Act Order Performance description Judges ' choices Result Simon Heidi Mel B Howie Jayna Brown Singer, performed `` Rise '' by Katy Perry. Eliminated Kadan Bart Rockett Illusionists, performed a trick in which they made all of their classmates appear out of a cardboard schoolhouse. Eliminated Kadie Lynn Roberson Singer, performed `` I Hope You Dance '' by Lee Ann Womack. Eliminated Viktor Kee Juggler, performed a routine consisting of emerging out of a treasure chest, levitating a ball, and then juggling four balls in a variety of ways. Judges ' Choice Linkin ' Bridge 5 A Cappella Group, performed `` 7 Years '' by Lukas Graham. Advanced The Passing Zone 6 Juggling Duo, performed a routine in which they juggled flaming torches around Cowell. Eliminated Calysta Bevier 7 Singer, performed `` Human '' by Christina Perri. Eliminated Steven Brundage 8 Rubik 's Cube Magician, performed a routine in which he asked Cannon to choose a card with a celebrity 's name on it while the judges were mixing Rubik 's cubes, followed by asking Cannon to place the mixed cubes on a board, followed by revealing the chosen celebrity on the board. Eliminated Sofie Dossi 9 Contortionist, performed a routine in which she balanced and rotated on a platform using her hands while contorting her body, followed by a performance on a suspended hoop. Dunkin ' Save The Clairvoyants 10 Mentalists, performed a routine in which they asked for Mandel to ask Cowell a question, asked Mel B for an influence, asked Klum to name a kiss location, named the time on a clock correctly, and correctly named what the judges wrote. Advanced Brian Justin Crum 11 Singer, performed `` Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' by Tears for Fears. Advanced ^ 1 After Howie 's vote tied the Judges ' Choice, Viktor Kee was announced to have received more of America 's votes than Steven Brundage, and advanced to the finals. Finals The performances took place on September 13, 2016, where 10 acts performed. Every performance received a standing ovation from every judge. No acts were buzzed. The season finale took place on September 14, 2016. During the finale results, the top 5 acts were revealed first ; then they were eliminated in reverse ranking from fifth place to third place. Grace VanderWaal was announced the winner at the end of the finale. She won the million - dollar prize and was set to headline at the PH Showroom at the Las Vegas Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on October 27, 28, 29 and 30, 2016. Key Advanced to the top 5 Top 10 Guests : Pitbull, LunchMoney Lewis, Paula Abdul, Stevie Nicks, Il Volo Act Order Performance description Ranking Sal Valentinetti Singer, performed `` Mack the Knife '' by Bobby Darin Guest Performers : Jersey Boys ; Sang `` Oh What a Night. '' Advanced Sofie Dossi Contortionist, performed a compilation act, including a fast back - flip sequence and an aerial ring routine. Guest Performers : Il Volo, Sofie Dossi, and Viktor Kee ; Laura Bretan and II Volo sing a duet of `` Nessun Dorma '' from Turandot, while Sofie swings from a hoop in the sky and Viktor juggles balls. Top 10 Linkin ' Bridge A Cappella Group, performed `` See You Again '' by Charlie Puth. Guest Performer : Silhouettes ; Sang `` 7 Years '' with Silhouettes shadow dancing in the background. Top 10 Laura Bretan Opera Singer, performed `` O mio babbino caro '', by Giacomo Puccini. Guest Performers : Il Volo, Sofie Dossi, and Viktor Kee ; Laura Bretan and II Volo sing a duet of `` Nessun Dorma '' from Turandot, while Sofie Dossi swings from a hoop in the sky and Viktor juggles balls. Top 10 The Clairvoyants 5 Mentalists, performed an act where they compiled their previous performances together, naming a man 's birthday from the crowd, naming the expiration date and the last four numbers of Simon 's credit card while Amelie was submerged underwater, and naming the Howie - flavored jelly bean that Mel B described inside of a pendant. Guest Performers : Paula Abdul, and Jon Dorenbos ; Thommy hands Heidi a book of celebrities. She yells `` stop '' on a photo of Paula Abdul, who joins them on stage carrying a box. We 're playing the lottery, and each judge picks a random number between 1 and 50. Then they open a box, which contains a lottery ticket with the numbers each judge chose. They hand Paula an envelope, and Jon has Paula pick card from a giant deck of cards. He has her pick a card and tear it into four pieces, three of which he puts into a paper bag. Then he makes them disappear, and they reappear in the envelope reassembled. And the remaining corner is a perfect match. Advanced Brian Justin Crum 6 Singer, Performed `` Man in the Mirror '' by Michael Jackson. Brian did not have a Guest Performer ; instead he sang `` Creep '' by Radiohead. Advanced Tape Face 7 Mime, performed an act with horse puppets to the tune of `` William Tell Overture '', featuring Mel B with a toilet seat around her neck as he fired a plunger at the toilet seat in a parody of the William Tell legend. Guest Performers : Jon Dorenbos, Brian Justin Crum, Viktor Kee, and Shon China Lacy ; Tape Face gets them all to sway to `` Lean on Me '' by Bill Withers. Then he sits them in four chairs, with their backs all facing the same direction. He lays them down so that they 're leaning on each other and pulls out the chairs, one by one, so that they are now the chairs. He sits down, reads some papers and snaps a selfie, and they 're stuck that way until he slides the chairs back so they can de-tangle. Top 10 Viktor Kee 8 Juggler, performed with several different juggling methods, including one with a flaming ball. Guest Performers : Il Volo, Sofie Dossi, and Laura Bretan ; juggles balls while Laura Bretan and II Volo sing a duet of `` Nessun Dorma '' from Turandot, while Sofie Dossi swings from a hoop in the sky. Top 10 Jon Dorenbos 9 Magician, told an inspirational story while manipulating cards the judges signed. Guest Performers : Guest Performers : Paula Abdul, and The Clairvoyants ; Thommy hands Heidi a book of celebrities. She yells `` stop '' on a photo of Paula Abdul, who joins them on stage carrying a box. We 're playing the lottery, and each judge picks a random number between 1 and 50. Then they open a box, which contains a lottery ticket with the numbers each judge chose. They hand Paula an envelope, and Jon has Paula pick card from a giant deck of cards. He has her pick a card and tear it into four pieces, three of which he puts into a paper bag. Then he makes them disappear, and they reappear in the envelope reassembled. And the remaining corner is a perfect match. Advanced Grace VanderWaal 10 Singer - Songwriter / Ukulele Player, sang an original song called `` Clay '' with an anti-bullying message. Grace did not have a guest performer, but she sang her original : `` I Do n't Know my Name. '' Advanced Finale Key 1st place ( Winner ) 2nd place ( Runner - up ) 3rd place 4th place 5th place Act Result Grace VanderWaal Winner The Clairvoyants Runner - Up Jon Dorenbos 3rd place Brian Justin Crum 4th place Sal Valentinetti 5th place Top 36 acts Key Winner Runner - up Third Place Top 5 Finalist Semifinalist ( lost judges ' vote ) Semifinalist ( lost audience vote ) Quarterfinalist ( lost judges ' vote ) Quarterfinalist ( lost audience vote ) Golden buzzer ( Auditions ) Golden buzzer ( Judge Cuts ) Judges ' wild card ( quarterfinals ) Judges ' wild card ( semifinals ) Name of Act Age ( s ) Genre Act Hometown Quarterfinal Semifinal Result Grace VanderWaal 12 Singing Singer Chicago, Illinois Winner The Clairvoyants 28 & 29 Magic Mentalists Vienna, Austria Runner - up Jon Dorenbos 35 Magic Magician Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 3rd Place Brian Justin Crum 28 Singing Singer San Diego, California 4th Place Sal Valentinetti 21 Singing Singer Bethpage, New York 5th Place Laura Bretan 14 Singing Opera Singer Chicago, Illinois Finalist ( Won Judges ' Vote ) Tape Face 38 Comedy Mime Canterbury, New Zealand Finalist ( Won Dunkin ' Save Vote ) Sofie Dossi 15 Gymnastics Contortionist Cypress, California Finalist ( Won Dunkin ' Save Vote ) Linkin ' Bridge 36 -- 41 Singing A Cappella Group Louisville, Kentucky Finalist ( Won Public Vote ) Viktor Kee 45 Juggling Juggler Priluki, Ukraine Finalist ( Won Judges ' Vote ) Steven Brundage 25 Magic Rubik 's Cube Magician Saratoga Springs, New York Eliminated ( lost judges ' vote ) Edgar 15 -- 36 Singing Family Band Toluca Lake, California Eliminated ( lost judges ' vote ) Blake Vogt 27 Magic Magician Lebanon, Indiana Eliminated Calysta Bevier 16 Singing Singer Grand Rapids, Ohio Eliminated Deadly Games 32 & 34 Danger Extreme Knife Throwers Las Vegas, Nevada Eliminated Jayna Brown 14 Singing Singer Baltimore, Maryland Eliminated Kadan Bart Rockett 10 Magic Illusionists Hollywood, California Eliminated Kadie Lynn Roberson 12 Singing Singer And Guitarist Kemp, Texas Eliminated Lori Mae Hernandez 13 Comedy Comedian Lancaster, California Eliminated Malevo 17 -- 42 Dance Malambo Group Buenos Aires, Argentina Eliminated Musicality 15 -- 18 Singing School Choir Chicago, Illinois Eliminated The Passing Zone 49 Juggling Juggling Duo Hermosa Beach, California Eliminated Hara 25 Magic Multimedia Illusionist Japan N / A Eliminated ( lost judges ' vote ) ThroWings 25 & 29 Acrobatics Extreme Acrobats Boston, Massachusetts N / A Eliminated ( lost judges ' vote ) Ronee Martin 62 Singing Singer Columbia, Virginia N / A Eliminated ( lost judges ' vote ) Alla & Daniel 8 & 32 Dance Ballroom Dance Duo Saratov, Russia N / A Eliminated Daniel Joyner 17 Singing Singer Alamo, Tennessee N / A Eliminated Dorothy Williams 90 Dance Burlesque Dancer Hilo, Hawaii N / A Eliminated FLIP 14 -- 17 Dance Dance Group Lévis, Canada N / A Eliminated Julia Scotti 63 Comedy Comedienne Whiting, New Jersey N / A Eliminated Moya Angela 32 Singing Singer Las Vegas, Nevada N / A Eliminated Outlawz 17 -- 20 Dance Hip - Hop Dance Group Gilbert, Arizona N / A Eliminated Ryan Stock & AmberLynn 34 Danger Sideshow Act Las Vegas, Nevada N / A Eliminated Sila Sveta 20 -- 35 Dance Videomapping Dance Duo Los Angeles, California N / A Eliminated Sos & Victoria 37 & 44 Magic Quick Change Duo Mannheim, Germany N / A Eliminated Vello Vaher 52 Gymnastics Contortionist Tallinn, Estonia N / A Eliminated Ratings U.S. Nielsen ratings Show Episode title First air date Timeslot ( EDT ) Rating ( 18 -- 49 ) Share ( 18 -- 49 ) Viewers ( millions ) Nightly rank Weekly rank Auditions Week 1 ( Premiere ) May 31, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.6 10 11.67 Auditions Week 2 June 7, 2016 2.3 8 10.79 Auditions Week 3 June 14, 2016 2.6 10 11.54 5 Auditions Week 4 June 21, 2016 2.3 9 11.73 5 Auditions Week 5 June 28, 2016 Tuesday 9 : 00 p.m. 2.4 9 11.21 6 Auditions Week 6 July 5, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.7 10 12.81 7 Judge Cuts 1 July 12, 2016 2.4 9 11.54 8 Judge Cuts 2 July 13, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.4 9 11.85 9 Judge Cuts 3 July 19, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.3 9 11.10 10 Judge Cuts 4 July 20, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.3 9 10.78 11 Quarterfinals, Week 1 ( Performances ) July 26, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.3 9 10.47 12 Quarterfinals, Week 1 ( Results ) July 27, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 1.8 8 9.52 3 ( tie ) 13 Quarterfinals, Week 2 ( Performances ) August 2, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.5 9 11.57 4 ( tie ) 14 Quarterfinals, Week 2 ( Results ) August 3, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 1.8 7 9.39 1 ( tie ) 8 ( tie ) 15 Quarterfinals, Week 3 ( Performances ) August 23, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.4 9 11.26 16 Quarterfinals, Week 3 ( Results ) August 24, 2016 Wednesday 9 : 00 p.m. 2.1 8 10.67 1 ( tie ) 2 ( tie ) 17 Semifinals, Week 1 ( Performances ) August 30, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.6 10 12.28 18 Semifinals, Week 1 ( Results ) August 31, 2016 Wednesday 9 : 00 p.m. 2.0 8 10.50 19 Semifinals, Week 2 ( Performances ) September 6, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.5 9 11.96 6 20 Semifinals, Week 2 ( Results ) September 7, 2016 Wednesday 9 : 00 p.m. 2.0 7 10.61 9 21 Finals ( Performances ) September 13, 2016 Tuesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.8 10 13.97 4 ( tie ) 22 Finale September 14, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 2.8 10 14.41 4 ( tie ) Specials Show Episode title First air date Timeslot ( EDT ) Rating ( 18 -- 49 ) Share ( 18 -- 49 ) Viewers ( millions ) Nightly rank Weekly rank S1 Best of Season 11 Auditions July 6, 2016 Wednesday 8 : 00 p.m. 1.8 7 8.48 5 S2 Quarterfinals Week 3 Recap August 24, 2016 1.4 6 7.26 13 ( tie ) S3 Semifinals Week 1 Recap August 31, 2016 7 6.46 16 S4 Holiday Spectacular December 19, 2016 Monday 8 : 00 p.m. 1.8 6 9.54 5 ( tie ) Contestants who appeared on other seasons or shows The Passing Zone competed in season 1 and finished in the final. Dan Meyer competed in season 3, but was cut in Vegas. Russian Bar Trio competed in season 3, but had to withdraw due to injury. Donald Braswell took their place. Diane Barnard competed in season 9, and was eliminated during auditions in both seasons. Sal Valentinetti appeared on season 14 of American Idol and was cut during Hollywood Week. Cory Kahaney competed in season 1 of Last Comic Standing and finished in the final. She also appeared in season 4 of Food Network Star and was eliminated first. Steven Brundage and Blake Vogt participated on the second season of Penn & Teller : Fool Us, where Brundage successfully fooled Penn & Teller. Pato & Ginger participated on the first season of México Tiene Talento, where they finished runners - up. José and Carrie participated on the ninth season of La France a un incroyable talent and finished as a semifinalist. Laura Bretan won the sixth season of Românii au talent. Will Jay, a contestant who was eliminated in auditions, competed in the fourth season of The Voice of China and was eliminated in the Knockouts. Brennley Brown appeared on Season 12 of The Voice and finished in the Top 6. International broadcasts In Indonesia, the eleventh season of the show has currently been broadcast by NET. since October 22, 2016 every Saturday and Sunday at 10.00 PM WIB. But, since Monday, October 31, in addition to the weekend slot, the show has also been broadcast every Monday to Friday at 5.00 PM WIB as the replacement of the currently concluded TV drama, the second season of Kesempurnaan Cinta, which was concluded on Friday, October 28, 2016. References Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie ( September 2, 2015 ). `` ' America 's Got Talent ' Renewed for Season 11 by NBC ''. Retrieved November 23, 2015. Jump up ^ Khatchatourian, Maane ( October 22, 2015 ). `` Simon Cowell to Judge ' America 's Got Talent ' ''. Retrieved May 25, 2016. Jump up ^ `` AGT 2016 Vote is now closed ! Please come back Tuesday, July 26, to cast your first vote. ' ''. Jump up ^ `` AGT ''. NBC. Retrieved 19 August 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Reba McEntire Joins ' America 's Got Talent ' as Guest Judge ''. Jump up ^ Kaur, Jaskiran ( September 14, 2016 ). `` America 's Got Talent ( AGT ) Season 11 ( 2016 ) Winner revealed : Things to know about Grace VanderWaal ''. Yibada. New York City, New York ( English edition ). Retrieved September 14, 2016. Eichel, Molly ; Rowan, Tommy ( September 14, 2016 ). `` Jon Dorenbos takes 3rd, Grace VanderWaal wins America 's Got Talent ''. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 14, 2016 -- via Philly.com. Jump up ^ `` Simon Cowell to Replace Howard Stern as Judge on America 's Got Talent for Season 11 ''. October 22, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Simon Cowell is FINALLY returning to US TV as an America 's Got Talent judge with Mel B and Heidi Klum ''. Digital Spy. Retrieved January 22, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Auditions ''. The Futon Critic. Retrieved May 17, 2016. Jump up ^ Cannon, Nick ( May 31, 2016 ). `` I FINALLY GET A GOLDEN BUZZER ! ! ! # AGTPremiere ''. Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved June 2, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Mel B and Heidi Klum show some skin on the red carpet during America 's Got Talent kick off event for 11th season ''. Jump up ^ Justin Harp ( March 8, 2016 ). `` Find out when Simon Cowell makes his US TV return on America 's Got Talent ''. Digital Spy. Jump up ^ `` Audition In Person : 2015 - 2016 Audition Cities ''. America 's Got Talent Auditions. FremantleMedia North America & Simco, Ltd. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2015. Jump up ^ Aaron Couch ( May 31, 2016 ). `` America 's Got Talent : Laura Bretan Stuns Judges with Opera Singing ''. People.com. Jump up ^ Respers France, Lisa ( September 15, 2016 ). `` America 's Got Talent crowns Grace VanderWaal as winner ''. CNN. Retrieved September 15, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 2, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' 500 Questions ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 2, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 7, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : NBA Finals, ' America 's Got Talent ' lead the week of May 30 - June 5 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 7, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 8, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' 20 / 20 ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 14, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : NBA Finals down but still dominant in week of June 6 -- 12 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 14, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 15, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' Maya & Marty ' and ' Coupled ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 15, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 21, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : NBA Finals rule the week of June 13 -- 19 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 21, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 22, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' Maya & Marty, ' ' To Tell the Truth ' and ' Coupled ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 28, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent ' leads the week of June 20 -- 26 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 28, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( June 29, 2016 ). `` Tuesday Final Ratings : ' Zoo ' premiere adjusts down to series low ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 29, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 6, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent, ' ' Bachelorette ' top the week of June 27 - July 3 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 6, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 7, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up to season high ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 7, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( July 12, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent, ' Olympic trials put NBC on top for July 4 -- 10 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 12, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 13, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' and MLB All - Star Game adjust up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 13, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( July 19, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent ' wins the week of July 11 -- 17 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 19, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 14, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ESPYs, ' Big Brother ' and ' AGT ' adjust up ; ' The Night Shift, ' ' Wayward Pines ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 14, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 20, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' and ' Hotel Hell ' adjust up, final RNC numbers ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 20, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( July 26, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent ' finishes 1 - 2 for July 18 -- 24 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 26, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 21, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' and ' Whose Line ' adjust up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 21, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 27, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' AGT ' and ' Bachelorette ' adjust up, ' Zoo, ' ' Coupled ' and ' Whose Line ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 27, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( July 27, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent ' remains No. 1 for July 25 -- 31 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 27, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 28, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' Big Brother ' and ' America 's Got Talent ' adjust up, ' Night Shift ' and ' American Gothic ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 28, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( August 3, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' Whose Line ' and ' MADtv ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 3, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( August 9, 2016 ). `` Combined broadcast / cable weekly rankings, Aug. 1 - 7 : Olympics mean smaller cable presence ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( August 4, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : CMA Festival, ' America 's Got Talent ' and ' Night Shift ' adjust up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 4, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( August 24, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' Better Late Than Never, ' everything else unchanged ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 24, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( August 30, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : ' America 's Got Talent ' leads NBC to a win ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 31, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( August 25, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' Big Brother ' adjusts up to season high ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 25, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( August 31, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 31, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( September 7, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : College football, ' America 's Got Talent ' top the week of Aug. 29 - Sept. 4 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 7, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( September 1, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' Big Brother ' adjusts up, ' America 's Got Talent ' and ' The Night Shift ' adjust down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 1, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 8, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' Better Late Than Never ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 8, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( September 13, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : NFL rules the week of Sept. 5 - 11 ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 13, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 9, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : Presidential forum, ' America 's Got Talent ', ' Big Brother ' adjust up ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 9, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 14, 2016 ). `` Tuesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent ' adjusts up, ' Better Late Than Never ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 14, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Porter, Rick ( September 20, 2016 ). `` Broadcast weekly Top 25 : Football, finales and Emmys, oh my ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 20, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( September 15, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' America 's Got Talent, ' ' Big Brother adjust up, ' Blindspot ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 15, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( July 7, 2016 ). `` Wednesday final ratings : ' Masterchef ' adjusts up, ' Wayward Pines ' adjusts down ''. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 7, 2016. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( December 20, 2016 ). ( tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/daily-ratings/great-christmas-light-fight-finale-adjusts-down-monday-final-ratings/ `` ' Great Christmas Light Fight ' finale adjusts down : Monday final ratings '' ) Check url = value ( help ). TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 2, 2017. Jump up ^ Porter, Rick ( December 28, 2016 ). ( tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/weekly-ratings/week-14-broadcast-top-25-and-network-rankings-dec-19-25-2016/ `` NFL and NBC dominate the week 14 broadcast Top 25 and network rankings '' ) Check url = value ( help ). TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 2, 2017. Jump up ^ `` NET. on Twitter : `` Mulai malam ini, setiap Sabtu & Minggu America 's... ''. Retrieved 1 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Akhir Ceritanya Menggantung, Kesempurnaan Cinta akan Berlanjut ke Season 3 ''. Retrieved 1 November 2016. External links Official website IMDB America 's Got Talent website Preceded by Season 10 ( 2015 ) America 's Got Talent Season 11 ( 2016 ) Succeeded by Season 12 America 's Got Talent Seasons 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Winners Bianca Ryan Terry Fator Neal E. Boyd Kevin Skinner Michael Grimm Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. Olate Dogs Kenichi Ebina Mat Franco Paul Zerdin Grace VanderWaal Darci Lynne Farmer Runners - up The Millers Cas Haley Eli Mattson Bárbara Padilla Jackie Evancho Silhouettes Tom Cotter Taylor Williamson Emily West Drew Lynch The Clairvoyants Angelica Hale Third place Butterscotch Nuttin ' But Stringz Recycled Percussion Team iLuminate Oz Pearlman Jon Dorenbos Light Balance Other notable contestants Season 1 Taylor Ware Alexis Jordan Celtic Spring The Passing Zone Rappin ' Granny Leonid the Magnificent Jessica Sanchez Season 2 Jabbawockeez Julienne Irwin Kevin James Season 3 Kaitlyn Maher ZOOperstars ! Derrick Barry Season 4 Grandma Lee The Texas Tenors Thia Megia Season 5 ArcAttack Haspop Alice Tan Ridley Prince Poppycock Connor Doran The Strange Familiar Lindsey Stirling Season 6 Geechy Guy Anna Graceman POPLYFE Professor Splash Melissa Villaseñor Season 7 David Garibaldi and His CMYK 's Rudy Coby Season 8 Cami Bradley Marty Brown Brad Byers Forte Branden James Jim Meskimen John Wing Jr. Season 9 Dan Naturman Wendy Liebman Miguel Dakota Quintavious Johnson The Willis Clan Mike Super Season 10 Stevie Starr Piff the Magic Dragon Myq Kaplan Freelusion Dance Company Metal Mulisha Fitz Army Kacey Jones Kayvon Zand Season 11 Ryan Stock & AmberLynn Tape Face Brian Justin Crum Cory Kahaney The Passing Zone Laura Bretan Zach Sherwin Season 12 Bello Nock Colin Cloud Mandy Harvey Merrick Hanna Puddles Pity Party The Singing Trump Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=America%27s_Got_Talent_(season_11)&oldid=802344164 '' Categories : America 's Got Talent seasons 2016 American television seasons Hidden categories : Pages with URL errors Use mdy dates from June 2016 Articles needing additional references from October 2016 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 25 September 2017, at 15 : 47. 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Question: who was the winner of america's got talent last year
Answer: Grace VanderWaal