Grace VanderWaal brought her infectiously sunshiney attitude to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Tuesday night (Apr. 24). The singer-songwriter proved her talent and wisdom beyond her 14 years with a moving performance of her latest single “Clearly,” a coming-of-age reinterpretation of Johnny Nash’s 1972 hit “I Can See Clearly Now.”
Sporting a ruffled floral sundress and youthful messy hair buns, VanderWaal wasn’t trying to convince people she’s any older than the average eighth grader. But her stunningly bold vocal performance might have fooled listeners who weren’t already familiar with her unmistakably mature, powerful voice, made famously viral by her tear-jerking America’s Got Talent audition that lead her to win season 11 of the show.
VanderWaal showed she’s still effortlessly comfortable on live television, exuding confidence throughout the performance of the inspiring, gospel-tinged track. With nothing to emphasize her performance but backing from house band Jon Batiste and Stay Human, the teenager let her singing gift “clearly” shine with flying colors.
VanderWaal’s debut studio album, Just the Beginning, was released in November, and she’ll be hitting the road in support of Imagine Dragons later this year. Watch her powerful performance on The Late Show below.