Bianca Ryan

Bianca Taylor Ryan, born September 1, 1994, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The second of five children born to Shawn and Janette Ryan, she moved with her family from New Jersey to Philadelphia at age three. Her father, a Rolling Stones fan, named her after Mick Jagger's ex-wife Bianca. Ryan describes her heritage as a mix of Japanese, Irish, Italian, German, and Cherokee. Before discovering her voice, she was an award-winning tap dancer, and by her own account did not attempt to sing until she was eight years old, when an interest in LeAnn Rimes and country music sparked her curiosity. Her father subsequently introduced her to his record collection, and Ryan developed a deep affinity for rhythm and blues and soul. The two began rehearsing together regularly, and Ryan eventually persuaded him to bring her to an audition for Star Search, where her performance of "Think" stunned him. She later won Amateur Kids Night on Showtime at the Apollo, and competed in the Junior Singers category of Star Search, where she lost to Spensha Baker.

Ryan first gained national attention in 2006 as the inaugural winner of NBC's America's Got Talent, claiming the title at eleven years old. She had nearly skipped the New York City auditions entirely, deterred by the other contestants, but stayed after learning the grand prize was one million dollars. For her audition she performed the Dreamgirls number "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," drawing an immediate reaction from the audience and judges. In the semi-finals she sang "Piece of My Heart," and for the finals she returned to the Dreamgirls catalog with "I Am Changing." Judge David Hasselhoff called her the best competitor in the show, and Piers Morgan predicted her victory. On August 17, 2006, host Regis Philbin announced Ryan as the season one winner. She made a brief return during the season two finale in 2007, appearing in a video recorded during the Nextfest tour to wish the top two finalists well.

One week after her America's Got Talent victory, Ryan flew to New York to meet with record label representatives and top industry songwriters. She was reported to have met with Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster and was being managed by Peter Rudge. On September 18, 2006, Ryan signed a five-album deal with SYCOmusic as part of Columbia Records, becoming the first U.S. artist to sign with the label. Her self-titled debut album was released on November 14, 2006, featuring cover versions of "The Rose" and "I Believe I Can Fly" alongside original songs including "I Wish That" and "Pray for a Better Day." Eight days after its release, the album debuted at number 57 on the Billboard album charts. A promotional EP, Christmas Everyday!, followed one month later. Ryan also performed at a televised 2006 Christmas event for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the National Building Museum, benefiting the Children's National Medical Center. In 2007, she toured the United States as a special guest on the Nextfest tour and released the single "That's Not Me" that August. Ryan departed SYCOmusic and Columbia Records in 2008, and in November 2009 released the holiday EP True Meaning of Christmas on the indie Music Forever label. Co-written with Anthony Marinelli and Siedah Garrett, the collection included updated versions of "The Christmas Song" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," with the title track featuring a duet with gospel pop singer Brent Jones.

In 2010, Ryan wrote and recorded "In My Head," a song inspired by Twilight: New Moon, releasing it digitally on August 21 through Tuned in Music and Media. She subsequently stepped back from public life to complete her education, later explaining that she wanted to accumulate life experience to draw on as a songwriter. In March 2014, she posted a cover of John Legend's "All of Me" to her YouTube channel, signaling her return to recording. That same year, she appeared in the independent film We Are Kings, in which she played one of two struggling teen musicians guided by an angel to rescue an elderly bluesman; she also co-wrote much of the film's music, and a video for her song "Broken Down House" was released in October 2014. Ryan had previously acted in the feature film 12 and Holding in 2005 and played the lead role in a music video by The Wrecking in 2010. In May 2015, she self-released the original song "Alice." After a delay caused by health problems, she premiered the single "One Day" in May 2017, and subsequently released additional singles including "Man Down" and "Remember." She founded her own imprint, Bianca Ryan Records LLC, to release her work. In January 2019, she released the EP The Reintroduction, Pt. 1, and in November 2020 made available a second Christmas EP followed by a series of holiday videos. Ryan has described her musical style as a blend of neo soul, R&B, and pop.

In addition to her recording and film work, Ryan has performed the national anthem for several professional sports teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Knicks and its Westchester affiliate, and the New York Mets. Her stage work includes a Broadway appearance in 2017 in Home for the Holidays. Originally from Ocean City, New Jersey, Ryan has built a career that spans competition television, recording, film, and live performance across more than two decades.