AGT Star: Vocalist Behind The Greatest Showman’s Powerful Ballad Takes Center Stage.
Loren Allred provided the vocals for “Never Enough” on ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack, but viewers might not have recognized her because the film portrayed actress Rebecca Ferguson singing the song.
Caution: This post includes spoilers from the most recent episode of America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.
Loren Allred finally seized the spotlight on America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League. In the latest episode of this spinoff series, Loren made her introduction to the American audience as a member of Simon Cowell’s fantasy team, following her participation in Britain’s Got Talent in 2022.
What set Loren’s narrative apart from other vocalists on AGT was that a substantial number of viewers likely already knew her, albeit unknowingly. Simon shared with fellow judges Mel B, Howie Mandel, and Heidi Klum after Loren’s performance, “One of my all-time favorite movies is The Greatest Showman, and one of the standout songs in the film is ‘Never Enough.’ However, I discovered that the lady who sang that song in the movie wasn’t the one performing it; it was actually Loren’s incredible voice.
In her video introduction, Loren shared that music has always held a significant place in her life due to her upbringing with two parents who were music teachers. She disclosed, “Singing has always been a deep passion of mine, but I used to be too timid to perform in public.”
However, her life took a transformative turn at the age of 24 when she crossed paths with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the songwriters behind The Greatest Showman. They approached her to record the demo track for “Never Enough.”
“I entered the recording studio and sang the song,” Loren reminisced, “and then they mentioned, ‘We’re considering having the actress lip-sync to your vocals.'” Loren was overjoyed, saying, “I couldn’t believe it. I was thrilled that my voice would be featured in the film.”
As it unfolded, actress Rebecca Ferguson portrayed Jenny Lind in the musical and “performed” the powerful ballad on screen. The film’s soundtrack, featuring Loren’s vocals on “Never Enough,” subsequently surged up the music charts in various countries, becoming the top-selling album of 2018 in the United States. It also earned a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media that same year.
Another track from the album, “This Is Me,” not only secured a Golden Globe for Best Original Song but also received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song in March 2018.
However, even though Loren expressed her pride on AGT: Fantasy League that people were finally hearing her voice, fulfilling a long-held dream, it wasn’t everything she had anticipated.
In her video segment, Loren explained, “People were unaware that I had sung the song in the movie, so when they heard me sing, they would often say, ‘You sound just like the movie, wow!'” This realization was a turning point for her. She reflected, “It was at that moment that I realized I needed to pursue this further. However, I didn’t feel ready for a platform as significant as America’s Got Talent, so I decided to dip my toes in the water by auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent.”
Describing her participation on the British competition show as the “most daunting experience” she had ever faced, Loren eventually received the Golden Buzzer from judge Amanda Holden and advanced to the finals, ultimately finishing in ninth place. She commented, “I may not have won, but I confronted my fears, and I was genuinely proud of that achievement.”
Encouraged by mentor Simon on AGT: Fantasy League, Loren made the decision to perform “Never Enough” in a “completely new” way during the episode on Monday night. She explained, “I’m going to challenge my vocal range. At 34 years old, I just felt that if I didn’t give this one last fearless attempt, I might regret it.” She later added, “I have ambitious dreams, such as performing on Broadway and releasing my own albums. If I can deliver an exceptional performance tonight, maybe those dreams can become a reality.”
After her breathtaking performance, the entire room erupted with applause, and everyone stood up to show their appreciation. The judges were equally astonished by Loren’s outstanding performance, with Howie praising her as “an incredibly talented artist” and commending her for unveiling her talent to the world.
Heidi expressed her admiration, saying, “We are incredibly fortunate to have witnessed this; it was simply stunning.” Mel B admitted she was “at a loss for words” and utterly impressed by Loren’s vocal prowess.
Lastly, Simon, the mentor of the singer on his team, shared his thoughts, stating, “That was genuinely spectacular, considering that your moment was almost concealed from the world, and now you’ve summoned the courage to return to this show and proclaim to America, ‘This is me.’ It’s an exceptionally special moment. I sincerely hope America rallies behind you and provides you with the opportunity that I wholeheartedly believe you deserve, because you are an exceptionally gifted artist.”
As it turned out, Simon’s prediction proved accurate. During the America’s vote results announcement, Loren secured one of the coveted spots in the semifinals. She was joined by two fellow contestants from Team Simon: Chapel Hart, the country trio from season 17, and Pack Drumline, the music group from the same season.
Additionally, two members from Heidi’s team advanced to the semifinals: Enkh-Eredene, a singer from Mongolia’s Got Talent season 2, and Yu Jojin, a magician from AGT season 17.
The evening’s final spot was awarded to the recipient of the Golden Buzzer. Heidi had the privilege of awarding the Golden Buzzer that night, and she chose to use it for a member of her own team rather than stealing an act from the other judges. The Golden Buzzer was given to Sofie Dossi, a contortionist who had previously participated in season 11 of AGT and season 1 of AGT: The Champions.
Tune in to NBC every Monday at 8 p.m. ET to catch America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.
