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What happened to Barnwood Builders? Who died?

Published

9 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Olivia Wilson

The American documentary-style series, “Barnwood Builders,” topped the ratings game when it premiered in 2013, and has remained to this day one of the most-watched shows in the history of the DIY Network. Make-overs on television seldom get old, as indicated by the huge number of reality shows with that concept, but what made this Silent Crow Arts-produced show stand-out and gain a huge following was because it featured a group of hillbillies, led by Mark Bowe who celebrated the ingenuity of the American pioneers by reclaiming, restoring and repurposing the structures they built using hand-hewn logs. Viewers came to love the talented crew, and when one of them disappeared from the series, they couldn’t help but wonder what happened, especially with even rumors of their deaths circulating online.

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Table of Contents

About “Barnwood Builders”

At the center of “Barnwood Builders” is Mark Bowe. In 1996, he went in search of old log cabins in Northeast Kentucky, when he became interested in getting into the business of restoration after he helped a friend in tearing down an old barn. He met Johnny Jett, who along with his friend Sherman Thompson had been in the business of selling log cabins that they dismantled. The two agreed to supply Mark’s company, Antique Cabins and Barns, which was established around that time. In 1998, the two joined his company, based in Lewisburg.

A film producer who worked for the American filmmaker Ken Burns, went to their office wanting to have a cabin built in New York, and after meeting the crew at the boneyard and learning Mark’s story, he became interested in filming how they worked.

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In 2005, they shot a 20-minute documentary, and entered it into festivals. Some years later, they received invitations to do a reality show, but turned them down because the producers wanted to incorporate drama, which included fighting, to spice things up. Mark shared that his people who had been with him for more than a decade had formed a very strong bond, and he wasn’t ‘going to cuss them out on a television show.’

It was the DIY Network that wanted them as they were; they didn’t want anything other than what they were supposed to do on the job. A film crew followed them around when they were working on a project; Mark would meet with the producers, and talk to them about the process involved, and helpd them get the shots that they needed to show how they worked. He eventually became one of the producers of the show from season three onward, and helped develop the story arc for each episode.

When asked what he wanted to accomplish with the show, he said, ‘I want to champion West Virginia. I’d like to change the stereotype of the word ‘hillbilly.’’ Mark and the members of his team were self-proclaimed hillbillies, but the network didn’t want them to use the term at first, which was seen as derogatory. They eventually came around, as the word had come to mean ‘strong ties to family and friends, a willingness to do hard work, perseverance and fortitude.’ Mark wished the world was full of hillbillies in that ‘we’d shake hands, do deals, and that’ll be the end of it.’ His handshake meant a lot to him, as he considered it better than a contract.

Mark’s team would check out an 18^th or 19^th-century barn, and dismantle it piece by piece after measuring and tagging each one so that they could put it back together.

No tricks, all treats tonight when Barnwood Builders starts at 8/7c on DIY!! It’ll be a screaming good time! ????
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•#barnwoodbuilders #diynetwork #magnolianetwork #halloween #saw #? pic.twitter.com/HQhxNwDvLe

— Barnwood Builders (@BarnwoodTV) October 31, 2021

They held tremendous respect for history and architecture, so were extremely careful in handling the whole project. They have a boneyard, a place where they stored the ‘historical remnants’; salvaging the logs and then repurposing them was their way of paying homage to the craftsmanship and hard work of American pioneers. Modern homes or furniture were made out of the logs from the antique barns and cabins, as a way of preserving the past.

Words to live by at Barnwood Builders: ‘Work hard. Be Kind. Take Pride.’ Mark said, ‘We have a No Assholes policy. We don’t hire people who aren’t nice. We won’t do jobs for people who aren’t nice.’ They have never been sued, because if their client didn’t like their work, they fixed it to their satisfaction.

First episode

The projects they handled on the TV show were for their actual clients. For their first episode, Mark and the guys salvaged logs from a barn built in the 1830’s by President Abraham Lincoln’s uncle, Josiah, in Depauw, Indiana.

Considering its history, it didn’t come cheap.

The barn was huge, measuring 26 feet wide, 34 feet long, and 15 feet high – roughly 8x10x5 meters – with some of the logs weighing as much as 1,200lbs, almost 500kgs each. Wooden pegs instead of nails were used to secure the top logs, as was usual back in the day. They usually tear down the roof using the machine operated by Johnny, but the agreement with the former owner was that they had to do it manually since they had to save the roof, metal siding, and the trusses, which were not part of the original barn, so he could use them to build a new one. The dismantled logs and planks were brought to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, where a contractor used them in building a modern cabin.

The “Barnwood Builders” Crew

Dismantling an old barn or cabin entailed a lot of hard work, but the crew came across as easygoing guys who enjoyed working together. A member of the crew said, ‘We work as a unit. We don’t feel like anyone is the expert or the boss. If someone says, “Go do this,” or “Go do that,” we do it.’ According to Mark, each member of his team did mostly everything on the job site or the boneyard, since they all knew how to do whatever was required. However, when one person is considered the best in a particular area, he was the only one doing it for the TV show.

Mark Bowe (Seasons 1-present) – Host, Producer, and Business Owner

Mark worked in a coal mine while completing his Bachelor’s degree at the College of Business and Economics from West Virginia University. He also earned a Master’s degree in Safety Management.

Mark Bowe

With several years of experience in handling and restoring antique log cabins, he became an expert in old logs, and would be called on as a consultant for the local historical society to check out the condition of the logs in old structures, such as a barracks museum built in the 1770’s. He also traveled across the country for speaking engagements. Mark expanded his company and established Barnwood Living in 2016, specializing in handmade home goods, apparel, and art that represented what they called “Barnwood Boho”; it’s located in White Sulphur Springs in West Virginia. He also invented a folding house, and holds a patent on an R300, fireproof, hurricane-proof, and tornado-proof house design. Mark has been married to Cindy Lavender for a number of years now, and they have a son named Atticus.

Sherman Thompson (Seasons 1-present)

Sherman is a tobacco grower, and foreman of the crew. He describes himself as a country boy.

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Despite having a bad back, he worked hard not only in directing traffic in removing the pieces and loading them on the truck for delivery, but also in working on the roof and carrying logs. Mark said that Sherman is the best in cutting the best notch, and is dubbed the “Chainsaw King.”

He has been married to Roma Andreuzzi for more than a decade and has two daughters, Felicia and Agostina, with her. He’s kept his personal life private, so not much is known about his family. When asked about them, he only had this to say, ‘I’ve been so lucky to have met Roma and to have her in my life, and our girls.’ In season 12, the crew went to Kentucky to help him in building his family’s fishing cabin.

Graham Ferguson (Seasons 1-present)

He hailed from Summers County, and was self-employed doing landscaping; Graham knew Mark as their children attended the same school.

Mark approached him saying that he needed help at work for a week or two, and he’s now been part of the crew since 2013, as a week turned into three months and then continued up to the present. He became one of the ‘animal whisperers’, as he takes care of the critters or snakes they find in the old cabins. ‘No reason to destroy wildlife if you can rescue it. I guess I’ve rescued a few lizards, too, before the buildings fell on them,’ he said.

Tim Rose (Seasons 1-present)

He worked as an aircraft mechanic for the US Air Force for 10 years. He’s an old-school lumberjack who joined the team in 2006, and became a beam lifter. Tim’s also known as an “animal whisperer” as he’s one of the bravest in the team in dealing with unwanted reptiles and creatures taking residence in the barns that they dismantle. There were rumors that he’s retiring from work, but so far no official announcement’s been made of that nature.

Alex Webb (Seasons 3-present)

Alex has a background in the military, before working for Norfolk Southern Railway as a locomotive engineer. However, he kept getting laid-off then called back, and wanted no more of that. He sent Mark an email and the latter called him within 10 minutes. At that time, the team needed extra help because Mark had an injured bicep. During the on-line interview, Mark asked him questions that he said one wasn’t supposed to ask, such as ‘Are you fat? Can you lift things? Are you scared of heights?’ To be included in the team, Alex had to work with the guys for a couple of days to see how he went. If they didn’t like him, they would just issue him a paycheck, give him a handshake, and send him on his way. However, he’d been working for two months and still no word from Mark if he got the job or not; so he joined the team in 2016.

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After five years, it was announced that he was leaving the show. Mark gathered the team as they were working on their first timber frame, and said that it was going to be Alex’s last project with them, as he’s ‘moving on to greener pastures.’ Alex said, ‘This has been a huge opportunity. I went from running trains to not having a job to you giving me a job… it was a good decision.’ He wants to be his own boss, so has established his own business – Webbs Joinery & Construction.

Who died in “Barnwood Builders?”

A show as successful as “Barnwood Builders” would be open to speculation, particularly when a member of the crew failed to return the following season. In the absence of a scandal or controversy, it seemed that some fans believed that the only other reason why their favorite was gone from the show was that the person died.

Barnwood Builders

The truth is that no crew member has died, which begs the question of what happened to them?

Brian Buckner (Seasons 1–2)

From day one, Brian easily captured the hearts of the viewers due to his sense of humor. He was the one who kept things light at the job site, as he would banter with the rest of the crew. When he disappeared from the show after the season two finale, rumors that he passed away started circulating. Contrary to what was said on social media, Brian is alive, well, and enjoying his retirement from the TV show. While he loved working with Mark and the other guys, he’s a private person, and ‘he did not enjoy all of the attention that his television debut afforded him,’ according to the company.

Fans of the show speculated that Brian had a hard time dealing with the negativity on social media, as there were people who criticized him for not working hard enough on the projects like the others, that he was just lazing around.

These people must have forgotten that Mark introduced Brian at the very start of the show as someone who kept him in check, and drove him around. It clearly meant that his job was different from the other guys, so he wasn’t expected to do the same things as the rest of them.

In an interview, it was revealed that he was aware of the rumor that he’d died, and found it funny. He said, ‘I never was told if you quit being on a TV show, you die.’ He further shared that it was his anxiety that kept him from continuing in the show; from the start, he wasn’t sure about being part of it, because of his anxiety problems, but he was happy that he did it.

Johnny Jett (Seasons 1–present)

Johnny’s a Vietnam War veteran, who worked for 25 years as a maintenance worker in Fleming County. His brother was a carpenter, and in the business of assembling cabins. Johnny wanted to live in a log cabin, and found one he liked but someone was still living there.

The owner said to him, ‘If the old guy dies or leaves there, I will give you the log cabin if you’ll take it down, put it back up, and live in it.’ He said ‘yes’, and had since lived in that cabin on their family farm. When the owner’s brother died, he finished the cabin that the former had been working on with the help of his friend, Sherman Thompson. After that, the two decided to go into the log cabin business.

He moved to West Virginia and later joined Mark, becoming the company’s best equipment operator. Johnny’s also an accomplished artist, and his work can be purchased on his website.

Rumors of his death started circulating on social media in 2012, when an obituary of a guy from Houston, Texas with the same name passed away at the age of 62 was found online.

Barnwood Builders

People were quick to assume that it was Johnny from “Barnwood Builders” who died, due to his advancing age. However, the 72-year-old craftsman is alive and, despite looking old and frail on TV, he’s still able to do his job well as a heavy equipment operator. When it comes to his work, he said, ‘We just love saving the history and making a living. If you can make a living and love what you’re doing, you’re doing better than most people.’

Mark was fully aware that someday the show would end, or that they would ran out of old barns to restore having taken down around 500 of them, but since none of them was thinking of retiring, they had been making plans that include building tiny houses, and launching a furniture line. He’s said, ‘Whatever we do, we’ll still be working hard, and we’ll still be taking pride in what we do.

Olivia Wilson

As the Freelance Writer at Net Worth Post, I steer producing riveting stories about the lives and triumphs of influencers. With an unwavering commitment to precision and a flair for weaving compelling tales, I guide our content creation, from the depths of research to the pinnacle of narrative excellence. My responsibilities encompass the full spectrum of editorial management, including the meticulous investigation, narrative development, and upholding the integrity and high standard of our output.

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Is “Yellowstone” based on a true story?

Published

3 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Wondering if “Yellowstone” is based on a true story? What inspired the writers to produce the Dutton family drama? When part one of the “Yellowstone” season 5 was launched, viewers have been concerned about finding out whether the series is based on a true story. Fans have also been interested in learning about the Dutton family story, which some believe to be real. Read on to learn if “Yellowstone” is based on a true story, and what inspired it.

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Table of Contents

Background

“Yellowstone” is a Western drama series about the Dutton family, which owns the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the biggest in Montana. The drama series premiered in June 2018 and revolves around the Dutton family at the ranch, bordering a national park, the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, and developers in need of the family’s piece of land.

“Yellowstone” is centered on John Dutton III, a character acted by Kevin Costner, a sixth-generation patriarch and widowed member of the Dutton family who owns and runs the ranch. He fights to protect the ranch from those seeking to repossess his family’s land for other developments that do not align with the interests of the family.

The producer of “Yellowstone,” Taylor Sheridan believes that the drama series has been a success with the audiences, although critics have different views and reservations. He makes it clear that the series is for people who experience the life it portrays. The writer also states that the audience is expanding, because many people love westerns; they provide entertainment and different perspectives about life in the west.

People who resonate with the plot depicted in the drama series will certainly love it. “Yellowstone” flows through different genres, where it sets the stage for being campy, then becomes dramatic, and violent. It’s a blend of the old western, new western, and soap opera. While it infuriates other people, it appeals to the interests of individuals who love storytelling.

“Yellowstone” is a hit partly because its location is fantastic, it’s acted in a wicked way, and explores a world that is unknown to many people. It consists of powerhouse actors who put on an outstanding performance.

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Is “Yellowstone” Based on a True Story?

The answer is ‘no’, because “Yellowstone” is not based on true people or events that have happened in real life. However, Taylor Sheridan revealed in an interview with The Los Angeles Times in 2018 that the series explores issues that he’s witnessed, and the problems that still exist in US’s western mountain states.

For instance, “Yellowstone” explores issues related to land development, oppression, resource mismanagement, extreme poverty and inequality. These challenges still exist in other parts of the US, and the consequences are dire, especially when they happen in small rural areas with fewer people.

Taylor also added that once construction companies start encroaching on landscapes in farms and ranches, the effects are more dramatic. He reiterated that the show is based on the “gentrification” that has occurred in the western states, a process where wealthier people move to poor or less developed areas and begin to improve them by building new houses and launching other developments.

While gentrification attracts new businesses and improves the overall appearance of the place, it often displaces the current inhabitants in the process. The creator of the “Yellowstone” drama series has witnessed some of these changes in mountain states, such as Wyoming and Montana where he stays.

Gentrification mainly benefits wealthy people at the expense of the less privileged. When the place is developed, only the rich can afford the modern properties, and natives will be pushed off their land. In other words, this process creates inequality among people living in a certain area. The rich can use their influence to determine the state of affairs in a particular area, which will put other people at a disadvantage.

The creator of the drama series places the white rancher in a position of Native Americans, which was different 100-plus years before the onset of gentrification. What is taking place now in the west puts the natives at a disadvantage; for example, once the land developers move in and make improvements, they often sell that fantasy to wealthy people.

In most cases, the rich people who become the new occupants often come from affluent areas such as Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and Florida. As a result, the poorer natives end up landless because they cannot afford properties constructed on their indigenous land.

When wealthy people buy pieces of land in the western states, they often use them for weekend getaways, and in the process, the way of life of the indigenous people is impacted. Land values and other aspects such as inheritance taxes are bound to increase, which will affect the welfare and lifestyle of the people living in the gentrified places.

Sheridan revealed in an interview with CBS news in 2022, that “Yellowstone” derived its inspiration from his experience as a rancher – most of the horses used in the filming of the drama series are his. He said that the horses are not very safe, and this is why the actors are not always riding on them – the horses were specifically bought for the drama series, and the creator taught the actors how to ride them.

Called one of the most important western writers in decades, Taylor Sheridan created the hit TV series "Yellowstone" and its prequel, "1883" (along with the prequel's upcoming sequel, "1932") https://t.co/l0PtHrTZfS pic.twitter.com/xkqZTP0UtA

— CBS Sunday Morning ? (@CBSSunday) June 11, 2022

Are the Duttons a Real Family?

The Duttons are not a real family. According to the equestrian website Horsey Hooves, the family’s patriarch John Dutton could have been inspired by famous ranchers such as Bill Galt and W.T. Waggoner. Waggoner owned the 525,000-acre Waggoner Ranch in North Texas, which was founded in 1849, was once the largest ranch in the US, and was passed down through several generations.

The Waggoner family owned the ranch until 2015, when it was sold to businessman Stan Kroenke for $725 million. Bill Galt is the owner of the 248,000-acre ranch in Montana, the same ranch where “Yellowstone” is set. Horsey Hooves said Galt is also known as “The Last American Cowboy.”

Cowboy life is still common in North Texas, although it’s facing some challenges from gentrification. As a result, “Yellowstone” sought to portray a western life unknown to many people. The drama series draws its audience from people who love the cowboy lifestyle, since the practice is no longer widespread across the US.

Is the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch Real?

Although “Yellowstone” is not based on a true story, the ranch where the drama series takes place is real – Chief Joseph Ranch is found in Darby, Montana, and consists of several cabins used by guests as accommodation when they visit, and several have appeared in the show. The key areas that appear in the drama series include Rip’s Cabin also called the Ben Cook Cabin in real life, the Armory, the Trapper cabin, and Lee’s cabin also called the Fisherman Cabin.

Shane Libel and his family own Chief Joseph Ranch – when the property was chosen as the filming location for “Yellowstone”, the Libels family and the filmmakers signed a five-season contract. Apart from the 5,000-square-foot mansion and cabins, other film locations include the armory, barns, arena and corrals.

The Chief Joseph Ranch consists of a real family home, also used for vacations. When not being used for film production, the cabins around the home are available for rental for a minimum of three nights. The guests are treated to a memorable Yellowstone experience.

In “Yellowstone” Season 5, Texas’ Four Sixes Ranch featured is a real ranch, and it will be the filming venue for “Yellowstone”’s upcoming spin-off of the 6666 show. The 350,000-acre 6666 Ranch has a rich history, as it was founded in the 19^th century when West Texas was still ruled by Comanches.

The 6666 Ranch appeared in “Yellowstone” Season 4, and featured Jimmy, who was sent to Texas to become a real cowboy. In May 2021, Taylor Sheridan and a group of investors bought the ranch for use as one filming location for “Yellowstone” and will feature in future episodes.

The 6666 Ranch is real and still functioning as it has over the last two centuries, encompasses the history of the country. At this ranch, the laws of nature and the rule of law merge in a typical fashion where some of the most dangerous events take place. The 6666 is a place where world-class cowboys are made, and is synonymous with an attempt to raise the finest livestock and horses in the world, still produce high-quality Quarter Horses and Angus cattle.

Is There Going to be a Yellowstone Season 6?

Many viewers often wonder if there will be a “Yellowstone” Season 6. However, the good news is that one of the actors – Cole Hauser who plays Rip Wheeler – confirmed in November 2022 that there will be one more season. He said there’s a lot of work going on to fully utilize the talent to fulfill the needs of the audience.

According to the executive producer Taylor Sheridan, “Yellowstone” comprises a diverse crew that is concerned about producing the best result. However, he confirmed in 2021 to “The New York Times” that he doesn’t want Yellowstone to run for nine seasons, so has actually already written the ending – taking too long without preparing the end can lead to stagnation of the show, so he’s still confident that the show will not run out of steam as it nears the end. So season 6, could well be the final

Yellowstone is not based on real life or fiction, but on world events. The creator has hinted that there has to be movement and evolution toward the conclusion.

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Sheridan has already decided on the ending of “Yellowstone,” but has hinted at opening up more spin-offs after “1883,” “1923,” and “6666”; he doesn’t want to limit his creativity. More importantly, the creator has also expressed his connection to the sparseness of the west, since this is where he spent most of his lifetime.

Sheridan lived in New York briefly and enjoyed his stay, but clearly states that he cannot write about this place. Instead, he’s fascinated by outdoor events, which motivated him to write “Yellowstone”, saying that the outdoor world helps him get a clear picture of the vastness of the US.

Sheridan says that life in New York is different from living in western states, which still have many places in their natural state. It’s easier for him to observe the things that happen in these open places than in build-up areas like cities. Although Sheridan’s hinted that “Yellowstone” will come to an end, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of future episodes based on unfolding events.

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How is Sara James from “America’s Got Talent” Doing Now?

Published

3 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Table of Contents

Rise to Fame

When Sara walked onto the stage for her audition for the 17^th season of “America’s Got Talent,” everything about her screamed “star!” Unlike most contestants whose nerves show as soon as they appear, Sara was composed and had an aura of calmness around her. She owned the stage, and wasn’t intimidated by the fully packed auditorium, as she shared some lighthearted exchanges with Simon, revealing that she was just 13 years old, which shocked the judges and the audience, since she spoke and conversed with a level of maturity way above her age.

The crowd went quiet as Sara took a deep breath and calmly launched into her performance of “Lovely” by Billie Eilish. The performance embodied the classic calmness and maturity that Sara’s fans have now come to love, showing-off her excellent vocal control, as she hit and held high notes, raised and lowered her voice to capture the deeply emotional meaning the song has to her, and held the attention of her audience with her ability to pass on her emotions to them through her voice.

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Sara’s trance-like hold on the crowd was broken when she sang the last note, sending Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara to their feet with the audience, to applaud the 13-year-old musical prodigy, as a still seated Simon Cowell clapped. When the crowd calmed down, Simon talked about how coming to the US changed his life, adding that he would like to make Sara’s first time in the country memorable before crowning her musical prowess and outstanding performance with the Golden Buzzer. With one press of the button, Simon Cowell set Sara on the path that AGT musical prodigies before her have followed to stardom.

Now, every person who watches Sara’s audition on YouTube asks the question, “How is Sara James doing now?”

Early Life and Musical Foundation

Born on 10 June 2008, Sara Zofia Egwu-James isn’t yet 15 years old. She has three siblings, Michelle James, John Junior, and Jakub Dancewicz. Sara was born to a Polish mother while her father is of Nigerian descent, but grew up in the US. At her age, Sara is just in high school, holds a first degree in music from Slubice, plays the piano and the guitar. Despite gaining global success for a raw, powerful voice that she’s learned to control allowing her to hit high and low notes without straining, Sara is continuing her music education by taking vocal lessons with Edyta Kregiel, and practicing her singing and performing at the Municipal Cultural Center.

Sara gets her musical talent and interest in singing, playing instruments and performing from her parents. Her father John is a singer and performer, who has participated in some talent competitions. In 2011, he was one of the “X-factor” contestants, appeared in the “Bitwa na voices” choir singing competition as part of a choir, and half of the Polish singing duet “Loui & John”, under contract with Sony Music Poland.

Sara’s mother, Arleta Dancewicz, is equally musically talented, but didn’t pursue music professionally, although sang in church when Sara was growing up. Inspired by her mother’s passionate performances and her father’s professional musical acts, Sara joined a local children’s choir, and staged several performances across the city. She honed her vocal and performing skills through seasonal performances such as in a local Christmas Carols Festival, and entered some singing competitions for children. Although Sara’s parents are now separated, they both support Sara in her aspiration for a career in music, and have shared her confidence that she will rise to become a global music icon, since she started singing at four years and staged performances individually and as part of a group at just six years of age.

“The Voice Kids-Poland”

Sara joined her first major singing competition, “World Talent Show” in 2020, when she was just 12 years old, placing third in the competition, and was the proud recipient of the coveted Silver Microphone, and honored to receive the award at the closing performance of the Lubuski Song Festival Pro Arte. Although she didn’t win, emerging third emboldened Sara, and encouraged her to sign up for larger competitions.

In 2021, Sara entered her name for consideration for a slot on “The Voice Kids” Poland. For her blind audition, Sara chose to perform Demi Lovato’s “Anyone.” Her performance, which has gathered over 4.45 million views on YouTube, enthralled the audience, and had all coaches pressing their buttons and turning within seconds to indicate they wanted her on their teams. She chose Tomson and Baron, and embarked on a journey of musical discovery as she learned from the two rockstars.

Tomson and Baron’s mentorship was evident in Sara’s first battle on “The Voice Kids.” She battled two fellow contestants Amelia and Matylda, performing Mariah Carey’s “Hero.” Although the two girls were talented, Sara beat them easily and earned the favor of all judges as well as the admiration of the live audience. With her new status as fan favorite, Sara put on impressive performances, particularly in the finals when a whistle note in her performance of Will Ferrel and Molly Sanden’s “Husavik (My Hometown)” had the crowd on its feet clapping and screaming for minutes after she finished singing.

Sara’s ability to impress the crowd with the raw power of her voice, the passion she put into her performances, and her ability to improve on past performances under the guidance of her coaches, earned her first place in the competition. With the title of the winner of the 4^th season of “The Voice Kids Poland,” Sara set her eyes on competitions outside her native Poland, as part of a strategy to take her voice and music career global.

“Szansa na Sukces” and “Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021”

One year after winning “The Voice Kids Poland,” Sara entered “Szansa na Suckes,” a Polish talent show that offered an opportunity for its winners to participate in a European junior singing competition. For the competition’s finale, Sara sang her way into the audience’s hearts with her cover of Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”, which won her the competition, receiving the most votes from both audience and judges, installing her as Poland’s representative in the “Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2021.”

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? Somebody
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— Junior Eurovision (@EurovisionJr) October 18, 2021

In December that year, Sara, who had never performed outside Poland, went to Paris for the “Junior Eurovision Song Contest.” Unlike her past performances where she sang covers of her favorite songs, Sara made the bold and risky decision to perform her own original song “Somebody.” Her gamble paid off, as she received a standing ovation from the audience. She emerged second in the competition, to Armenia. Although she didn’t win the competition, the audience and jury’s reaction to her song and performance gave her the boost of confidence she needed to try for a spot on “America’s Got Talent.”

“America’s Got Talent” and “All Stars”

“The Voice Kids Poland” laid a foundation for Sara’s success in her music career, while the “Junior Eurovision Song Contest” gave her a platform to take her music to the rest of Europe. She remained relatively unknown to the rest of the world until 2022, when she earned her spot on “America’s Got Talent” or “AGT” as the competition is commonly known. At “AGT,” Sara carved a spot out as a fan favorite with her first performance, which earned her a Golden Buzzer from the fastidious and fellow European record Executive Simon Cowell.

When Simon gave Sara a permanent spot in the live shows in Las Vegas, Nevada, the then 13-year-old secured a platform to showcase her voice and performing prowess to an American audience. However, the guaranteed spot didn’t lessen her resolve to continue delivering unforgettable performances that would earn her fans among the show’s global audience. In the semi-finals, her first performance after the audition, Sara sang Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” earning herself another standing ovation from the audience. The performance has over four million views on YouTube, and has attracted 4,665 comments, each expressing awe over her ability to hit, hold, and switch notes effortlessly, while maintaining control of her vocals.

In the finals, Sara impressed the audience with a cover of “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush. Her performance had all four judges on their feet celebrating with the crowd, and hoping that the emotional, well-paced, and captivating rendition of the song earned the 13-year-old the ultimate prize. However, she was not named among the top five, finishing in the bottom six of the top 11 contestants in the show. Although she didn’t win the competition, she left with a large group of loyal fans who flocked to the comment section of the video of her performance in the finals to express their surprise and disappointment that she wasn’t named the winner of “AGT” season 17.

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However, Sara was chosen as one of the contestants for “America’s Got Talent: All Stars” early in 2023, against musical prodigies and groups from past seasons such as the Bello Sisters, the Light Balance Kids, Aidan Bryant, and the Detroit Youth Choir. For her performance at “All Stars,” Sara chose “As It Was” by recent Grammy Award winner Harry Styles. Before her performance, Sara engaged in a conversation with Simon Cowell, discussing her performance in the previous competition and aspirations for the future. Her characteristic confidence and promise that she will become the first “AGT” prodigy to win a Grammy had the crowd eagerly waiting to be blown away by her performance.

Sara didn’t disappoint the judges and her audience, producing her classic powerful, moving and captivating performance, which gained 2.8 million views on YouTube in just four weeks. Her rendition of the original song included most of the notes from the original, but Sara had altered some notes, transforming the song into a masterpiece. Unfortunately, she was up against fan favorites and prodigies from other seasons of “AGT”, who staged equally remarkable performances, and once again she was eliminated, although the audience, judges and Sara’s fans are convinced that she’s on her way to becoming a global icon in the music industry.

Record Deal, Album, and Original Music

In 2017, Sara released an Extended Playlist entitled “Just Like Me” containing four songs – “Blind,” “Boys Like You,” “Just Like Me,” and “If I Ever.” She wrote and released three other original songs in 2021, including “Czarny mlyn,” “Jak co roku,” and the song she performed at her first regional competition, “Somebody.”

After a successful stint at “AGT,” Sara James was signed by Universal Music Polska. She’s since written and released six original songs, including “My Wave” and “Take Sama.” In addition, Sara has released several covers as part of her record deal, most notably Harry Styles’ “As it Was”, and Elton John’s “Rocket Man.”

Her raw, powerful, and well-controlled voice, ability to bring out the emotion in her originals and covers, and to hold long notes has earned Sara millions of listeners across all music streaming platforms. In 2022, she became the most streamed artist on Spotify’s EQUAL Global playlist, with over 10 million streams on the platform. She was honored to become the first Polish artist to earn the coveted ambassadorial role on the music streaming platform.

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The Future

Sara hopes to win a Grammy someday. In 2023, she’s planning a tour for her new album, during which she hopes to unveil a more mature sound, and present herself to the world as a seasoned artist. Sara also hopes to become a role model for young people and women from all over the world, encouraging them to pursue their dreams.

The future is full of possibilities and opportunities for Sara to stage performances all over the world, share her voice and new sound with her fans, and release more original music.