When Kylie Frey walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage, she brought something different with her: a lifetime connected to rodeo, country music and a dream encouraged by her grandfather.
The 28-year-old singer from Opelousas, Louisiana, described herself as a rodeo queen and explained that she had grown up in a big rodeo family. She had also been singing the national anthem at rodeos, a tradition connected to advice from her grandfather.
But instead of simply performing a familiar country cover, Frey chose to sing an original song with a deeply personal connection.
🤠 Kylie Frey Brings Her Rodeo Roots to AGT
Before performing, Frey told the judges about her background.
She explained that she had started singing the national anthem at rodeos because she loved performing. Her grandfather encouraged her to continue, telling her that one day she might have the opportunity to sing the anthem at the National Finals Rodeo, or NFR.
Frey also revealed that Reba McEntire was an important inspiration for her musical ambitions.
Her connection to rodeo wasn’t simply part of her appearance. It was a major part of the story she brought with her to the AGT stage.
❤️ “Horses in Heaven” Was Written for Her Grandpa
The emotional center of the audition was Frey’s original song, “Horses in Heaven.”
Frey explained that she wrote the song for her grandfather. The song connected her memories of him with the dreams he had encouraged her to pursue.
Rather than singing a song audiences already knew, Frey used her own music to tell a personal story.
She performed while playing guitar, accompanied by a small band. The performance highlighted her country style and her connection to the rodeo world.
🎤 Simon Cowell Calls Kylie Frey “The Real Deal”
After the performance, Simon Cowell made it clear that he had been impressed.
Cowell told Frey that he really liked her and praised her as a writer. He then delivered the line that became one of the most memorable parts of the audition:
“You are the real deal.”
The compliment was especially meaningful because Frey had already revealed that she had grown up watching Simon on America’s Got Talent.
Earlier in the audition, she even performed an impression of Cowell. Simon jokingly responded to the impression, creating a lighthearted moment before the much more emotional musical performance.
👏 The Judges Didn’t All Agree
While Simon was impressed, the judging panel did not give Frey unanimous support.
Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara joined Simon in voting yes. Howie Mandel voted no, explaining that the song had not stayed with him strongly enough after the final notes.
The three yes votes were enough to send Frey through to the next stage of the competition.
That difference in opinion also showed that the audition wasn’t simply a unanimous reaction. Each judge evaluated the performance differently.
🎶 A Song That Connected Music and Family
What made the audition distinctive was the combination of Frey’s country music style, rodeo background and personal story.
“Horses in Heaven” wasn’t simply an original song brought to a talent competition. It was connected directly to the grandfather who had encouraged Frey’s musical ambitions.
That gave the performance another layer beyond the vocals themselves.
Frey was able to introduce viewers to both her musical identity and the family influence behind her dream.
🌟 What Happened to Kylie Frey on AGT?
Frey continued in the competition after her audition.
She later performed another original song, “I Do Thing,” during the live rounds of Season 18. She ultimately did not advance to the finale.
Her audition, however, remains one of the memorable parts of her AGT journey because it introduced viewers to a singer with a distinctive connection to country music and rodeo culture.
Final Thoughts
Kylie Frey’s AGT audition brought together three important parts of her story: her rodeo roots, her love of country music and the influence of her grandfather.
By performing “Horses in Heaven,” she chose to share an original piece of music connected to someone who had encouraged her dream.
And after hearing her perform, Simon Cowell gave her one of the strongest compliments a contestant could receive from him: “You are the real deal.”
It was a performance built around music, family and the dream of taking a country voice from the rodeo arena to a much bigger stage.
