'People are going to resonate with that song': Irish singer-songwriter impresses on America’s Got Talent

Stephanie Rainey's song, Please Don’t Go, is inspired by the tragic death of her nephew, Fionn, from meningitis the day before his first birthday. Photo: Instagram

Irish singer-songwriter Stephanie Rainey has described as “overwhelming” the incredible reaction to her emotional America’s Got Talent audition, which reduced judges to tears and brought the audience to its feet.

Head judge Simon Cowell told her that song, Please Don’t Go, composed by Stephanie and inspired by the tragic death of her nephew, Fionn, from meningitis the day before his first birthday, was the best original song he’s heard this year.

“And even though it’s about something really sad, it’s real,” he said. “And your voice is beautiful. A lot of people are going to resonate with that song, and you. I absolutely love this.”

Stephanie said: “The love already pouring in is overwhelming. I literally have no words,” after all four judges voted her through to the next round of one of the world’s largest talent shows.

Stephanie, aged 36, told Cowell and his fellow judges, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara, that she has been performing since the age of 18, but that her career since has been “a rollercoaster”.

She said she wrote her audition song, Please Don’t Go, when she was a teenager, about the death of her little nephew.

“It took me a long time to write a song about it. Honestly, I was about to give up music. So I wanted to make something for me, that I believe in. So this song means more to me than I can describe,” she said.

Accompanied on piano by her best friend, Sarah Power, Stephanie Rainey performed a stunning version of the tender and emotional song, reducing Sofia Vergara to tears on America's Got Talent. Photo: Instagram

She released it online in 2015 and told the judges that it had a “big moment” at the time, notching up one million views less than a day after it released.

“I then signed a deal after the song came out,” she said.

“I think I probably didn’t know who I fully was back when I signed the deal. The journey from then until now has been hard.

“It’s a tough industry and you have to be resilient, and when the downs come you have to be willing to pick yourself up. And here I am.”

Cowell said he understands how difficult the music industry can be, and that many great people are giving, which is why shows like America’s Got Talent are an important platform.

Accompanied on piano by her best friend, Sarah Power, she then performed a stunning version of the tender and emotional song, reducing Sofia Vergara to tears. Cowell and Mandel led the 4,000-capacity audience in a standing ovation.

Vergara wiped away tears and said Stephanie’s audition “was perfect”, Klum described the audition as “a real special moment” while Mandel said very few acts move people.

He said:

And that was one of the most relatable, emotional moments we’ve had on season 19.

But Cowell said: “Of all the new songs I’ve heard this year, this is the best by a mile."

He approached her on stage afterwards and told her: “That was, what I call a moment. That song is so beautiful.”

Almost a decade since its first release, Please Don’t Go has found new audiences with over eight million Spotify plays and 40 million combined views on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Stephanie has also announced two headline shows in Vicar Street on November 14 and Cork City Hall on December 18.