Even though I'm in this big, crazy business, I'm still just myself. I still celebrate Christmas; I still live at home.Collection: Christmas
A little before my 10th birthday, I was like, 'Can I please have a puppet, Mom and Dad?' They were like, 'No. You are a singer, not a ventriloquist. You have three brothers, and you're in gymnastics. There's no way we have time for this.'Collection: Dad
I wanted to get a puppy, but then things started getting super, super busy, and I didn't have a chance.Collection: Chance
We filmed part of it here at the Alex Theatre in Los Angeles, and then we filmed the other part of it in Oklahoma because that's where I live. It's called 'Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas.' We wanted to incorporate that I celebrate Christmas just like any other kid.Collection: Christmas
I started with Katie, a doll I got on eBay on my 10th birthday. I don't use her anymore. I've got a new Katie now, a real ventriloquist's puppet.Collection: Birthday
We always go to downtown Oklahoma City to look at all the Christmas lights that have been put up... We go to the Christmas Eve service at church, and we always beg my parents to open a present - just one present - on Christmas Eve. We get them to cave.Collection: Christmas
All of my puppets have their own personalities, their own background, and they enjoy what they do. How they say things, sing things, how they talk. I kind of created them out of my own personality. They are all me.
I got to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, which is just so amazing. That stage is iconic; it was awesome being on it.
I just say go for it and be yourself, even if you're scared or nervous, because you'll never know what happens if you don't try.
I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.
I really, really want a golf cart, but I know that won't happen.
I do get recognized a lot in public. And that's just kind of weird to me.
I want to meet Jimmy Fallon. I want to meet Kristin Chenoweth, and I want to meet Ryan Gosling.
I hate flying. It creeps me out, and it scares me half to death.
There are times where I'm like, 'I wish I can do this' or 'I wish I can be normal like this,' but with my life, I try to keep it normal.
I go to public school, which is nice because that's where I can go to be Darci, and when I perform, I'm Darci Lynne. It's my balance.
I'm always going to have the puppets, probably not for the rest of my life, but I'm not going to stop doing ventriloquism anytime soon. I'm just going to add singing, recording songs, and maybe playing in a TV show.
I guess just being more known is the biggest change, getting noticed in public and having a lot of followers on Instagram and things like that. Just a crazy new life.
I go to California and to New York, and it's not like the people are really mean.
Sometimes when I'm performing, whenever my puppet cracks a joke, it actually makes me laugh.
One time, it was really funny, I was going on stage... and they were like, 'Oh, we didn't mic the puppet! Mic the puppet!' So, that's how I know that sometimes I do a very good job, because they think that the puppet is actually, like, real.
I love singing with my mouth open. And I'm actually able to sing even better that way.
It's a little crazy. Last year, I was in seventh grade, and we were the babies at the school - 'cause my middle school's eighth grade and seventh grade - and now I'm eighth grade, and all these new students have come in, and they're all like, 'Oh my gosh! Darci Lynne!'
It just means so much to me that America voted for me, and I get to see all my friends and family supporting me and crying with me.
First, I am definitely going to give some money to my mission program at church, and then I have to get my mom a dishwasher.
During the week, I'm a normal kid, and then on the weekends, I go out and perform to thousands of people.
Pentatonix are amazing, and meeting Hunter Hayes was awesome.
I decided I want to sing more because that's been my passion since I was six.
We had a big fan base in Oklahoma City, and that was nice to know.
It's just weird because I can't believe that all those people wanna come see me. Like, there's so many. So, it's just crazy to think about, but it's also really awesome.
'AGT' was so much fun because I feel like the best part was meeting all of the contestants because everyone there was never mean, never competition - except for Preacher. But I'm kidding. He would just mess around and be like, 'I'm gonna beat you.' Everybody there was just really nice, and I got to be friends with mostly everyone there.
I don't really want to be known as just the puppet girl or just a singing ventriloquist. I want to be known as the performer, singer, ventriloquist, actress, Broadway star, all of it. I want do it all.
Petunia relates to me more than any other. She was shy at first, but she's definitely come out of her shell, I can tell you that. Petunia is like this small little rabbit, but her big huge voice comes out of her little body.
Edna - when I first picked her up, she had a voice that really spoke to me.
GE Appliances has agreed to give my mom a whole kitchen's worth of new appliances and a washer and dryer, and all I need to do is shout them out.
I used to have a really hard time talking to people or looking them in the eye. Or I'd always, like, hide behind my mom, and, like, when we went to restaurants, I didn't like ordering my food. I'd have my mom order it because I didn't like talking to the waiters.
I have to control my mouth - and that's hard enough - and then I have to manipulate the puppet and make it look real - like, make its interactions look real. And then I have to sing at the same time, and I have to have my facial expressions reacting to the puppet... So it's a lot going on, and I have to focus on every single thing at the same time.
I like to watch 'America's Got Talent' every Tuesday just to scout out the competition so I can see what I'm up against.
Oklahoma is my home. It's definitely slower paced than California.
I don't like sweet, warm beverages. It makes me gag!
My parents prepared me for the worst, hoped for the best.
Being on 'America's Got Talent' has really helped me expand my self-confidence on the stage and anywhere - I'm more comfortable, and it's just really helped, and I'm glad about that.
I usually hold a puppet and play with different voices until something happens and the right voice just hits me. Then, I'll pick a name that just seems to fit the character that naturally comes out.
Saying certain letters without moving my mouth is tough... like B, P and W, you know.
Singing in multiple voices, especially Oscar's, can make my vocal chords tired.
I was on 'AGT,' and I was like, 'Well, face it Darci, you are just going to probably get out on the first live round.'
I just really like performing for different crowds and seeing different places.
I think little chubby dogs are the cutest.
I fangirl when I see someone famous wish me congratulations.
Oklahoma has been so great to me.