Sarah Hardwig remembers walking onto the "America's Got Talent" stage in front of about 4,000 people. The rest is a blur.
"I quite frankly don't really remember much from the experience other than I felt like I had vertigo when I got off stage," the 23-year-old Nashville singer-songwriter said. "It was insane."
Hardwig earned a standing ovation and four yes votes from the judges after performing Lainey Wilson's "Heart Like a Truck" during her Season 21 audition, which was posted on July 21. She advanced past the audition round, but did not move forward in the competition.
"'Heart Like a Truck' is one of my favorite songs," Hardwig said. "It's really about resilience and sticking it out through the hard times. And I thought that song would really fit
for me, especially because it has that high note right at the end."
Wilson saw the performance, too, commenting red heart emojis on one of Hardwig's social media posts.
"That absolutely floored me," Hardwig said.
Hardwig, whose father works for USA TODAY Co. as assistant director of planning and sports planner for the South Region, is one of roughly 222,754 visually impaired people living in the state of Tennessee, according to a 2022 survey by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. But she hasn't let that slow her down.
"I have a lot of dreams, but I more or less like to focus on what's in front of me," Hardwig said. "So right now my goal is to get my EP released."
She visited The Tennessean's Nashville newsroom for a USA TODAY Acoustic session, performing two original songs, "Breaking Away" and "You're Why I Hate Whiskey."
Music without limits
Hardwig was diagnosed at 5 months old with Leber congenital amaurosis, or LCA, a rare genetic eye condition. She has light perception but cannot see shapes, shadows, colors or large print.
That experience was part of why Hardwig wanted to audition for "America's Got Talent," hoping to show that having a disability doesn't have to limit what someone can pursue.
"I've had to face quite a few challenges in my life, but that has not stopped me from pursuing my dreams and doing what I love," she said.
Her performance of "Heart Like a Truck" brought the audience to its feet. Hardwig cried as her parents watched from offstage, her mother wiping away a tear.
Howie Mandel called her "the epitome of resilience." Mel B praised Hardwig's vocal control but challenged her to go bigger. Sofia Vergara disagreed.
"Everything you did was amazing," Vergara told her. "I wouldn't change a thing."
Cowell told Hardwig she had a "natural gift" before joking that, with the audience's approval, she had received 4,230 yes votes.
Starting with perfect pitch
A music teacher noticed Hardwig had perfect pitch when she was 5 years old and asked her to sing at her kindergarten graduation.
"I remember singing up there, I was really scared, and my best friend was up on stage with me for just support," Hardwig said. "I somehow got through it, and I was just like, you know what? I might as well just make this a career."
By 8, she was traveling to Nashville to pursue music more seriously. She later graduated from Belmont University's songwriting program.
Her influences include Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, ABBA, Journey, Def Leppard and Foreigner. Hardwig has performed the national anthem more than 400 times, including at the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium, plus has shared stages with LOCASH, Charles Kelley of Lady A and Lauren Alaina. In 2024, she performed at the Grand Ole Opry.
Hardwig released "Breaking Away" on Aug. 14, taking the title literally as she transitions from covers to original music.
"Breaking away is my way of life," she said. "Challenges do not define who we are, and how you handle them is what defines your identity."
The single is one of three tracks finished for her five-song EP. She hopes to record the remaining two by the end of 2026. Although there's no release date yet, Hardwig said she expects the project could arrive by early 2027.
As she builds her own catalog, Hardwig said connecting with listeners and sharing her story is what matters most.
"Music is such a universal language."
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: After reality TV, Nashville's Sarah Hardwig is ready to focus on her own music
