The Wait is Over - Jackie Evancho Appears on 'Piers Morgan Tonight'

For the Jackie Evancho fans who watched “Piers Morgan Tonight” on Thursday night -- only to be disappointed when she didn’t appear --her appearance Friday night was worth the wait.

Jackie’s official website had stated that she was scheduled to appear Thursday on the CNN show. But those who tuned in learned that she was slated for Friday night’s show instead.

The 11-year-old singing sensation from Richland Township was interviewed and performed about 40 minutes into the show.

Musical legend Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared first with Morgan, who asked him what he thought of Jackie.

Lloyd Webber said he had “heard a little about her because she sang with my ex and she sang one of my songs,” he acknowledged, referring to his ex-wife, singer Sarah Brightman. He also said he had heard that she was quite good.

Morgan agreed. When he introduced Jackie, he referred to her as, “The singer storming the charts, and I’m not referring to Lady Gaga, but 11-year-old Jackie Evancho.”

Morgan was one of the judges on “America’s Got Talent,” the NBC show where America – and the rest of the world – was introduced to Jackie late last summer.

“I’m so happy to see you again,” he said as he welcomed Jackie along with David Foster, producer of her best selling CD “Dream with Me.”  

Morgan proceeded to explain how he met Jackie, after a You-Tube video tryout for the TV show instead of the usual route of tryouts.

“The first time you sang for us was in front of a large crowd,” he said to her, then asked, “How did you feel?”

She replied, “Please don’t mess up.” Then followed up with what has now become her trademark giggle, a laugh that Morgan acknowledged by calling it, “a lovely giggle.”

Morgan asked Jackie how she, as an 11-year-old, can maintain a normal life. As she has in the past, Jackie referred to her parents, Mike and Lisa Evancho. 

Foster also joined in the conversation and added that the Evanchos have fairly strict rules for the young star including early bedtime hours.

He also talked about Jackie’s future as a singer.

“To say that she is at the top of the heap is an understatement,” he said, adding that Jackie could be a success in either the opera or pop song arena.

Foster went on to say Jackie could become the greatest opera singer of our time, a statement that made her smile.

Morgan described his favorite moment of “America’s Got Talent.”

“The moment that I remember the most is when you sang with Sarah Brightman and you held your own,” he said.

When he asked who her favorite singers are, Jackie had two answers. One was the legendary Barbra Streisand, who sings a duet with Jackie on her new "Dream With Me" CD, and the second was Lady Gaga.

At the end of the interview, Morgan asked Jackie if she still gets nervous.

“I do get nervous,” she replied, “Especially before the big one.” Then again, that giggle.

Jackie and Foster ended the appearance with a performance of “Angel,” from her chart-climbing CD.

Just as he did as a judge on “America’s Got Talent,”  Morgan gave her a piece of advice:

“Keep going. The better you get, the better you make me look as a judge.”