When Summer Rios walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage in 2023, she had an unusual introduction.

She was 19 years old, from Brunswick, Ohio, and working as a manager at Pizza Hut.

But there was another side to Rios that the judges had yet to hear.

She had been singing since she was four years old. She told the judges that she had not really performed in front of audiences before and wanted to use AGT as an opportunity to put herself out there and pursue music.

Then she picked up the microphone.

Her song choice was “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan.

What followed transformed the audition from a nervous introduction into a memorable vocal performance.

Who Is Summer Rios?

Summer Rios was a 19-year-old singer from Brunswick, Ohio, when she auditioned for Season 18 of America’s Got Talent.

At the time, she was also working as a manager at Pizza Hut.

Rios explained during the audition that she was working long hours and hoped that pursuing music could eventually give her a different path. She also acknowledged that performing in front of people was something she was not accustomed to.

That made the AGT stage a particularly significant opportunity.

She was not presented as an established recording star. Instead, viewers were introduced to a young woman balancing a regular job with a long-standing passion for singing.

She had been singing since childhood, but the audition represented an opportunity to finally perform on a major stage.

From Pizza Hut to the AGT Stage

Before she sang, Rios spoke openly about her work.

She told the judges that she was a Pizza Hut manager and made pizzas for a living. Her goal was to pursue music and hopefully move beyond pizza cutting and pizza making.

The contrast created an immediate curiosity around the audition.

What would a 19-year-old who spent her working days managing a pizza restaurant sound like when she stepped in front of the America’s Got Talent judges?

The answer came through her song choice.

Rios selected Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange,” a country-influenced song that gave her an opportunity to showcase a lower, distinctive vocal style.

Summer Rios Sings “Something in the Orange”

Once the music began, the nervousness from her introduction gave way to concentration.

Rios delivered the song with a powerful vocal tone that surprised the judges and audience.

American Songwriter described her performance as having a rich, full tone and noted that she demonstrated control in a lower register.

The audience responded strongly.

Contemporary coverage reported a standing ovation, with Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara among those rising to their feet.

For Rios, the reaction was clearly unexpected.

She had walked onto the stage talking about her nerves and limited experience performing in front of crowds.

Now the room was responding to her singing.

The Judges React

The judges had plenty to say after the performance.

Howie Mandel told Rios that he thought she should be doing this rather than slicing pizzas and said the audition had given viewers a glimpse of what she could do.

Heidi Klum also praised her distinctive voice, comparing the sound to Rihanna.

Sofia Vergara told Rios that her voice was spectacular and that she belonged on a stage. Simon Cowell praised her song choice and said that everyone in the room wanted her to do well.

The result was unanimous.

All four judges voted yes, sending Rios through to the next round of the competition.

A Different Side of an AGT Audition

What makes Rios’ audition interesting is the contrast between her everyday life and her performance.

She arrived as someone working at Pizza Hut and openly admitted that she was nervous about performing.

Then she sang.

The audition demonstrated how quickly a person’s public image can change once they have the opportunity to show another side of themselves.

Rios was not introduced simply as a singer. She was introduced as a young woman working a demanding job while trying to pursue music.

Her performance showed the judges that singing was more than a casual hobby.

It was something she had been doing since childhood and wanted to take seriously.

What Happened Next?

After earning four yes votes during her audition, Rios continued into the competition.

She later appeared in the Season 18 live qualifiers, where she performed Zoe Wees’ “Control.” Contemporary coverage noted that the judges had mixed reactions to that later performance, although Heidi Klum praised it.

Her AGT journey therefore became more than a single audition.

The Pizza Hut manager who had admitted she was nervous about performing had successfully stepped onto one of television’s biggest talent-show stages and continued competing.

The audition also helped introduce Rios to a much larger audience as a singer.

The Song Choice Made the Difference

One of the most important elements of Rios’ audition was her choice of “Something in the Orange.”

The song gave her room to display the vocal qualities that stood out during the performance.

It also fit naturally with the country and singer-songwriter side of her musical identity.

The performance attracted attention beyond the AGT judging panel as well. Whiskey Riff reported that Zach Bryan himself praised Rios’ performance of his song after the audition.

That added another interesting chapter to an audition that had already captured attention.

Final Thoughts

Summer Rios walked onto the America’s Got Talent stage as a 19-year-old Pizza Hut manager who admitted she was nervous about performing in front of a large audience.

She left the audition with four yes votes.

Her performance of Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” revealed a strong and distinctive singing voice, earning a standing ovation and praise from the judges.

The appeal of the audition is simple: viewers first meet someone through her everyday job, then discover what she can do when she finally gets the microphone.

For Summer Rios, that microphone became an opportunity to show that there was much more to her story than making pizzas.