Barefoot and Unstoppable: San Quentin Prison Nurse Dee Simon Shakes the AGT Stage with Soulful Anthem
The America’s Got Talent stage has seen its fair share of remarkable professions, but 19-year veteran registered nurse Dee Simon brought a background—and a voice—that completely transfixed the room. Hailing from Oakland, California, Dee works on the frontlines at the high-security San Quentin State Prison. When Simon Cowell playfully asked if the inmates had ever heard her sing, Dee brought down the house with a hilarious story, revealing that the first time she sang at the prison early in her career, a full riot broke out, forcing her to immediately triage everyone. Since then, she joked, she waited nearly two decades before trying it again—resulting in total peace.
Dee explained that throughout her life, she felt like she was constantly approaching a door of musical opportunity only for it to repeatedly slam shut. Determined to finally break through and take care of her family, she stepped up to the microphone to tackle Jennifer Holliday’s legendary, emotionally demanding masterpiece, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”
The second she opened her mouth, the arena was treated to a masterclass in pure, unadulterated soul. Dee’s booming vocal range, gravelly power, and deep emotional vulnerability electrified the auditorium. Midway through the track, fueled by absolute passion, Dee kicked her shoes off right on stage, dropping to the floor to deliver a raw, barefoot climax that brought all 4,000 audience members to their feet.
The judges were left completely overwhelmed. Sofia Vergara called the performance “spectacular,” praising it for coming straight from her soul. Heidi Klum explicitly branded Dee as one of the single best vocalists of the entire season, marveling at how the performance steadily built in power the moment the shoes came off. Howie Mandel delivered a poignant message, telling Dee that her days of waiting at the door were finally over. Simon Cowell, deeply moved by her resilience, asked Dee who she would dedicate the performance to. Dee beautifully responded: “To everyone that was told no—keep going, ’cause one ‘yes’ can change your life.” With her proud mother watching from the audience, Dee claimed a triumphant, unanimous sweep of four massive “yeses,” proving it is never too late to claim your destiny.
