She’s just getting started!

After taking home the ‘America’s Got Talent‘ crown earlier this year, Darci Lynne is ready to take on the world! She’s the 13-year-old shy girl-next-door turned pint-sized powerhouse that America just can’t get enough of. Do you blame them?!

Before she hits the road for her 2018 tour, the young ventriloquist gave us the inside scoop on all things Darci: from her key to overcoming nerves to the best piece of advice Simon Cowell gave her and everything in between!

Darci even dished out some expert advice to anyone auditioning for the upcoming season! If you want to live out your dream, you can still audition in Nashville (January 13th), San Jose (January 19th), Los Angeles (February 3rd) and Phoenix (February 24th). Can’t make it to any of those locations? No worries, you can submit an audition online at AGTAuditions.com!

“When I first started [on the show], I was very, very shy, and now that’s gone away almost completely.”

Channeling my inner “Katniss Everdeen” A post shared by Darci Lynne (@itsdarcilynne) on Dec 4, 2017 at 3:26pm PST

Why did you decide to audition for AGT?

Darci: I just wanted to try something new and really didn’t have any idea of what would happen, just going in clueless, like “This just can be fun. I’ll probably get voted off.”

Was it your idea or your parents’ idea?

Darci: It was definitely my idea. I came up to my mom and I was like, “Mom, I want to try out for AGT,” and she was like, “Are you sure?” I was like, “Yes,” and she was like, “Okay.” That’s how it started.

What did it feel like when Mel B hit that golden buzzer and confetti started falling from the ceiling?

Darci: I was literally speechless. I don’t even remember how I felt. I knew I was shocked, and excited, and overwhelmed, and happy. I’m glad and relieved, all at the same time. It was literally so many feelings at once. It was like, I couldn’t even just make sense of it. It was crazy.

Who was your biggest supporter?

Darci: My family, obviously…and Preacher [Lawson, who was also on the show]. Whenever I would walk into the waiting room, he would stand up and say really loud, “Everybody, here comes the winner of America’s Got Talent.” I was like, “Oh my gracious.”

You spent a lot of time with the other contestants. What was that like?

Darci: AGT was definitely a family, because I bonded with everybody there and made nicknames. Like me and Chase [Goehring] had nicknames for each other. Mine was Salty Chase Angel Goat Ring. There’s a story behind it. He calls me Dorkus Lynne Firecracker Farmer!

What was your favorite performance?

Darci: Edna’s performance when she sang to Simon, because that was absolutely hilarious. I was nervous, the most nervous I’ve ever been on the show was that night when I sang to Simon because I didn’t know what he would do. I was so scared. I was like, “Mom, what if he gets up and leaves? What if he’s like …” And then after my performance, he came up on stage, and he was like, “You are in major trouble,” and he was like, “but your performance was brilliant.”

How did you overcome your nerves?

Darci: Before every performance, I was always super nervous, but I tried to embrace those nerves because it always kept me on my toes. It told me that I have to get this right, and I have to try my best, because I didn’t want to be too confident to where I would mess up. Whenever I got on stage, whenever the crowd would cheer, my nerves went away a lot.

What advice would you give to someone auditioning for this upcoming season?

Darci: Really just go for it, and be yourself, and don’t let anybody take away what you’re giving them with your talent! Go for it even though you’re scared, and dream big, because you never know what might happen.

What’s next for you? What’s your big dream now that you’ve won AGT?

Darci: I’m hoping to do more than just ventriloquism. I don’t want to be known as just the puppet girl. I want to do it all! I want to be an artist, and have my own TV show, star in movies, star on Broadway. I want to do it all!

In case you missed it, catch the emotional moment Darci found out she won AGT!