In a two-hour finale event, NBC has named 12-year-old guitarist Cheyenne Kimball as “America’s Most Talented Kid” as part of the series’ finals competition that also awards the winner a grand prize of $50,000. Thirteen-year-old Agape Chen (from Bakersfield, California) was first runnerup ($25,000), while 7-year-old Colton “Lil’C” Burton (Santa Clarita, California) was awarded $10,000 as the second runnerup.


Kimball, Chen and Burton competed in last Friday’s May 2 final episode of “America’s Most Talented Kid” and represented three of 18 contestants who vied head-to-head for the show's title.

Kimball, an honor-roll student at Clark Middle School in Frisco, Texas, began playing the guitar at the age of 8, and has written over 180 songs. She looks up to such musical artists as John Lennon, Tesla, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon. She also is currently involved in national charities such as the upcoming Relay for Life 2003, benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Hosted by Mario Lopez (NBC’s “The Other Half”), the season finale won all four of its half-hours (3.2 rating, 11 share among adults 18-49, 10.0 million viewers overall) in the 18-49 age bracket, overall total viewers and all key adult and adult-female demographics. From its first half-hour to its fourth, “America’s Most Talented Kid” increased its 18-49 rating by 56 percent and built its overall audience by 3.7 million viewers.

Each week, “America’s Most Talented Kid” featured talented kids from across America competing in an overall talent competition, which ranged from song and dance to the most exceptional and unusual acts.

“America’s Most Talented Kid” is a production of NBC Studios. Stuart Krasnow (“Dog Eat Dog,” “Weakest Link”) serves as the executive producer, and Peter Johansen (“The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn,” “The Martin Short Show”) co-executive produces.