First comes auditions, then comes finales and then comes the real world.
When it comes to TV's most popular reality competition shows, millions of people watch and cast their votes week after week.
But once the season comes to an end and the celebrations are over, what happens to your favorite contestants you cheered on?
As America's Got Talent's twelfth season comes to an end, we decided to check in on some of the most successful finalists in the show's history. For many, the NBC series is only the beginning to a long, successful career.
Rewind to 2006 when 11-year-old Bianca Ryan decided to audition for the show with a rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls. Within moments, the judges and audience were wowed by her natural talent.
She would later walk away as the show's very first champion with a $1 million prize.
"It's been an incredible journey! It changed my life in so many ways. Never did I think I would be able to travel the world and meet fans and real people that look up to me and hear me as some type of legend," Bianca shared with E! News. "I've been able to be on shows like Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey and work with amazing producers and writers like Kara DioGuardi, David Foster and Quincy Jones!"
Today, the singer has her own label titled Bianca Ryan Records with a fourth single titled "Don't Wanna Come Down" coming soon.
When it comes to the judges—who have witnessed both good, bad and downright crazy acts through the years—some contestants are just impossible to forget for all the right reasons.
"Terry Fator meant a lot because I think Terry put the show on the map when he got that Vegas deal and what he achieved and that's why we made the show in the first place," Simon Cowell shared with E! News.
Heidi Klum added, "Sal Valentinetti the voice! I followed him on Instagram. He is busy. He is singing for people all over the place. I'm super proud of him."
And then there is Grace Vanderwall whose audition at just 12 years old earned 70 million views on YouTube.
"She was my golden buzzer from last year and the moment she came out singing, I went, 'Oh my God. This 12 year old is the most brilliant thing I've ever seen or heard,'" judge Howie Mandel shared with us. "And now she's becoming a world-renowned recording artist."
With this season's finale almost here, we decided to check in on some of the most memorable finalists from season's past in our gallery below.
Who will win Season 12 of America's Got Talent? It's up to you America when you watch Tuesday and Wednesday night at 8 p.m. only on NBC.
(E! and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family)