SANDPOINT — Kailyn Gingerich has loved to sing since she was 2 years old.

Now, the Sandpoint 13-year-old is headed to Las Vegas to compete in auditions for America’s Got Talent.

Kailyn has been singing for family and friends as long as she can remember as well as at rodeos and other community events for the past couple of years, nailing the national anthem and pouring her soul into her music.

While Simon Cowell is her favorite judge, her favorite audience is her 2-year-old brother.

“She loves to record videos of herself singing for her 2-year-old brother who has a heart condition to help calm him down during his echocardiograms that he has to lay for hours at a time,” said proud mom Olivia McCoy-Bonner. “Her voice helps him stay calm the entire time! She has a passion for singing and helping others with absolutely anything.”

The teen, who also loves to hunt and fish, is looking forward to singing in front of Cowell and plans to bring the judges Idaho hats she made for a trip to Costa Rica to help save sea turtles.

For her audition, McCoy-Bonner said Kailyn plans to sing “Someone You Loved,” by Lewis Capaldi.

The televised American talent competition is part of the global Got Talent franchise created by Cowell, appearing on the NBC television network for the past 14 seasons.

The program attracts participants, from across the United States, with acts ranging from singing and to dancing and comedy, as well as everything in-between.

According to Wikipedia, each participant who auditions attempts to secure a place in the live episodes of a season by impressing the judges. Those who make it to the live episodes compete against each other for both the judges’ and public’s vote in order to reach the live final.

Since its premiere, AGT has helped to unearth new talent and proved to be a rating success for NBC, drawing in on average around 10 million viewers per season, the online encyclopedia notes.

Auditions are currently taking place for the upcoming season of the show, beginning Nov. 10, 2019, in San Diego, Calif., with other sites including Louisville, Ky., New York City, Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas, Cabazon, Calif., and Detroit with the final audition set to take place in Los Angeles on Feb. 1.

Information: nbc.com/americas-got-talent

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.