There are moments when a song becomes much more than music. For Matt Mauser, that happened on the America’s Got Talent stage in 2021, when he tried to sing about the person he had lost and found himself overwhelmed by everything the song brought back.
Just over a year earlier, Matt’s life had changed forever. His wife, Christina Mauser, was killed in the January 26, 2020 helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and six others. Christina was a basketball coach and a mother of three, and her death left Matt facing the difficult task of raising their children while learning how to live without the woman he had shared his life with.
By the time he appeared on America’s Got Talent, Matt had already spent years performing and writing music, but this performance was different from anything he had done before. He wasn’t simply trying to show the judges what he could do as a singer. He wanted to honor Christina and give his children a memory they could carry with them.
Matt chose Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” for his audition. He began the song confidently, but as the performance continued, the emotion became increasingly difficult to contain. Eventually, he broke down and was unable to finish.
The reaction from the judges was immediate. Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara all stood and applauded, and each judge voted yes, allowing Matt to continue in the competition. But what he said afterward gave the performance an even deeper meaning.
Matt explained that he wanted his children to understand that their mother’s death would always be part of their story, but it did not have to determine the rest of their lives. He wanted them to know that they could still dream, find happiness and build a future despite the loss they had experienced.
His journey on the show, however, did not end with a championship. Matt was not selected for the main live shows and later received another opportunity through the Wildcard competition. He performed Michael Bublé’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” but ultimately did not receive enough votes to advance. Dustin Tavella went on to win Season 16.
For Matt, though, the most important part of the experience was never simply winning the competition. His audition gave him the chance to speak about Christina and let millions of people hear the story of the woman he loved.
After America’s Got Talent, Matt continued working as a professional singer, songwriter and entertainer. He performs with the Matt Mauser Big Band and has also worked with renowned musician and producer David Foster. Music remained an important part of his life, but so did keeping Christina’s memory alive.
Matt established the Christina Mauser Foundation, which provides scholarships for female student-athletes. The foundation reflects Christina’s own connection to basketball and her passion for helping young athletes. According to Matt’s official website, the foundation has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships.
Matt also shared his experience in his memoir, Bittersweet Treasures: A Father’s Journey Through Loss & Healing. The book looks beyond the television appearance and explores his relationship with Christina, the loss of his wife and the challenge of raising their children while finding a way to move forward.
That is what makes Matt Mauser’s America’s Got Talent story so memorable. He didn’t win the season, and his audition wasn’t technically perfect. He couldn’t even finish the song. But perhaps that was exactly why the performance connected with so many people.
For a few minutes, viewers weren’t watching a contestant trying to win a talent show. They were watching a husband remember his wife and a father trying to show his children that even after the worst kind of loss, there can still be a reason to keep going.
Matt continues to perform and honor Christina’s memory, while raising the children they shared. His story is a reminder that grief doesn’t simply disappear with time; instead, people learn to carry it while finding new ways to live, love and remember.
