225: Sarah Hardwig KNOWS America’s Got Talent, Country Music, Courage, Emotional Intelligence, and How to Be a Visionary

Country singer-songwriter Sarah Hardwig has the distinction of being the first blind guest to join Randall Kenneth Jones on ON THE KNOWS. What follows is an honest, funny and deeply moving conversation about America’s Got Talent, music, self-doubt, courage, advocacy and discovering the unique ways we experience the world. At just 23, Sarah Hardwig has already stepped onto one of television’s biggest stages—and captured the attention of millions with her country music, powerful voice and unforgettable story. A singer-songwriter originally from Naples, Florida, who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, Sarah recently appeared on America’s Got Talent, where she performed in front of the judges and a massive television audience. But for Sarah, the experience is about much more than a singing competition. In this conversation, Sarah talks candidly about what it felt like to walk onto the America’s Got Talent stage with her father, the nerves and overwhelming emotion she experienced before performing, and the incredible love she felt from the audience. She also discusses her advocacy for people who are blind and challenges some of the assumptions people may have about blindness. Sarah explains how missing visual social cues—like eye contact, facial expressions and body language—can sometimes create feelings of isolation, while emphasizing that being blind does not mean being unable to understand the world or the people around you. And then there is Sarah’s superpower: hearing. Her extraordinary ability to listen, absorb music and recognize even the smallest imperfections has helped shape her artistry. Sarah explains why hearing can sometimes feel like both a blessing and a curse—and why listening may be just as important as hearing. She also reveals a surprising talent that even America’s Got Talent judge Sofia Vergara apparently doesn't know about: Sarah can impersonate voices. The conversation takes an especially personal turn when Randall and Sarah discuss her 2022 song “Who I Am,” a song about self-doubt, self-criticism and the inner voice that tells us we don't deserve the things we accomplish. Sarah explains how that inner critic remains part of her life—and why she ultimately believes it has helped make her who she is. Sarah describes herself as courageous and emotional, explaining that she feels things deeply and brings that emotion into every performance. Randall offers another word to describe her: visionary—a word that takes on special meaning during their conversation about sight, perception and imagination. Sarah also reveals the artists who inspire her, including Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson, ABBA, Def Leppard, Journey and Foreigner, as well as the people she considers her greatest role models: her parents. Throughout the conversation, Randall and Sarah explore a bigger question: Who are we when we stop allowing other people's expectations—or our own doubts—to define us? And when Randall asks Sarah the signature ON THE KNOWS question—“Sarah Hardwig, what do you know?”—her answer is beautifully simple: “I know that music is my calling.” This is a conversation about music, but it is also about courage, identity, connection, perseverance, self-belief and discovering that sometimes the things that make us different are precisely the things that make us extraordinary. In This Episode • Sarah Hardwig’s journey from Naples, Florida, to Nashville, Tennessee • Sarah’s America’s Got Talent experience and what it felt like to perform on the AGT stage • The nerves, emotion and adrenaline behind a nationally televised performance • Why Sarah chose to use her AGT platform to advocate for people who are blind • What Sarah wishes more people understood about blindness • The loneliness that can come from missing visual social cues • Why hearing—and listening—are Sarah’s greatest superpowers • Sarah’s remarkable ability to impersonate voices • Her unexpected Sofia Vergara impression • Self-doubt, self-criticism and the inner critic • Why Sarah believes her inner critic has also helped drive her success • Being a thinker and a feeler • Why Sarah considers herself courageous and emotional • Randall’s case for calling Sarah a visionary • Sarah’s musical influences, including Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson • Her love of ABBA, Def Leppard, Journey and Foreigner • Why Sarah’s parents are her greatest role models • The support Sarah has received from fans around the country • The importance of staying connected to the people who believe in you • Sarah’s belief that anyone can accomplish what they put their mind to • Why Sarah believes music is her calling A Conversation About Seeing the World Differently One of the most meaningful moments in this conversation comes when Sarah explains that blindness can sometimes create a profound sense of isolation—not because blind people cannot understand others, but because they may miss the visual signals most people take