STUTTERING FOUNDATION Q & A:
AMANDA MAMMANA Season 17, America’s Got Talent, NBC
Do you remember when you fi rst began to stutter? Did you seek treatment? If so, did it help?
I went to speech therapy as an early teenager for about two years. When I got older, I went to a speech pathologist to help eliminate vocal strain when I spoke. While I was given techniques and tactics to release my throat and jaw while speaking, the stutter never went away.
What are the biggest challenges stuttering has presented to you?
I believe my stutter has stayed the same, but my outlook has changed a lot. I am ok with my stutter. I’m ok with taking a few extra seconds to say my name or order food at a restaurant. I’m ok with sounding “different”. Stuttering is a part of me, but it doesn’t define me.
SFA: Tell us about your experience with stuttering as a child.
AMANDA: I was a very outgoing kid who loved answering questions at school, reading out loud, and making new friends. When I began to stutter, I became very shy and insecure. I was still very outgoing, but I would often give one-word answers and smile to make it seem like I was ok. Thankfully I had great friends and teachers who gave me a space to speak. I was so thankful for that, but I was still insecure and embarrassed. The battle was within and that ate me up inside for years. Going into my middle school and high school years were very difficult as new challenges arose like public speaking, interviews, and applying for college. I became more ok with my stutter, but I still shied away from a lot of opportunities.
How does stuttering affect you in your pursuit of a signing career? I’ve always been worried if people would take me seriously as an artist because I stutter. I was worried that people would see me as unintelligent or not ready. I spoke to a great friend of mine and he said this. “If you take yourself seriously, then those around you will.” I had to learn to take myself seriously. I learned that I have the same chance as anyone else to make it into the music business despite my speech. While on occasion I might run into somebody that makes a comment or sees me differently, I know that I am capable.
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