Interview: Darci Lynne On Her ‘Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas Special’ on NBC

(L-R): Petunia and Darci Lynne perform on “Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas,” airing December 11 on NBC.

“America’s Got Talent” champion and fan favorite Darci Lynne is going home for Christmas and her fans get to come along. The singer-ventriloquist is having her very own NBC special called “Darci Lynne’s My Hometown Christmas Special” airing Tuesday, December 11 at 9:00 p.m. after “The Voice” on NBC. 

The one-hour special features musical performances and sketches from the talented 14-year-old along with her puppet friends, especially the always unpredictable Petunia. 

Joining Darci Lynne to help celebrate the holidays are Kristin Chenoweth,  Toby Keith, Hunter Hayes, Pentatonix and  Lindsey Stirling. Darci Lynne got to shoot part of the special in her hometown of Oklahoma City, where she can be a normal kid, something that she was so excited about. 

“I wanted to show that I celebrate Christmas just like any other kid,” Darci Lynne told TVMusic Network about the special.  And my four friends are coming —  Petunia, Katie, Oscar, and Edna. 

The special will feature many traditional and favorite holiday songs. 

“I really liked singing “Mary Did You Know,” said Darci Lynne. “It’s such a powerful song. When it came out and I got to hear it, it’s beautiful…It was a very special moment. That was my favorite on to sing. I [also] liked ‘Rock Around The Christmas Tree.’ That’s always been one of my favorites. I don’t even know if I have a favorite Christmas song. There’s so many. It’s too hard.” 

Darci Lynne cites Oklahoma native Kristen Chenoweth as one of her biggest inspirations and was excited to sing with her on the My Hometown Christmas” Special. 

“I got to sing with Kristen. She’s one of my biggest inspirations because I want to do it all. I don’t just want to be known as the puppet girl. I want to be an actress. I want to record songs. I still want to perform on stage and she’s done it all.”

Her “America’s Got Talent” experience and performing in Las Vegas has helped her on this journey. 

“What I learned the most is to stay true to yourself, stick to my roots, that’s why I still live in Oklahoma City and haven’t moved [to Los Angeles] yet. I still go to public school. It’s a nice balance. I want to stay close to my home, to my friends, but still, explore this new world that I’m in now. It’s like a real-life Hannah Montana. That’s how I’m explaining my life right now.” 

Performing in Las Vegas was an unimaginable dream come true. 

“We got there and my poster was up next to JLo’s and all I could say was Oh My Gosh! That’s crazy and Britney Spears was a couple of posters down. I’ve made it!”

Darci Lynne will return to the AGT stage as a contestant on “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” premiering January 7 on NBC. 

Catch “Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas” airing 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 11 on NBC.