Sofie Clarice Dossi (born June 21, 2001) is an American contortionist, aerialist, YouTuber, dancer, singer, and internet personality. In 2016, she rose to fame on the eleventh season of America's Got Talent. As of May 2023[update], her YouTube channel has 9.44 million subscribers and 1.6 billion views.[3]
Early life
Dossi grew up in the city of Cypress in southern California.[4][5] She was homeschooled from a young age by her mother, Abir. Her father, Mike, has helped with her career by designing props and roadying, and her older brother, Zak, produces and appears in her YouTube videos.[5][6] She is of Arab descent on her mother's side and Italian on her father's side. Her father is originally from Brooklyn, New York.[7]
As a child, Dossi took gymnastics and dance lessons and learned classical piano.[5][6] When she found that she was able to perform similarly to the contortionist in a Cirque du Soleil video, she began at age 12 to teach herself contortion by emulating poses that she found on YouTube and inventing new poses.[5][8][9] She soon performed at gatherings for friends and family and eventually was hired for larger events.[5][10] Despite frequent online speculation, Dossi does not lack a spine.[8][11]
Career
Dossi in 2023, shooting a bow and arrow with her feet in a Stokes Twins video
America's Got Talent
In 2016, America's Got Talent featured Dossi, then 14, on the show's 11th season, where she performed various feats of flexibility, strength, and dexterity.[12][13] Her first performance included shooting a bow and arrow with her feet while doing a handstand.[13][14] After another performance that featured an aerial hoop routine and shooting a flaming arrow from a bow with her feet, guest judge Reba McEntire awarded her the "Golden Buzzer" during the Judge Cuts.[4][14] In the season finals, she did another routine with handstand tricks and an aerial hoop but did not make the cut for the top five.[15][16]
Sofie Dossi appeared in season 14 where she collaborated with singer Bianca Ryan and violinist Brian King Joseph during the first quarterfinals of the season where she did her aerial performance in the background.[18]
In season 18, Dossi reunited with Reba McEntire for a special performance during the final result show. As McEntire sang "Can't Even Get the Blues", Dossi did her usual contortion, hand-balancing, and aerial performances.[19]
In 2024, Dossi competed on America's Got Talent: Fantasy League.[20] In the preliminary rounds, she received the "Golden Buzzer" from her mentor Heidi Klum which sent her directly to the finals. During the finals, she did a new type of balancing act involving hand stands on a rotating wheel called the Wheel of Death. In the results show, she partook in the opening joint performance doing her contortion, hand-standing, and aerial performance with the latter having her collaborate with Aidan Bryant. She made the finals, but did not make the Top 5.
Later in 2024, Dossi did a guest performance on the season 19 of America's Got Talent where she did her aerial, contortion, and hand-standing performances while Sara James sang "Sunshine State of Mind" during the semifinals result show.
YouTube
Dossi uploaded the first video to her YouTube channel in late 2016 and continues to post weekly.[9] As of 2023[update], her channel has accumulated over 9 million subscribers and over 1.8 billion views.[3] For her YouTube work, she has been nominated for several Streamy Awards.[21]
Dossi ventured into pop music with the release of her debut single, "Bunny", on August 19, 2022.[6][22] She co-wrote this breakup song with her brother, Zak, who directed the music video.[6][22]
_05.png)
_01_(cropped).png)
