After a break to finish her education, Ryan recorded a cover of the John Legend song "All of Me" and posted the video to her YouTube channel in March 2014.

The independent film We Are Kings premiered in 2014, featuring Ryan as one of two down-on-their-luck teen musicians who are guided by an angel to save an elder bluesman from freezing to death.

Shawn Ryan started sharing his record collection with his daughter, and Bianca "fell in love" with rhythm and blues and soul music.

[18] She rebounded for her finals performance, singing "I Am Changing" (also from Dreamgirls); judge David Hasselhoff called her "the best" in the competition, while Piers Morgan predicted she would win.

During the finale results aired on August 17, 2006, 11-year-old Bianca Ryan was announced by emcee Regis Philbin as the winner of season one of America's Got Talent.

[24] The Northeast Times reported the same day that Ryan met with Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster and was being managed by Peter Rudge.

[24] She was the first U.S. artist to sign with SYCOmusic; during the press conference, Simon Cowell called Ryan "potentially one of the best singers I have ever heard in my life.

The self-titled debut was released on November 14, 2006, featuring cover versions of "The Rose" and "I Believe I Can Fly", and original songs like "I Wish That" and "Pray for a Better Day".

Matt Collar of AllMusic added that the arrangements were "grandiose" for someone of Ryan's age, but they were "more than matched by her truly impressive vocal talent.

"[28] Los Angeles Daily News reviewer Sandra Barrera wrote that Ryan handled the songs "like the old pro that her big, powerful voice makes you think she is".

[32] In 2008, Ryan left SYCOmusic/Columbia Records; she released her second holiday-themed EP, True Meaning of Christmas, on November 3, 2009, on the indie Music Forever label.

[35] The single was released digitally on August 21 through the indie label Tuned in Music and Media,[36] followed by performances at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

[56] Instead, she chose to release singles, including "Don't Wanna Come Down" in October,[57] and "Remember" in May 2018, featuring an official video using old family footage.

[58] Live appearances in 2018 included co-headlining the Houpalooza Music Festival on June 16 in Houston, Texas, part of the Women's Empowerment Movement Tour.

[61] The accompanying video, shot the previous August in Los Angeles,[62] was uploaded on May 1, 2019; it features America's Got Talent alumnus Merrick Hanna as Bully No.

[d] Afterward, the judges praised Ryan for overcoming both her setbacks and her nerves; Simon Cowell credited her for the success of the franchise and said he was "thrilled" to see her return.

[70] Two acts out of ten made it to the finals: Susan Boyle won judge Mel B's Golden Buzzer, while Ryan finished second in the fan voting to Preacher Lawson.

[72] Ryan sang in the 2017 Broadway production "Home For the Holidays", which ran from November 17 through December 30 at the August Wilson Theatre.

[74] Reviews were mostly negative; HuffPost writer Michael Giltz called the show a train wreck, and said Ryan's voice was shaky and she appeared uncomfortable on stage.

[79] Scott Harrah of StageZine noted Ryan's occasional pitch problems and overdone hand gestures, but praised her "impressive vocals".

[80] Ryan made several early attempts at an acting career, trying out unsuccessfully for such projects as Camp Rock and Hannah Montana.

[81] She made her debut in a walk-off appearance in the 2005 film 12 and Holding; her character is shown at a school function singing the final line of "Oh!

She portrayed one of two homeless musicians who join up with a runaway rapper to help an elder bluesman raise the money he needs to save his comatose wife and their repossessed blues club.

[86] Upon the film's release, LA Weekly called Ryan, Long and Pryce "so bursting with talent that it's impossible to pick a favorite"[87] while the Los Angeles Times looked past the "discordant" acting to praise the "palpable, soulful authenticity" of the music.