Bria Savage

Bria Savage
Born	Tavon Savage January 31, 1994 (1994-01-31) Baltimore, Maryland
Other names	Bria Amber Savage
Home town	Little Rock, Arkansas
Partner	Devin Martin

Bria Amber Savage (born Tavon Markus Savage January 31, 1994), better known as Bria Savage is an American trans woman news anchor and television personality. Savage garnered fame in 2016 when she picked Grace VanderWaal as a supported contestant for the eleventh season of America's Got Talent, becoming the first male at the time to win on the American version of the internet franchise Vote for the Girls. Savage has been called a "giant killer" after defeating Archibald Coolranch.

Career

Vote for the Girls villain

In January of 2016, Savage auditioned for the male moderator role on the American version of Vote for the Girls that was vacated by the death of Leonard Lai. She was officially named a fourth male moderator on the Blue Team (joining Archibald Coolranch, Glenn Swaringen, and Bill Delagatto) on the American version and host Ava Zinn introduced him to the show's viewers on the September 19 episode.

On August 27, 2016, Savage defeated long-time villain Archibald Coolranch, ending Coolranch's six season winning streak on America's Got Talent. Savage's supported contestant Edgar Family Band moved on to the Semi-Finals instead of Julia Scotti and Vello Vaher, whom were respectively supported by Coolranch and Allen. Savage and Red Team Villain Phil Allen appeared confident while Coolranch appeared perplexed. Eventual winning supported contestant Grace VanderWaal had moved on to the Semi-Finals with Scotti's result waiting to be revealed. After Edgar was revealed to gained more votes than Scotti and Vaher, the audience audibly gasped and Coolranch utted, "Congratulations, Tavon." The audience gave a standing ovation in honor of both Coolranch and Savage, and host Ava Zinn called Savage a "giant killer" as Coolranch embraced her.

Savage, whom Coolranch called a "formidable opponent", won with her final AGT pick Grace VanderWall on the eleventh season of America's Got Talent and became the first male moderator at the time to win on the site and the first America's Got Talent Double Victory on the site.

Personal life

In 2006, while in Baltimore, Savage met and began dating Deanna Martin. They have a daughter Simone Ani (b. 2011).

Gender transition

On December 17, 2016, Savage signed off as Tavon Savage for the last time saying and came out as transwoman:

Before we say good night, Devin and I have had a relationship for years, having this conversation in the past and we agreed that we would work together on this change and the timing of this change I'm making. I called Ava (Zinn), the woman in charge of Vote for the Girls after I joined the Zinn's Villain Panel and I said, "Ava, I spoke to my family and my parents about this personal change I'm making. You, Kendra, Rachael, and Perri are great colleagues, but like Devin from girl to guy, I'm transitioning from guy to girl." Starting July 1, 2017, I will go by Bria Savage on air.

Most importantly, my heart is full of gratitude for those with whom I have had the privilege to work as a reporter and villain on Vote for the Girls. I want to reiterate my thanks for the support from CBS 41 and INNCD 47, Hillary Matthewson from another station, all of the people at home watching. On behalf of Perri Johnson, Kymberly Alvaraz, and Glenn Swaringen, and all of us at Action News have a good day and see you at 5 on INNCD 47.

—Bria Savage (as Tavon Savage) on INNCD 47 Acton News December 17, 2016

Ava Zinn announced at the start of season nine, Savage will move from the blue to the purple team as "Bria & Devin".