Howie, Mel B, Simon, Heidi, and Tyra continued “America’s Got Talent” Judges Auditions! (Poster property of NBC & Syco Entertainment)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Before we dive into Week Two of America’s Got Talent: Season 13 Judges Auditions, here is a quick recap of last week’s season premiere:
Oregon family band We Three made Mel B weep when they performed their original moving song, “Heaven’s Not Too Far Away,” which was dedicated to their mother who passed away from cancer. 14-year-old rapper Flau’jae set the stage on fire with an emotional rap about gun control. Comedian Vicki Barbolak, magician Shim Lim, and dance crew Junior New System also made their marks, while series host Tyra Banks gave her Golden Buzzer to Austrian acrobatic dance troupe Zurcaroh.
Who were the next acts to impress Simon Cowell, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel? Read on to find out!
After Howie drove the ladies to the Pasadena Civic Center for week two of the Judges Auditions, Simon almost ran everyone over with a giant monster truck. As the quartet got to their seats, Yumbo Dump entertained the crowd by making sound effects with their stomachs. Mel B buzzed them, while Howie and Simon gave them a standing ovation. Heidi joined the men in voting through the men to the next round.
Us The Duo performed an original song for their Judges Auditions performance. The duo sang their wedding vows and the Pasadena Civic Center audience was on their feet. Heidi gave them a standing ovation, but Howie thought that the song was too choppy and Mel B added that she did not like the song. However, she did vote with Simon and Heidi to give them another chance.
11-year-old Lily lives on a farm with her family and a ton of animals. However, she was a master animal impressionist. She mimicked a dolphin, a turkey, a horse, a dog, and a rooster in 90 seconds. Howie, Mel B, and Simon gave her a standing ovation. I have to agree with Simon that Lily needs to step up to the plate when she goes to Judges’ Cuts.
After a segment where we saw danger acts failed to impress the judges, daredevil brothers Fratelli Rossi hoped to deliver a memorable performance. After executing several impeccable stunts, something went wrong and one of the brothers injured himself. However, despite Howie and Mel B’s pleas to stop the act, Fratelli Rossi brushed off their mistake and delivered a remarkable performance that earned them a spot in the next round.
Houston, Texas native and registered nurse Christina Wells wanted to fulfill her dream of being a performer. When she was younger, Christina was discouraged from pursuing an entertainment career because of her size. However, she proved her haters wrong when Christina sang a spectacular cover of “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray. I loved her velvet vocals, and I got the first chills of the season. She received a standing ovation from all four judges and a pass to the next round.
Dance crew DaRepuliK came all the way from the Dominican Republic to audition for America’s Got Talent. The dance crew revealed that they were stricken by Hurricane Maria last year and they wanted a chance to chase after the American dream. This dance crew definitely brought the spirit of their home country in this Judges Auditions performance. I thought they had superb choreography and brought the crowd to its feet. I think they are going to rock this competition.
Danger act Aaron Crow was not talkative when he appeared on the Pasadena Civic Center stage. He brought out a samurai sword and sliced open an apple. Aaron chose to bring two audience members and Howie to the stage to assist him. He positioned them at different parts of the venue. Crow forced Howie to put on a pineapple on his head. After leaving a concerned Howie, Crow blinded himself with candlewax, gaze, black tape, and aluminum foil. Once he successfully broke a bag of rice and plywood, Crow turned his attention to Howie. Aaron drew out his samurai sword and walked towards the veteran judge. He successfully sliced the pineapple on Howie’s head. Aaron delivered one of the best presentations that I have seen from danger acts during the Judges Audition stage.
Juggler Mochi showcased his diablo skills with an illuminating performance that combined graphics and special effects. I felt like I was watching a Las Vegas show instead of the Judges Auditions. All four judges gave Mochi a standing ovation and Simon stated that Mochi had a successful audition, because he showcased his personality. He could be a dark horse contender this season.
The final audition of the night belonged to singer Michael Ketterer. He came to the Judges Auditions with his wife and six children. He adopted five of his boys who came from challenging backgrounds and welcomed them into their family. Michael delivered a haunting cover of the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody.” I loved his blue-eyed soul vocals and I think that the Gibb family would be very impressed with his performance. Simon called him a “surprise,” but gave him the Golden Buzzer to the delight of his family!
Next week, the Judges Auditions continue!
