By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Last week, America’s Got Talent (AGT) returned to the Dolby Theatre for the first time in two years! This week, 12 new acts hoped to impress the audience with their talents. Which acts could join 1aChord, Dustin Tavella, Gina Brillon, Jimmie Herrod, Kabir Singh, Madilyn Bailey, and Peter Rosalita in the semifinals? Did any of the judges (Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Heidi Klum) press their buzzers? Read on to find out!
After Terry made his big entrance and introduced the judges, it was time to get down to business. Vocal trio T.3 was the first act to face the country. The trio performed Olivia Rodrigo’s “good 4 u.” Their vocals were fantastic, and I was surprised that they picked this song for the AGT live show. Way to go, guys! B
South Korean dance group Dokteuk Crew made their Dolby Theatre debut. They based their choreography on anime. They decided to visit the Old West for their AGT live show routine, and they did not disappoint. I loved their choreography, and I could see them go all the way in the competition. A-
I was disappointed to learn that Johnny Showcase made it to the AGT live shows. I genuinely believe that the Philadelphia transplant stole either Storm Large or Patrick Kun’s spot in the competition. I lost interest in their performance and wanted to buzz them immediately. F
Singer Tory Vagasy received a mixed reception during her AGT audition. Howie gave her a “No!” while Simon and the ladies gave her another shot. Tonight, Tory sang “Heart of Stone,” which was the first set of chills that I received tonight. That was a stunning performance from start to finish! A
Social media dance group Shuffolution was the next set of performers to take the Dolby Theatre stage. I am not a fan of this dance group. I prefer Dokteuk Crew over them. F
Prince George, Virginia native and aerialist Aidan Bryant is an AGT superfan. Tonight, he performed on the Dolby Theatre stage. I was very impressed with his showmanship. The stunts were superb and reminded a lot of Duo Transcend and Alan Silva’s work. He does have the potential to be an acrobatic legend one day. B+
Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer act, Northwell Health Nurses Choir, was the next AGT act to take the stage. The New York City-based act has faced and conquered the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the season went on, I initially thought that acts like Dustin Tavella and the Curtis Family C-Notes should have gotten their buzzer. I was wrong! Their rendition of Dear Evan Hansen’s “You Will Be Found” gave me chills, and I hope that Pasek + Paul, Ben Platt, and the entire Dear Evan Hansen crew were watching. A-
I have been a fan of the Positive Impact Movement since they made their AGT debut. They remind me so much of the Messoudi Brothers. Tonight, the quartet performed their routine to the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” Despite getting buzzed by Simon, the quartet delivered an intriguing performance. I got to say that they are my guilty pleasures this season. B
Mentalist Peter Antoniou made his Dolby Theatre debut and Howie and the ladies on stage joined him. After dropping off a can to Simon Cowell, he asked the judges to pick out a random can. He correctly predicted the chopped tomatoes (Howie), corn (Heidi), and black beans (Sofia). As Heidi and Howie left for the desk, Peter asked Sofia to remain on stage for a “dinner date.” He asked Simon to choose the cans for Sofia to eat the contents in the can. After multiple can changes, the Got Talent creator chose the “Blue” can. After making one more can change, Sofia put the blindfold on; she ate the Pineapple in the yellow can. He ended the act as Simon read a correctly predicted “psychic meal.” This was a fantastic performance! A
South Korean vocal group Korean Soul wanted to become megastars in America. The quartet quit their jobs to follow their dreams. Tonight, they decided to sing one of my all-time favorite songs: Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” They took a risk by performing with a piano-only backing track, and it paid off. Their silky vocals and harmonies gave me chills, and I thought they made “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” songwriter Diane Warren very proud. A-
Comedian Josh Blue was the last non-music act to perform on the Dolby Theatre stage. He spoke about appearing on AGT, handicap accessibility, and how he overcame cruelty. Josh made me laugh out loud multiple times throughout his time on the stage. A
History-making Golden Buzzer act Victory Brinker concluded the evening. Tonight, the 9-year-old changed her song at the last minute and performed a beautiful opera aria. She reminds me so much of the late Leontyne Price and the iconic Kathleen Battle. I can imagine her conquering the opera world in the future. A-
Tomorrow night, Season 14 winner Kodi Lee, Season 11 Runners-Up The Clairvoyants, and Grammy and Oscar-winning singer H.E.R. will provide the entertainment.
