Howie, Heidi, Sofia & Simon watch a performance during a taping of the AGT: Season 18 Live Qualifiers (Photo property of NBC’s Trae Patton)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Last week’s live qualifiers of America’s Got Talent (AGT): Season 18 was a proper episode! Almost every single act raised their game and delivered memorable performances. I was thrilled to learn that Putri Ariani (Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer act) and the Mzansi Youth Choir (the audience’s Golden Buzzer act) advanced to the Season 18 finale.
As for the Wild Card spot, I believe that Warrior Squad jumped to the top as frontrunners after failing to advance. However, Oleksandr Leshchenko and Magic Innovations, SAINTED Trap Choir, and Steel Panther should also be in the running.
This week, a new set of hopefuls competed to impress America. Which performers elevated their performance to a new level of excellence? Did anyone receive a buzzer from Simon, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel, or Heidi Klum? Read on to find out!
Zion Clark was the first act to face the Judges and America. In all honesty, Zion should not have made it to this point of the competition. He seems more like a TED TALK presentation than a Las Vegas show. I wished I could have buzzed him! F
Puppet Simon and the Cowbelles is another act that should have never made it to the AGT live rounds. This act was too cheesy, and I almost smiled when they introduced Puppet Sofia Vergara and did “Let’s Get Loud.” The performance was a waste of time. D-
Roland Abante’s audition received over 75 million views on social media. However, with Putri, Mzsani Youth Choir, and Lavender already in the finals and both Freedom Singers and Gabriel on deck, Roland needed to deliver an epic performance. As much as I love “I Will Always Love You,” he struck out. D+
The 15-year-old dancer and contortionist Mariandrea spent her birthday performing on AGT. I see Mariandrea as a future performer for Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights, but not for the Las Vegas stage. C
Kylie Frey is the last country music performer still standing. She received love from Reba and decided to sing another original song, which Howie Mandel was firmly against during the feedback portion of her audition. Kylie has a great voice for the music industry and has a bright future outside of AGT, but she is more significant than Vegas. C+
Chibi Unity received the Season 17 Group Golden Buzzer at the Judges’ Auditions. The Japanese dance team is a family affair and wanted to take the Season 18 crown and stash from the Mayyas. I loved their routine from start to finish, and their choreography was very clever. I see them dominating in Vegas, and I hope they make it to the finale! A
I have been waiting to see the Freedom Singers return to AGT. The Los Angeles-based choir has raised awareness regarding homelessness and Skid Row. Tonight, the group tackled Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise.” I got chills, and I loved their harmonies. One of the best music performances of the season! A+
Comedian Orlando Lebya revealed that he auditioned after the Mzsani Youth Choir in his pre-performance package. While he did not get the golden confetti shower, he did make the judges laugh. His set talked about his 20-year marriage, loyalty to his spouse, and married dudes who have six-packs. Orlando has superb material and star-power potential. B+
Anna DeGruzman requested that all four AGT judges join her on stage. After Terry plugged the AGT: Superstars Live! and the pre-performance package aired, Anna worked magic and asked them to take a card. I loved that Anna tried to get Howie’s autograph for her mom on the “Seven of Spades.” Anna’s spectacular showmanship is something I have not seen in a magic act in years. I hope she goes into the final! A-
D’Corey Johnson is one of the last remaining young singers standing. As I said before, with Putri, Lavendar, and Mzsani Youth Choir already in the finale, the remaining singers must choose songs that can move the audience. D’Corey is talented and has a bright future, but I was bored and not a massive fan of the song choice. C
Shadow Ace’s audition had over 213 million views! Before his performance, the Phillippines native had placed himself in the frontrunner position. But after spectacular performances from Putri, Mzsani Youth Choir, and Murmuration, I worried how he would step it up from his original. His routine from the “Macarena” and “I Will Survive” was good, but I thought it was a great strategy that he stepped behind the curtain and finished the routine in front of the audience. It was good, but not $1 million excellence. B-
Tomorrow night, Drake Milligan returns to AGT as two more acts advance.
