Written by Giavanna Foster
Terry Crews is the host on season 15 of America’s Got Talent. Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofía Vergara are this season’s judges. Also, Eric Stonestreet appeared as a guest judge. Five people received the Golden Buzzer during the auditions. As a result, they automatically advanced to the Live Shows. Also, the auditions for season 15 of America’s Got Talent were filled with unexpected surprises. Here is the exclusive recap:
At ten years of age, Roberta Battaglia carries herself with maturity, grace and humility. Battaglia, who is from Toronto, Canada, shared that she gets her singing talent from her dad. After she walked on the stage, she told Sofía Vergara that she watches “Modern Family” and is a fan of her. She sang “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper with emotional depth. As Roberta sang, Simon Cowell told Sofia Vergara to close her eyes and listen to her voice. Roberta’s strong, pitch-perfect voice left the judges in awe. One judge asked if Lady Gaga was singing behind the curtains. Then, Roberta Battaglia shared that she was bullied after getting emotional. Simon Cowell and Sofía Vergara shared words of encouragement.
“We hear this, unfortunately, a lot… But there is one way that you win over bullies. It’s by being happy and successful. You know that. Bullies are always threatened about talented people. So, in a weird way, it’s a compliment. And it shows your strength that you came all the way from Canada to be here. And we are honored to have you as our guest,” Simon Cowell responded.
Then, Simon Cowell asked Sofía Vergara what she thought of Roberta Battaglia’s performance. Sofía Vergara was amazed by her strong vocals.
Sofía Vergara responded, “It was amazing! It was breathtaking! You’re ten years old. It is impossible to sing like that at ten years old. And you know what? Let’s see who is going to bully you after this!”
After Sofía Vergara pressed the golden buzzer, the audience and judges gave Roberta Battaglia a standing ovation. It was an unforgettable moment.
Cristina Rae is a single mother and a powerhouse vocalist. In less than 24 hours, Rae’s performance received 2.7M+ YouTube views. The audience cheered Cristina Rae on as she sang “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. Then, Simon Cowell asked Cristina Rae to sing another song.
After Rae sang “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones, she received a standing ovation from the audience as well as all four judges. Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum responded by saying they felt goose bumps as Cristina Rae performed. All the judges were moved by her voice. Click here to read more.
“I think you are absolutely out of this world,” Heidi Klum added. Then Klum pointed to the golden buzzer while asking Rae, “Are you ready for this right now? Because I’m ready to press this button for you.”
The W.A.F.F.L.E. dance crew united in New York City and often practiced inside of dance centers, which was a safe place for them as well as an escape. W.A.F.F.L.E. stands for We Are Family For Life Entertainment. One of their main aspirations is to spread their unique street style of dancing, which is called “litefeet”, while sharing the spirit of hope and positivity to the world.
This dance crew said that they would invest more money into their community if they were to receive the $1M prize. (Also, they have made investments with pocket money before entering America’s Got Talent.) Simon Cowell commented that the W.A.F.F.L.E. crew is his favorite audition and that the crew stands out because of their energy, talent, and determination. Simon Cowell pressed the golden buzzer after telling the W.A.F.F.L.E. crew that he wants to help them achieve their positive vision.
“We’ve seen a lot of dance acts on this show. I wouldn’t say they are my favorite category because I’ve seen a lot of repetition over the years. But I think, something about your energy from the second you came on and your determination… everything! This was, I think, my favorite audition so far. And I also understand how important this is to you… I want to give you a little head start here,” Simon Cowell responded. Then, the audience and judges gave the W.A.F.F.L.E. crew a standing ovation.
The Voices of Our City choir was formed after a group of people came together in San Diego. Together, they perform to spread hope and raise awareness about the reality of homelessness. They write original songs with moving lyrics that illustrate emotions about their life experiences as well as their movement of hope. The Voices of our City choir delivered a memorable performance of “Sounds of the Sidewalk”. This choir’s performance showcased strong vocals, a hint of spoken word, and incredible vocal harmonies. Terry Crews was so moved that he pushed the golden buzzer for the choir.
Terry Crews spoke, “Simon! Simon! I’ve got to stop you right now… You said there’s nothing but talk going on… But it’s time to make something happen RIGHT NOW! For everybody on this stage! What they did today has moved me… to this point RIGHT NOW!” The audience and judges gave the Voices of Our City choir a standing ovation after Crews pressed the buzzer.
Terry Crews also spoke to the choir backstage. He said, “I love you guys. I’m honored to help you today. What you’re doing right now is beyond… It’s totally beyond! You deserved it!”
Brandon Leake performed his original spoken word piece on America’s Got Talent. This piece expressed his feelings of love and pain, and it was dedicated to his sister. He performed in front of Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, and Howie Mandel without an audience. All the judges were moved by Leake’s spoken word performance. Howie Mandel expressed that he was left in awe before pressing the golden buzzer for Brandon Leake.
“Well, it’s amazing to me that, on season 15, it’s the first time we’re hearing somebody of spoken word. There was something more raw in the way it’s like singing and talking and just being a human a cappella… No music, no nothing, just a raw heart beating in front of us. We feel your pain. We feel your love… And you moved me to do this,” Howie Mandel responded.
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