During Tuesday’s final audition episode of “America’s Got Talent” the judges met Olivia Calderon, a 47-year-old detention office from Arizona who sings in her free time. “Being a detention officer is not easy,” she declared in her pre-taped video package. “An inmate will call you every name in the book and you have to just stand there with thick skin. Singing is how I de-stress from the stress of work.”
While judges Simon Cowell, Julianne Hough and Gabrielle Union gave Olivia a standing ovation following her performance of “Mi Manera,” Howie Mandel earned boos from the studio audience when he said that her Latin style wasn’t his “cup of tea.” Watch the “AGT” performance video above and read the judges’ comments below.
Julianne: “You sang that song which we have all heard so many times and it was yours. That was absolutely yours.”
Howie: “I love you and I love your singing. I’m gonna be totally honest with you: it’s not my cup of tea. Well, we can be subjective. They can’t change my mind. But I wish you a ton of luck, I really do.”
Simon: “I’ll tell you what I like about you. You have drama about you when you perform and I love that.”
Gabrielle: “I’m gonna give you a yes.”
In his “AGT” live blog, our recapper John Benutty had this to say about the performance: “Next up was Olivia Calderon, a detention officer and singer from Arizona. As soon as Olivia began singing, the worry on Simon’s face melted away and Gabrielle settled back into her chair to take in the beautiful Spanish language serenade. By the end it was an easy standing ovation for her performance, though Howie earned some boos for saying that her style isn’t his cup of tea. Still, the other three were as impressed as the crowd and sent her through to the next stage of the competition.”
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