“America’s Got Talent” season 15 continues on June 9 with another two-hour episode showcasing the best (and worst) auditions. In this phase of “AGT,” an act needs at least three of the four judges (Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara) to give them a “yes” vote to advance to the next round. If two or more judges buzz the act, it is immediately eliminated.
Each judge, along with host Terry Crews, has one chance to hit the “golden buzzer” and send an act straight through to the live performances. Terry was inspired to press his golden buzzer on the season 15 premiere by the performance of the Voices of Our City Choir. Their mission is to serve the homeless community of San Diego. In their audition they sang “Sounds of the Sidewalk,” an original tune written and produced through their songwriting clinic. In the second episode, new judge Vergara made it rain gold for 10-year-old Roberta Battaglia who delivered a stunning rendition of Lady Gaga‘s “Shallow” with her mature-for-her-age voice.
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Below, follow along as we recap all the action on “America’s Got Talent” Season 15 Episode 3 in our minute-by-minute blog.
8:03 p.m. – Tonight’s set of auditions began awkwardly with a make-shift vanity being rolled on to the stage with the word “Emerald” written on the mirror. Turns out it belonged to Emerald Wolf, a 13 year old dancer from San Diego that used the vanity as her stage to perform some of the most mind-bending contortions imaginable (forgive the pun). While all the judges were impressed with what she could with her body, Sofia was most taken by the way she engaged her facial expressions and injected comedy in order to make it a more well-rounded show. Before the panel sent her on her way to the next round with four “yes” votes, Simon challenged her to do something they’ve never seen before next time.
8:11 p.m. – Trio Resound from Richmond, Virginia and barbershop quartet Bank of Harmony from Temecula Valley, California were two singing groups that took the stage next. Shortly into Bank of Harmony’s version of Lizzo‘s “Juice,” Simon hit his red X and then Heidi hit hers meaning they wouldn’t advance. Simon called the performance dated and told them that other people occupying that space in music are doing it better. That rejection put the nerves of Resound’s members on edge, but unnecessarily so because the judges loved their take on Jackie DeShannon‘s “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” Simon called the performance “beautifully old school” and Howie said they’re a “well-tuned machine of music.” It was an easy call to give them four “yes” votes to the next round with the advice from Simon that they come up with an arrangement and song they’ve never heard before in order to “raise the roof.”
8:26 p.m. – Dancer Amanda La Count opened up about her struggle growing up finding a dance company that accepted her because of her “bigger girl” body type. She’s here at AGT in the hopes that she helps people that don’t feel seen know that they’re powerful and beautiful. Eventhough the crowd seemed hyped by the performance, Heidi hit her red X and by the time it was over the other three judges were joining the crowd in a standing ovation. Howie said she’s inspirational and is athletic, but he doesn’t know if people will go to see a show to see that act (which is also why Heidi hit her X). Simon called her joy and enthusiasm contagious. both he and Sofia gave her a “yes” while Heidi gave a “no,” leaving the decision up to Howie. As the crowd cheered, he decided to go with them instead of himself and gave her the third “yes” she needed to advance!
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8:37 p.m. – Next we saw auditions from Barbara Aryrou singing “Call Out My Name” and trio NewLaw who both received the dreaded “your nerves got the best of you” declines from the judges. Daneliya Tuleshova, 13 year old from Kazakstan, was also nervous, but when she erupted into the chorus of Faouzia’s “Tears of Gold” none of them were apparent. While all the judges loved her voice, Heidi gave her the good advice of choosing a song that isn’t so loud next time so that her tone shines through even if Simon thought the song choice showed she has great taste. Daneliya received four votes of “yes” to sing again in the next round.
8:51 p.m. – Marty Ross came up next to present a stand up comedy routine after realizing later in life that it was something he could even do. All of his jokes revolved around his advanced age, including his opener that totally bombed. Luckily he picked up steam and got the audience back on his side, through to the end when he was making sexual innuendos with a peanut allergy bit. Howie told him that there is definitely a place for him in the world of comedy and Heidi loved that he was a little naughty. Based on their own impressions and positive feedback from the audience, it was an unanimous vote to send him through.
9:01 p.m. – Supported by her dad who was in a band during her childhood, Celina has always used music as her escape from the pressure of feeling like she didn’t fit in with the other kids who couldn’t understood her gender expression. After her passionate version of “Mercy” by Shawn Mendes, the judges told Celina that there’s nothing wrong with the way she looks and in giving her a fourth “yes” Simon even advised her to not let a stylist go near her because she’s doing it perfect herself already.
9:13 p.m. – We’ve been running pretty short on magic acts this season, but that changed with tonight’s arrival of The Demented Brothers. Or did it? It began with Sofia confused as to why a voiceover was speaking instead of them and ended with Simon confused as to why anyone in the room enjoyed it. It was such simple magic that it was actually just a comedy routine that had Howie, Heidi and Sofia all eating it up. Those three votes were enough to send them through even without Simon’s big ol’ “no.”
9:24 p.m. – Cousins Shakir and Rehan Kahn are two dancers that can be understood as master and apprentice since Rehan looks up to Shakir in that way. When they danced (mostly acrobatic moves) it looked as though it was a man dancing with his shadow, perfectly in sync with his movements and feeding off of his energy. The judges felt like they’re a pair that the audience will root for this season and that they have a chance to go really far in the competition, beginning with the next round!
9:35 p.m. – Next was David Rush who was attempting to break his 126th world record for, in his words, “most t-shirts worn and torn in one minute.” But in order to make it more interesting, he challenged Terry to come to the stage to compete against him in the attempt. And so the two of them put on 30 t-shirts with the current world record standing at 28. After one minute to teeth-grinding, knuckle-gnawing ripping, David not only achieved his goal of tearing away 30 shirts but also beat Terry in his effort! With Howie saying “no” and Simon and Heidi saying “yes,” once again it came down to a fourth vote in order to determine whether an act would move on. This time, however, the panel remained divided with Sofia joining Howie’s side and so David was sent home.
9:47 p.m. – The miracle of Cristina Rae persevering through the pregnancy of her adorable son was a shock to the judges when they heard the story, and yet when they heard her voice they knew there was something special there. Simon wasn’t pleased with her first song, “In the Air Tonight,” and so he asked her to sing her second song as well. Instead of taking a second to collect herself she declared that she wanted “this adrenaline to take me.” And she did just that–her version of “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones set the place ablaze with cheers. With Simon, Howie and Sofia all saying “yes,” Cristina was already through to the next round, but that wasn’t enough for Heidi who decided that now was the time to hit her golden buzzer and send her all the way to the live shows!
