On Tuesday night, the 11 “America’s Got Talent” finalists took the stage one last time to win America’s vote.” The Season 17 winner will be crowned on Wednesday, September 14. So who was the best of the night? And who was not quite a million dollar act?
Terry Crews resumed his hosting duties and Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Sofía Vergara once again made up the judges panel. As in the past, this year’s champion will take home a $1 million cash prize and be able to showcase their talent as a headlining act in Las Vegas. See our rankings for Tuesday night below.
Season 17 Episode 21 rankings:
11. Avery Dixon: There are times where I feel really bad ranking someone last in my rankings since I love the contestant. Yes, I have a heart. Avery sounded great on a Chaka Khan classic but his past performances were more memorable. Outfit was on point though. He looked ready for this past Sunday’s Emmy Awards. The judges loved the performance but social media had a mixed reaction like I did. Some noted that notes sounded a bit off and the switch of instruments took away valuable time for such a simple stage setup. Maybe he needed some dancers in the background in the eyes of those posters?
10. Celia Muñoz: The potential of a wildcard contestant winning this season is a nice idea but let’s be honest here, it is not going to happen. Nonetheless, I adore Celia’s optimistic attitude. The whole setup of the performance reminded me of Houdini’s Great Escape, which is one of my favorite rides of all time but less creepy. I personally thought the performance was brilliant on all levels. The judges agreed with me and Simon put into words what I thought while watching it. Social media had a different perception with the majority not that impressed by the performance. Some went on to compare it to acts they have seen at theme parks or a walk through a haunted house. I need to know which haunted Halloween attractions they attend since the ones I have been to were pretty tame. Either way I am all for this performance win or lose.
9. Kristy Sellars: Kicking off the night, Kristy once again wowed the judges and viewers alike. Her creativity is off the charts! Howie called the act “perfection” and said that she “set the bar for the competition.” Social media loved the act as well with a few posts noting the irony of the fact that she dedicated a pole dance to her children. To those that cannot understand that this is a family friendly act, grow up. In the end, I think that Kristy has a shot at winning the big prize at the end of the season but the odds are not great.
8. Metaphysic: I loved Metaphysic’s last performance but this one divided social media. I loved the incorporation of Elvis Presley from the start and the singer sounded great. Not like Elvis himself, but a solid impersonation. Adding the judges was great and this time we even got Heidi and Sofia too! The judges loved the performance so naturally I thought social media would be all for this act. Much to my surprise, there were two camps. The first loved it and wanted more. The second was not as impressed and skewed older. So will this act’s fan base actually vote?
7. Mike E. Winfield: The singular comedian in the finale this season has not been a favorite of mine. Much to my surprise, I found Mike to be a lot funnier this time around than last, which is a major plus for him in my book. Saying that, I did notice that social media did not react as strongly as it did for his last performance. Yes, I know that looking at social media to predict the winner is a risky gambit but it is more often than not correct for this particular show. In the end the judges loved him and social media was predominantly on his side. Kudos for the Michael Jackson-esque jacket too Mike!
6. Nicolas RIBS: While I was not a big fan of his previously, there was something endearing about this performance. It kept me captivated and I actually had a difficult time trying to figure out how he did the tricks. The showmanship still feels a bit lacking but there is no denying that this act has the skills to not only succeed in Las Vegas but on television as well. Simon was not a fan of the performance but his co-workers loved it. Social media disagreed with Simon as well, praising the originality of the performance. Do I think he will win? No, that is clearly anyone ranked higher than him on this list. But boy was I entertained. Naysayers noted a similarity to a past AGT act in Las Vegas. Apparently, Piff the Magic Dragon does something similar?
5. Yu Hojin: Yu Hojin had a memorable performance that exceeded his last one. This one actually had tricks that I could not figure out! He might just have the best notebook ever. This was an incredible performance that had me captivated the entire time. I truly wish I could write what I said out loud when he showed us what he had created, but suffice to say I was wowed. The judges and social media loved the performance and he might be the dark horse of the season.
4. Sara James: The song choice from Sara might be the smartest of the night. Let’s face it, that song not only had a resurgence but was everywhere this summer. Sara gave us Rihanna performance vibes with incredible vocals that shined. The judges loved the performance as did social media. Simon said that she nailed the song but Howie summed it up even better than him. Naysayers on social media all basically said the same thing. In the first half there were more than a couple pitchy notes but after the first chorus she sounded much better.
3. Drake Milligan: After seeing Drake’s Instagram become what can only be described as non-stop advertising for the live show, I was able to gather a bit of intel from the comments he was receiving. His fan base basically is the same as Chapel Hart’s fan base, which makes things VERY interesting. More on that later. The performance was great and the judges loved him. The song choice was a lot of fun as well and he walked the tightrope of being energetic yet cheesy all at once. Saying that, he should have used a different song. Sorry not sorry. Social media agreed with me but loved his performance. Should be interesting to see who wins the battle of the country singing acts at the end of the season or if vote splitting becomes a factor.
2. Chapel Hart: The fact that Chapel Hart was in the first half of the show scared me a bit. There is something about running order that is key to almost every competition show and it’s a big one. The first three acts are often doomed to be forgotten in most cases. Luckily, Chapel Hart nailed their performance. The vocals were on point and the simplicity of it all allowed them to shine. The judges loved the performance and Simon did note that some of the vocals were not as crisp at times but in the end, the group succeeded in wowing not only the judges but social media as well. Fans went crazy for the song and a good portion of their fans seemed to just swing all their votes to them but praised Drake in the same sentence. Vote splitting might affect both acts tonight.
1. Mayyas: I will forever scream from the highest of rooftops that Mayyas is my favorite act of the season. There is a certain magic that exudes from this group that cannot be replicated. The utilization of the feathers was ingenious! They wowed the judges and viewers alike with what I can only describe as their best performance yet. Heidi said that they are what a million dollar act looks like and Simon went on to call it astonishing. Social media lost its mind over this act. At exactly 9:04, my friend texted me and said “They should call it a wrap now if the reaction on the screen and online results in voting. #Game Over”
Which season 17 act is YOUR favorite at this point in the competition? Do you think they can snag the $1 million prize? Sound off in the comments below and with other fans in our reality TV forum. Also be sure to make your predictions to influence our reality TV racetrack odds.
