America’s Got Talent Episode 15 Recap: Qualifiers 3 [LIVE BLOG]
In the preliminary round of season 17 of “America’s Got Talent”, 138 acts were selected by the four judges – Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandeland Sofia Vergara — to evolve in the competition. However, only 55 are featured in the five live qualifiers. Among the 11 artists competing in Qualifier 3 on August 23 is the singer of Simon’s Golden Buzzer Sarah Jamesa 14-year-old boy from Słubice, Poland.
Also in the hunt to be one of America’s two most voted acts, five other acts raise their voices in song: duo JoJo and Brisoloist Amanda Mammanaone woman group Mia Morris, ventriloquist Celia Munoz and JoJo Siwathe girl group XOMG POP.
Rounding out the roster of talent on “AGT” tonight are a handful of variety acts: Hockey tricksters Cline twinsdance duo Funkanometryactor Hayden KristalLED Dance Group MPLUSPLUS and magician Nicolas RIBS.
Follow our live blog recap of Season 17 Episode 15 performances and the judges’ reviews for “America’s Got Talent ‘Qualifiers 3′” below:
8:04 p.m. – The first part of tonight was MPLUSPLUS with their latest LED-focused dance routine. Tonight they performed on this uptempo Coldplay track “Higher Power” which fit well with the city-centric neon routine, but their use of ribbons and umbrellas as props didn’t seem to do much for some members of the band. jury. Howie was the first to speak, admitting he wasn’t blown away because it was ‘just programmed LED lights’ and he said he didn’t understand where their 12 years of work comes into their talent . With boos ringing around the room, Heidi agreed with Howie, but Simon countered by saying they were a Vegas act. Sofia added that it was better than their first audition and that tonight’s performance felt like the opening of the Olympics.
8:14 p.m. – Uncle and niece singing duet JoJo and Bri were up next with their “another level” vocal performance of Des’ree’s ’90s classic “You Gotta Be.” The inspirational song was the perfect vehicle for their identity as a singing group. Heidi said they fit together beautifully and love their vibe and Sofia added that their chemistry is what draws us in. Simon reiterated that they were one of his favorite acts this season, but he guessed they went off the rails at times. Howie called their relationship a “thing” and suggested that if Bri went solo, maybe she could go further as an artist.
8:26 p.m. – Before their next performance, the Cline twins let us talk about all the success they’ve had since appearing on the show, including appearances on sports television and being asked to perform their tricks at games. For their next world presentation, they brought occasional music and more movement on and in front of the stage to emphasize their speed and ability to connect their turn to longer distances. Sofia likes that their hockey tricks are something the judges have never seen on the show and Simon suggested that them being different from everything else could be their ticket to the final. Howie had to defend his opinion of them saying if it was Canada’s Got Talent they would definitely win. Heidi closed the comments by pointing out that they never miss a beat when doing their tricks in sync.
8:36 p.m. – Singer Amanda Mammana decided that his best chance to stand out among the many singers this season would be to perform another original song. Her lyrics about the things in life worth fighting for resonated with the judges who said she sang it beautifully and would inspire a lot of people. Simon was impressed with the improvement in confidence she has displayed since her first audition and Howie explained how touching her story was due to its relationship to his son’s struggle with stuttering in his youth.
8:45 p.m. – Aged 10 to 15, young women from XOMG POP were living out their pop superstar fantasy with their new song “Merry Go Round.” Simon called it “one of those performances that not everyone is going to like”, but applauded them for knowing exactly who their own audience is. He said their energy was amazing, but she personally wasn’t a fan of the song. Howie admitted they weren’t for him, but his granddaughter called them the best number this season. Heidi compared them to a piñata explosion and pointed out how difficult it is to sing and “dance so hard” at the same time. Sofia was the first to say she liked them and thinks they were well prepared and better this time around.
8:56 p.m. – French magician Nicolas Cotes again incorporated digital design into his card trick, giving Terry a taste of the magic of serving as an assistant tonight. Because Nicholas uses a video screen alongside his tricks, his movement must be precise and expertly timed. Heidi appreciates this combination of technology and magic, but requested that he add more French language to her performance as it is a charming aspect of her personality. Sofia likes that he brought a “new style of magic” to the show and called him one of her favorite acts. Simon admitted he forgot about Nicholas after the first round, but said that tonight he made him look stupid because it was one of the best live magic performances he had ever seen. Howie predicted that Nicholas could win the whole show.
9:09 p.m. – One-woman band Mia Morris said that due to her age, constantly having to prove herself as a musician to others in the industry is what helps prepare her and fuels her commitment to perform original songs on the show. Tonight she started on drums, then progressed into her two guitars, second drums and ukulele to create the full soundscape for her latest song. Sofia started the comments by complimenting her energy, but Simon got real saying he didn’t like the song and his voice was off. He added that her commitment to what she does makes her a “fantastic mess”. Howie called her an incredible performance and musician, but said her songwriting and singing may not have been her strength, suggesting she should have done a cover instead. Heidi compared her to Avril Lavigne, calling her “unpolished and raw” in a good way.
9:19 p.m. – For comics Hayden Kristaltonight, she centered the jokes around her pet while mixing the punchlines with references to her own hearing loss. The laughter from the audience seemed random, but Simon said he loved his set, calling it awesome and referencing the “glow that surrounded him”. Howie agreed and said she rose to the occasion because of her authenticity. Heidi loves the subject of dogs and so her jokes worked for her and thinks it relates to the audience, which Sofia completely agreed with.
9:33 p.m. – It was AGT that inspired Celia Munoz to switch from his operatic career to ventriloquism in hopes of bringing a show to Vegas. In a workout-themed performance, Celia managed to seamlessly sing “Hopelessly Devoted to You” while putting cutlery in her mouth, eating popcorn and sneezing. Howie called her form of ventriloquism original because she is also an a cappella singer without a puppet, and Heidi thought the tribute to Olivia Newton-John was beautiful. Simon called the act “brilliant, unique and different”, possibly naming it the best act of the night so far. Sofia said the great thing about her is that it’s the type of act you can only see on AGT.
9:44 p.m. – The duo of Funkanometry debuted on TikTok, but it was AGT who blew up their online presence with 26 million views for their debut audition. Tonight, they brought more social media dance craziness to the stage with their unparalleled energy. Heidi said she honestly didn’t like it, calling it college quality. Sofia said they’re likeable and surprising, but they’re not at the level of most dancers who appear on the show. Simon clarified that what they lack in dancing quality, they make up for by not being as boring as some of the best dancers. Howie agreed with Simon, sort of, but said all they did was make another viral video and AGT was different from that.
9:56 p.m. – Due to last week’s results, Sarah James knew that this week his place in the competition as Golden Buzzer is not a sure bet. With that in mind, she gave her performance of “Rocket Man” her all, giving it a new, slowed-down spin that made such an iconic song sound like we were hearing it for the first time. She earned the jury’s first standing ovation tonight. Simon was speechless proud of his Golden Buzzer choice, pointing out how well she handles pressure at the age of 14 and calling her choice of song “genius”. Heidi called her a star and called her “incredible” and Howie called her “ultimately a winning performance” due to her poise, looks and talent that amounts to a superstar.
Which act from season 17 is YOUR favorite at this stage of the competition? Do you think they can land the $1 million prize? Have your say in the comments below and with other fans on our reality TV forum. Also be sure to make your predictions to influence our reality TV racing ratings.
