America’s Got Talent now has its first batch of finalists. And it’s lineup loaded with singers and music-makers.
Emotions ran high during Wednesday night’s results show when the names of five finalists were read out. The flip side: six acts were eliminated, their dreams of taking home the $1 million bounty dashed.
The top three vote-getters cruise through to the finals, led by the inspirational blind singer Kodi Lee, shy teen singer Benicio Bryant, and violinist Tyler Butler-Figueroa, an 11-year-old cancer survivor.
After a tight head-to-head, Light Balance Kids advanced with viewers’ “Dunkin Save,” leaving South Africa’s Ndlovu Youth Choir and veteran blues singer Robert Finley on the edge of elimination.
Which meant the judges had a tough call to make. Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough voted for Ndlovu Youth Choir to go through, Howie Mandel chose 65-year-old Finley. With the deciding vote going to Simon Cowell, the Brit went with Ndlovu Youth Choir.
Sadly, Finley and tween singer singer Ansley Burns were among the contestants eliminated from season 14.
America’s Got Talent returns Sept. 10 for the second half of the semis.
Relive the performances of the newly announced finalists.
Kodi Lee’s emotional rendition of Calum Scott’s “You Are The Reason”
14-year-old Benicio Bryant sings original song “Fall Apart”
Tyler Butler-Figueroa performs “Break Free” with fellow cancer survivors
Light Balance Kids performs as Marvel characters to “Livin’ On a Prayer”
Ndlovu Youth Choir cover “Higher Love”