9 acts just got cut on ‘America’s Got Talent.’ These 2 made it through

Lottie Elizabeth Johnson
·5 min read
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“AGT” judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell.
“AGT” judges Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell. | Casey Durkin, NBC

“America’s Got Talent” has reached the live portion of the show and is cutting down the competition — fast. For the next several weeks, only two out of 11 acts will advance to the show’s finals.

Here’s a breakdown of the two acts that advanced to the finale during the Sept. 6 episode of “AGT”.

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‘America’s Got Talent’ 2023: Live results on Sept. 6

Based on viewers’ overnight votes, the following two acts have advanced to the finale:

Who is Mzansi Youth Choir on ‘AGT’?

During the 2021 season of “AGT,” singer-songwriter Jane Marczewski — who went by the stage name Nightbirde — took the stage and performed an original song titled “It’s OK.”

The song chronicled the past year of the 31-year-old singer’s life. At the time of her audition, Nightbirde had a 2% chance of survival, with cancer detected in her lungs, spine and liver, the Deseret News previously reported.

“Two percent is not 0%,” she said during her audition clip, which to date has 62 million views on YouTube. “Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”

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Before singing “It’s OK,” Nightbirde told the judges “it’s important that everyone knows I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me.”

The singer later dropped out of the competition as her cancer took “a turn for the worse.” She died in February 2022, per NBC.com. But her one appearance on “AGT” had a wide-reaching effect.

This season, the Mzansi Youth Choir from South Africa took the stage and performed “It’s OK.” The singers said the song has been “a pillar of strength” for them, and that Nightbirde had heard their recording before her death and “responded so beautifully” to it, the Deseret News previously reported.

“I’ll always remember Nightbirde,” “AGT” judge Howie Mandel said. “And seeing that it touched people on the other side of the globe — unbelievable.”

Simon Cowell — who has called Nightbirde his favorite golden buzzer act in “AGT” history — was visibly emotional after the choir’s rendition of the song.

“I know how much this would’ve meant to her,” he said, per Deseret News. “Right until the end she was so passionate about sharing her music, and this has gone all over the world and you’ve come back here with the most amazing tribute. It was just breathtaking, honestly.”

In the background, the audience’s chants of “golden buzzer” grew louder, prompting “AGT” to allow the audience to award a golden buzzer for the first time in show history.

“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” Mandel told the choir as golden confetti rained down on the stage.

For their appearance in the live shows on Sept. 5, the choir performed Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere.”

“I think this act is spectacular,” Cowell said. “Your energy and just the way you perform, it just draws you in.”

Who is Putri Ariani on ‘AGT’?

Before she sat at the piano to sing, Putri Ariani, a 17-year-old singer from Indonesia, told the “AGT” judges this was her first time in the United States and that she hopes to attend The Juilliard School and, eventually, win Grammy awards, the Deseret News previously reported.

“My biggest challenge is people look at me just as a blind person, not as a musician,” she told “AGT” producers ahead of her performance. “But when I’m singing, I feel like a superstar.”

After Ariani’s performance — which led to an enthusiastic standing ovation — Cowell left his chair behind the judges’ table and walked onto the stage.

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“Her voice is amazing,” he told Ariani’s father before asking for another song.

Ariani was happy to oblige and performed Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word.” After the teenager’s last note, the audience seemed to sit in silence, stunned, for a couple of seconds before erupting into applause.

“We’re all mesmerized by you, your voice,” “AGT” judge Sofia Vergara told the emotional contestant. “You’re an angel.”

“A lot of people don’t believe in angels, and I think one just landed on our stage,” Mandel added. “You’re a superstar.”

When Ariani revealed that the first song she performed for the audition was actually an original, she received another massive standing ovation.

Before pressing his golden buzzer for Ariani, Cowell, who was visibly stunned, praised the teenager’s “amazing, distinctive voice.” At one point backstage, he told the teen she is “one of the best singers” they’ve ever had on the show.

“I am blown away,” he said.

Ariani was one of seven acts to earn the coveted golden buzzer, which sends acts straight through to the live portion of the show, the Deseret News reported.

For her appearance in the live shows on Sept. 5, Ariani performed U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” In less than a day, it has accrued nearly 3 million views on YouTube.

“I’m actually kind of speechless right now,” Cowell said. “This is why I still do this job, for moments like this.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard something more beautiful in my life,” Vergara added.

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Who got eliminated on ‘AGT’ during the Sept. 6 episode?

The following nine acts got eliminated on “AGT” Wednesday night:

  • Barry Brewer Jr.

  • Herwan Legaillard.

  • Justin Jackson.

  • MOS.

  • Phil Wright & Parent Jam.

  • Philip Bowen.

  • Summer Rios.

  • Trigg Watson.

  • Warrior Squad.

Who is in the ‘AGT’ 2023 finale?

So far, the following acts have made it to the “AGT” finale:

Four of the six acts that have reached the finale so far were golden buzzer acts.