‘America’s Got Talent’ season 18 episode 14 performances ranked: ‘Qualifiers 2’ acts from worst to best
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
On August 29, 2023, the second set of season 18 qualifiers took the stage on “America’s Got Talent.” Host Terry Crews, who continues to wow me with his taste in suits, welcomed viewers back to the show along with judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara. But who were the best acts from this episode? And who deserves to advance to the next round of the competition? Below we rank the 11 acts that performed. Do any of Tuesday’s acts have what it takes to win the million dollars this year?
SEE ‘America’s Got Talent’: Who was your favorite live act from ‘AGT’ Qualifiers 2? [POLL]
More from GoldDerby
Season 18 Episode 14 Rankings:
11. Dani Kerr: I’m not quite sure what is in the water at “AGT” this season, but I once more was impressed by all the acts in this qualifying round, which is a pretty rare occurrence for me with any reality competition show. Saying that, Dani was the only act of the night that did not put a smile on my face or make me go “Wow!” I think what this singer needs is a show like “The Voice” or “American Idol,” where she will be pushed out of her comfort zone song-wise. These original songs are pretty forgettable and the judges do not seem to be willing to say it out loud. Vocally, an A+ though.
10. Erica Coffelt : Speaking of acts that made me smile, even if it was all over the place, Erica Coffelt hit the “AGT” stage like the most excited partygoer at a wedding. Super fun to say the least. On the opposite side of the coin, this was not exactly up to par with the rest of the acts and I do not think she will advance to the next round. Props to the backup dancers for owning that stage and to Howie for pointing out that this performance was on the same level of saccharine as the Sharpe Family Singers. Someone had to say it.
9. Ryland Petty: This act impressed me in the audition phase and made me wonder how big this little magician can go. Turns out, pretty big. The trick this week was off the charts and I hope that Lego sees it. Where I was less impressed was the pacing of the act. I questioned why it took so long for the big picture reveal at the end. Was this the best magic trick I have ever seen on the show? No, but it put a smile on my face. Not quite sure if voters will reward him with a spot in the Top 5 though.
8. Sharpe Family Singers: I am torn on this performance as they remind me of The Osmonds meets the members of The New Directions in the last season of “Glee.” The song choice was fun and made my “Supernatural” loving heart happy. On the flip side, this performance was very saccharine, which is where the “Glee” comparison comes into the picture. Those outfits only added to that factor. Do I think they will advance? No, but they did make me smile.
7. Steel Panther: This season, no act has left me more conflicted than Steel Panther. While I think there is a ton of potential and that guitar player is incredible, this is a very dated act. Steel Panther seemingly has remained stuck in the 1980s but I appreciate that they do admit that they were somewhat famous prior to the show. This song was a lot. If it is for you, more power to you but this was just not fun for me besides the guitar work. Social media loved the performance though, so they have a shot at advancing to the next round even if lyrics like “death to Harry Styles” are super off putting.
SEE Steel Panther ‘rocked the stage’ on ‘America’s Got Talent’ live show, shouts Heidi Klum [WATCH]
6. Three G: Three G is the comeback story of the season for me, as their audition was less than perfect and many viewers were confused, claiming that they did not deserve a spot in the live rounds. This performance should silence those naysayers as they came back with an even bigger drive to succeed. The tricks were incredible and the background screen of the space scene was equally captivating. The musical track to the act left me scratching my head though. I am iffy on if they will advance because many still seemed unimpressed on social media. Last but certainly not least, prayers for the end of the nightmare in Ukraine!
5. Andrew Stanton: Normally, acts like this freak me out but Andrew Stanton is oddly captivating. The first trick with the drill might have scarred me for life in complete honesty, but I have seen the sword one done before in Las Vegas in the early 2010s and it never fails to impress. Do I think he will advance to the next round? Probably not, but I would love to see him in the top 5 vote-getters of the night. The smiling assistant in visible pain was worrisome though.
4. Ahren Belisle : No comedian this season has me laughing more than Ahren Belisle. He is the perfect mix of blunt and physical comedy. Some of the material might be a bit much for some viewers, as he may seem too mean. The autocorrect from Sofia Vergara to Sofia Viagra was a brilliant joke that more than likely will become a meme. Do I think he will advance? No. Kudos to the dog for being super chill as well.
3. Chioma & The Atlanta Drum Academy: I love this act since it is just one of the purest in the competition. These kids knew that they had to surpass their audition, which on paper seemed impossible, but lo and behold they did exactly that. I have said it before and will say it again, I could watch this act all day and this is an act that will only get better as they get older. The judges loved it and the crowd was on their feet as well. I think that either they or the act ranked directly above them will advance to the next round.
2. Alfie Andrew : One must truly appreciate the aspirations of the young singer as being bigger than Harry Styles is quite the goal. Not sure if he will reach that goal, but this performance of a Once Direction song hit all the right notes for me. Vocally, Alfie sounded amazing and there seemed to be no sign of nerves whatsoever. Social media, especially Reddit, seemed a bit more critical of the performance. I think that he stands an excellent chance of advancing to the next round, but has some serious competition from the act ranked third in this list. I am not quite sure if both will advance solely based upon viewer votes.
1. Murmuration: If there is one thing that I can be sure of this season, it is Murmuration being the most captivating dance act of the year. Honestly, I do not see how they would not advance after the best performance of the night. It topped what just might be the best audition in “AGT” history. Any combination of the acts going through to the next round will undoubtedly include this one. One word can describe the performance: Iconic.
Which season 18 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.
Best of GoldDerby
Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
