Darci Lynne sings without puppets on 'America's Got Talent: Fantasy League': How she did

Darci Lynne put away her puppets for her semifinals performance on "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League."

It didn't gain her a spot in the finals of the new spin-off series, but the risk did earn the Oklahoma City performer the respect of the judges.

Performing on the second and final semifinals episode, which aired Feb. 5 on NBC, Darci Lynne was eliminated amid fierce competition. But the show did provide her a national television platform for belting her newly released debut country-rock single "Push Our Luck" — without a bunny, mouse or any other puppet sidekick anywhere in sight.

A member of judge Heidi Klum's Dream Team, the multitalented Oklahoma native, who was just 12 years old when she competed as a singing ventriloquist and won Season 12 of "America's Got Talent" back in 2017, opted to set aside ventriloquism for the first time while performing on the "AGT" stage.

"I was a shy little girl who'd just kind of started ventriloquism when I came to 'AGT' for the first time," Darci Lynne said ahead of her "AGT: Fantasy League" semifinals performance.

"That's definitely not who I am now. I'm not 12 anymore."

How did Darci Lynne's semifinals performance compare to her 'AGT: Fantasy League' debut?

With only three of the 10 remaining semifinalists advancing to the "AGT: Fantasy League" finals, Darci Lynne — whose full name is Darci Lynne Farmer — acknowledged her mentor's warning that changing her winning "AGT" approach was a gamble.

"I'm excited for you ... but it is a risk. Now, you fall into the category of other singers. So, the pressure, I feel like it's extra," Klum told her.

Klum added, "My worry is that it was a close call last time around. Now, with the puppets removed, I think it will be even harder."

The 2023 Deer Creek High School graduate advanced to the semifinals on the Jan. 22 episode of "America's Got Talent: Fantasy League," earning the last of 20 semifinalist spots during the fourth and final qualifying episode of the NBC series.

In her first performance on the spin-off, Darci Lynne attempted to bridge her familiar singing ventriloquist act with her more grown-up "Darci 2.0" musical approach. Covering the Kiki Dee Band's soulful anthem "I've Got the Music in Me," she took the stage performing with her familiar puppet Petunia before picking up an electric guitar, leaving the bunny behind and strutting across the stage to perform the upbeat 1970s hit.

Her qualifying performance got mixed reviews from the judges, which Darci Lynne admitted on the semifinals episode was disappointing. She expressed her gratitude to the studio audience for voting her through to the semifinals.

"Ventriloquism connected with so many people, and I feel like the puppets really connected with people. But now, with music, I want to connect with people — me," she said. "This is more than just a next step in the competition. This is a next step in my life."

What did the judges think of Darci Lynne's semifinals performance on 'AGT: Fantasy League?'

Darci Lynne confidently took the stage in Monday's semifinals episode to sing her sassy original single, "Push Our Luck," which she wrote with fellow Oklahoma singer-songwriters Maggie McClure and Shane Henry, the husband-and-wife duo known as The Imaginaries. Her performance of the rollicking story-song about pushing a fun date past curfew got the studio audience on its feet and clapping along.

"I think as an artist you need to follow your own instinct. You have to, at some point, not listen to the noise anymore, and you just have to do what's in your gut. And that is maybe a risk, but this is what you wanted it — and you did it," Klum said after the performance.

Fellow judge Howie Mandel thanked the OKC performer for showing another side of her talents. Mel B questioned whether it was the right choice coming into a competition like "AGT: Fantasy League" but supported the talented teenager making her own decision, adding that if Darci Lynne was happy with her performance, "then I think that's all that matters."

Simon Cowell noted that the panel had warned Darci Lynne after her first "AGT: Fantasy League" performance that doing more singing and less ventriloquism was a mistake.

"You completely disregarded our advice, threw away the puppets and decided to come out and do it yourself. But, you know what, I've always believed the most successful people in life are the people who make their own decisions and don't listen to other people. Good for you for sticking with your guns," he said.

Which 10 acts are competing in the finals on 'AGT: Fantasy League?'

Monday night's episode ended in a rare "AGT" elimination for Darci Lynne, who not only won "America's Got Talent" in 2017 but also finished in second place on the spin-off "AGT: The Champions" in 2019.

Of the 10 acts featured on Monday's second semifinals round, South African dancer Musa Motha advanced by earning a Golden Buzzer from Cowell, while Indian acrobatic dance group V.Unbeatable got a Golden Buzzer from Klum. The studio audience voted Shadow Act, a shadow puppeteer from Batangas City, Philippines, to the finals.

In the first semifinals round on Jan. 29, Mel B used her Golden Buzzer to send Virginia aerialist Aidan Bryant to the finals, Mandel hit his Golden Buzzer for California singer and pianist Kodi Lee, and the audience voted through Chicago musicians The Pack Drumline.

They join the four acts that earned Golden Buzzers in the qualifying rounds: North Carolina-based Sainted Trap Choir, sibling rollerskating duo Billy & Emily, head balancers the Ramadhani Brothers and aerialist and contortionist Sofie Dossi.

The winning act will receive a grand prize of $250,000, while the judge for their team will earn bragging rights.

The Top 10 finalists will perform one last time on the Feb. 12 episode, and the winning act and judge will be revealed on the Feb. 19 finale.

"AGT: Fantasy League" airs at 7 p.m. Mondays on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Darci Lynne Farmer sings on 'America's Got Talent: Fantasy League'