These are the top acts on ‘America’s Got Talent’ this season
A new season of “America’s Got Talent” has begun, with singers, dancers, comedians, ventriloquists and more competing for the $1 million prize and a headlining slot in Las Vegas.
Out of all the competitors this season, six acts will receive a coveted golden buzzer from either an “AGT” judge, host Terry Crews or, for the first time in the show’s history, the audience.
Acts that receive a golden buzzer get a significant advance over their competitors, advancing immediately to the live portion of the show.
Here’s a breakdown of the acts that have earned a golden buzzer this season.
Note: This story will update as “America’s Got Talent” airs each Tuesday.
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Surprise golden buzzer: Chibi Unity
Going into the final audition episode of Season 18, all of the golden buzzers had been awarded. But then the dance team Chibi Unity took the stage.
The dancers from Japan — who were the final audition of the season — wowed the judges and audience with their synchronization and high-energy performance.
“The dance category on ‘AGT’ for Season 18 is off the charts, but you took it to another level,” Howie Mandel said. “The emotion that comes out of your dancing is inspirational. You added everything. It was so wonderful. I loved the speed, the dexterity, and the moves you had. I would love to see a show, an hour of you, in Las Vegas.”
“AGT” judge Sofia Vergara — who last season awarded the dance group Mayyas her golden buzzer (the dance group ended up winning) — told Chibi Unity it was “the perfect ‘AGT’ audition.”
“I was getting goosebumps and my heart was beating,” she said. “It was the best dancing I have ever seen in my life.”
Cowell was so impressed with the performance that he called host Terry Crews on stage and, along with his fellow judges, issued a surprise group golden buzzer to the dance act.
“You are going to make this season very, very special,” Cowell told the dancers as gold confetti swirled around them.
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Sofia Vergara golden buzzer: Gabriel Henrique
Gabriel Henrique, a 27-year-old singer from Brazil, surprised the “AGT” judges and audience when he opened his mouth to sing Whitney Houston’s “Run to You.”
The “AGT” contestant showed off a remarkable range, leading judge Heidi Klum to describe it as a mixture of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
“I did not expect that voice to come out of you,”’ Mandel said. “You sound like the best and finest pop diva there ever was. ... You’re amazing.”
The moment marked Henrique’s first time in the United States. Before his performance, the singer told the judges that being there was the fulfillment of a longtime dream. He also moved “AGT” judge Sofia Vergara to hit her golden buzzer for the act, immediately sending Henrique through to the live portion of the show.
“I don’t have words,” Vergara said with emotion. “That was so perfect, spectacular. Your voice is beautiful. Your energy, who you are, it was like perfect. ... That was what I was waiting for, you know, something very beautiful and very heartfelt.”
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Heidi Klum golden buzzer: Lavender Darcangelo
Lavender Darcangelo could sing before she could talk. Now, at 27, the singer is fulfilling a longtime dream of performing on “America’s Got Talent.” Ahead of her audition, which to date has nearly 4 million views on YouTube, Darcangelo told the show’s judges that she is blind and autistic, and one day wants to create a school with classes that cater to kids’ specific interests — a school she said she would’ve thrived in.
Before performing Irene Cara’s “Out Here On My Own,” Darcangelo also introduced the judges to her father, who adopted her several years after they met in an after school music program he created. Darcangelo’s father and his husband, Jamie, were beaming with pride as their daughter performed and received a massive standing ovation from the audience and judges.
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“That was sensation,” Simon Cowell said. “Honestly, everything about that was just magical. You have such a talent, you have such an amazing personality, and you know what, we make the show because we get to meet people like you occasionally. And I’m so happy that you’ve come on our show to share your talent with us, because this is an audition I’ll never forget. It was amazing.”
Sofia Vergara said she got so wrapped up in the performance that she forgot she was supposed to be judging. And Heidi Klum was moved enough to award her golden buzzer to Darcangelo, allowing the contestant to immediately advance to the live portion of the show.
“I feel like I just fell in love,” Klum said. ”And you know this ‘AGT’ journey is an amazing journey. And I would love to be your cheerleader and hold your hand all the way to the finish line.”
Howie Mandel golden buzzer: Murmuration
A dance group from France is one of the latest “AGT” acts to earn a golden buzzer, this time from judge Howie Mandel.
The Mega Unity dance group, featuring 65 dancers led by choreographer Sadeck Berrabah, form an act called Murmuration, which performed a routine perfectly in sync — while blindfolded.
“Wow, I mean you guys were so amazingly in sync — even though you couldn’t see anything,” “AGT” judge Klum said. “And there’s so many of you. But it was so elegant with so much grace. I thought it was fantastic.”
Vergara said it reminded her in some ways of the dance group Mayyas, an act from Lebanon that won this past season of “AGT.”
“I was mesmerized,” Mandel added before awarding the group his golden buzzer. “I find what you do hypnotic, and I think it’s very original. I find it almost more magnificent when you get a large group of people and the movements are smaller, but perfect. It blew me away.”
Simon Cowell golden buzzer: Putri Ariani
Putri Ariani’s audition for “AGT” has gone viral, amassing 38 million views on YouTube alone in just a couple of weeks.
Before she sat at the piano to sing, the 17-year-old singer from Indonesia told the show’s judges this was her first time in the United States and that she hopes to attend The Juilliard School and, eventually, win Grammy Awards.
“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 — Simon 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,” 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.
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Audience golden buzzer — Mzansi Youth Choir
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 58 million views on YouTube. “Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”
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 of 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.
“I’ll always remember Nightbirde,” Mandel said. “And seeing that it touched people on the other side of the globe — unbelievable.”
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. “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.
Terry Crews golden buzzer — Chioma and The Atlanta Drum Academy
Chioma was just 1 when his grandmother gave him a drum. By the time he was 3, he was taking classes at the Atlanta Drum Academy.
“I wanted to have something that little kids can do — they didn’t have to wait until they got in middle school or high school to join the band, they can start playing drums at a young age,” said James Riles III, director of the academy, ahead of the program’s appearance on “AGT.”
Before taking the stage with his fellow drummers, Chioma, who is now 8, told Crews that he once had a dream he was on “AGT” and had gotten the golden buzzer.
The judges had nothing but praise following a lively routine from Chioma and his academy drummers.
“It was fun, it was energetic,” Mandel said. “You guys are adorable. I think everybody in this room loves you, and I love you.”
“I love that you do something with your extra time outside of school instead of being on your computers,” Klum added. “You’re putting this amazing act together. I love that!”
Vergara went so far as to say the group “might have a very big chance to win this competition.”
“I haven’t seen anything like this before on this stage,” she said.
But it was Crews who really pushed things over the top, walking dramatically onto the stage to hit the golden buzzer and make Chioma’s dream come true.
