‘AGT’ Recap: Auditions Continue as Howie Mandel Hits Golden Buzzer
Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 4 minutes
America’s Got Talent Season 17 returned on Tuesday night for the second episode, as the judges watched even more auditions. The show surprised us by airing this week’s Golden Buzzer audition halfway through the show instead of at the end.
This week, judge Howie Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer for 11-year-old singer Madison Taylor Baez. The episode also featured a couple of appearances from past contestants who returned for another shot at the grand prize.
Howie Mandel Hits AGT Golden Buzzer for Madison Taylor Baez
Madison Taylor Baez came to audition for the show with her dad, who explained that she’s been a fan of AGT since she was little. The show decided to do a little experiment by putting Madison in the audience and then asking for singers seemingly at random.
The judges were between auditions when they heard Madison belting out “Amazing Grace” from her seat. They were so impressed, they invited her on stage to perform it again. The young singer belted it out and got emotional over the reaction.
Madison explained that her father has battled cancer for nine years, and she would like to use the prize money to help with cancer research. Her dad shared that Madison first started singing to him in the hospital.
Judge Howie Mandel was so moved by Madison’s talent that he hit the Golden Buzzer for her. She was sent directly into the live shows. The show didn’t make it clear if the judges were aware that she wasn’t actually a random audience member.
Past Contestants Return to Audition Again
This week’s episode featured two returning America’s Got Talent contestants. The first was a singer named Jojo, who auditioned with his niece Bri. Jojo previously competed on Season 15 of the show as part of the singing group Resound.
Jojo and Bri delivered a sweet audition in which they performed “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Their familial bond was clear, and they both showed off amazing voices. Simon Cowell called it “the definition of joy and magic.” They received a standing ovation and four “yes” votes to move on.
Later in the show, a group called MetaPhysic Synthetic Media auditioned for the show with their technology, which creates “hyperreal content.” They had some help from singer Daniel Emmet, who competed on the show in Season 13.
Daniel performed “You’re the Inspiration,” and with the help of the group’s technology, he looked just like Simon Cowell. The judges and audience got a kick out of the act, and Cowell joked that he was in love with Daniel because he looks just like him. The group earned four “yes” votes.
It Wasn’t All Singers This Week
Although the Golden Buzzer went to a singer this week, and some of the standout auditions came from singers, we also saw some more unique acts. The show kicked off with a performance from an 11-year-old chicken trainer named Zoe and her impressive “Bock and Roll Band” of chickens. They received four “yes” votes.
Later, we saw a performance from aerialist Viviana Rossi, who performed an incredible acrobatic routine involving a bathtub full of water. Although Cowell said he’s seen a similar act performed by a man, he told Viviana that her performance was better. She received four “yes” votes to move on.
Other notable auditions included Fusion Japan, a dance group formed by former rivals, as well as Zeno Sputafuoco, who shocked everyone when he dragged Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum across the stage using only his nose.
America’s Got Talent Season 17 will return with another episode next Tuesday night on NBC. Let us know in the comments which audition from this week’s show was your favorite.
