Silke Jasso
The semi-final results for America’s Got Talent aired at 8 p.m. Wednesday September 6, and it was enough to shake everyone’s nerves — as slow paced as it was. Tuesday’s AGT semi-final episode was full of emotional moments and strong performances. But clearly, some of the performers were on the bubble. Johnny Manuel took a risk with an original song; would that pay off? Simon Cowell’s favorite, Sara and dog Hero, gave another outstanding performance, but would America vote them through? What about subway singer Mike Yung, who gave another powerful and raw performance? It was also a night of more live TV snafus, when host Tyra Banks announced either Johnny Manuel or Yoli Mayor would go through — and they announced neither would. Even Simon was perplexed. And it was a night with too many skits and interruptions that disrupted the flow of the broadcast. A game show in which the judges determine how well they know each other? Really? But, it was a night for an upset, when the most daring act left in the competition went home.
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Of the 11 acts that performed Tuesday night, only five would be voted through on Wednesday to the AGT finals.
Let’s see who made it.
America’s Got Talent, season 12, episode 20, first semi-final results, 8 p.m. Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Making it to the finals:
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Preacher Lawson, comedian
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Darci Lynne Farmer, ventriloquist
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Sara and her dog Hero
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Evie Claire, singer
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Chase Goehring, 21, musician
GOING HOME
Yoli Mayor, singer
She’s been a bit up and down during the entire competition, so it’s a little surprising she got through to the AGT semi-finals. She did fine with Ed Sheeran’s “Make It Rain,“ Love on the Brain was good, but iher last performance, in the live rounds, left Mel B. that. Speaking of flat, she seemed to be just that in a few places during Say you won’t let go, but the judges didn’t seem to mind, and they raved about her. Solid performance, but the others coming up are — wow. In the end, she didn’t make it past the AGT semi-final.
https://youtu.be/sQ2JDeO3GIs
Eric Jones, magician
He’s the last magician left in the competition, and for good reason. Anytime you make a fan out of Simon, you know you’ve done some serious work. And he was clearly nervous, because he called Heidi, “Mel B.” No matter. This dude is good. His coin tricks defy explanation. He blew away the judges and the audience AGAIN. “It was wow, wow, wow,” Howie said. “Vote for this … this was magic.” Simon: “I think you’re ready for the finals.” We’ll see if America agrees.
DaNell Daymon & Greater Works, a contemporary gospel choir
Areosmith? For a Gospel Choir? That’s what the 39-member Greater Works choir did during the AGT semi-finals. When the judges encouraged acts to being their A-game, and step it up, that’s what Greater Works did. After he gospel classic, This Little Light of Mine, and the stirring Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, they took I don’t want to miss a thing, and while it started slow it ended strong when the group gave it a real gospel sound. That’s what made the judges and the crowd stand up. DaNell Daymon and others in his chorus broke down as the crowd gave an extended cheer. “I don’t know what it is about you guys, you just get me every singer time,” Simon said. “I think you’re the life and soul of this show.” Unfortunately, America didn’t agree, and the gospel choir didn’t make it past the AGT semi-finals.
https://youtu.be/HNhrkXruv2c
Johnny Manuel, singer
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the advice Howie can Johnny Manuel. He had, quite possible, the most tremendous voice in a competition of tremendous voices. His best performances have come when singing songs made famous by female singers — Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing and And I’m Telling You, — the Dreamgirls classic sung by Jennifer Hudson. He took a huge risk during AGT’s semi-finals doing an original song, so he could show the world who he really is. What he is, is tremendous. But little things matter, and this time, the judges didn’t stand up, because they weren’t that impressed. Howie said he should have stayed in his lane and done another diva-like song, and the rest of the judges were lukewarm. Taking a risk is part of life, and he certainly took one — and it may get him booted out of the competition. In the end, it did, and Johnny Manuel didn’t make it past the AGT semi-finals.
Billy and Emily England, acrobatic roller skaters
Billy, 30, and Emily,27, think what they do is like ballet — crazy ballet. On roller skates, they spin and twirl at up to 40 miles per hour. They brought their spinning act to the AGT semi-finals and they are most original act left, a combination of death defying moves and daredevil actions. “It was stunning, it was brace, it was terrifying, it was amazing,” Simon said. It was something else — an act that should make it to the finals. But in what classified as a monumental upset, the most daring act left in the competition didn’t make it past the AGT semi-finals.
https://youtu.be/A1NmcIp5d8g
Evie Claire, singer
Evie Claire is synonymous with tear jerker. The first time we saw the The 13-year-old singer, she was signing for her dad, who is battling stage four colon cancer, and when she sings, she sings for him. ” She sang “Arms” because, she said, when her dad is having tough days, that’s the song she sings to help him feel better. Then it was “I Try,” by Macy Grey, and it was, once again, killer.Her father is so sick now he couldn’t travel to the AGT semi-finals, and before her performance, host Tyra Banks noted she’d probably have a hard time getting through it. Really, it doesn’t matter how she did — even though it was what hear breaking. Here’s a sweet child singing for her dying father so he could have one more loving moment in a life that’s now, sadly, short of them. “This song was beautiful. Your voice is beautiful,” said an emotional Simon.
https://youtu.be/ek0SgxbC-YQ
Mike Yung, subway singer
Young sings in the subways of New York. That’s not where he started — he worked at the parks department on Coney Island, but he quit his job and now, for the last 37 years, he’s made his living singing down below. We’ve sen him do Unchained Melody, and, it was A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke. For the live show, it was another Ed Sheeran song (he’s a popular guy) doing “Thinking Out Loud,” and he did everything that got his this far — a powerful voice that was sometimes off key, always raw, and generally strong. Now, during the AGT semi-finals, he once again showed he has the most powerful, raw voice left in the competition. But with just five spots going through, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he didn’t make it through — though he should. “It was raw, it was real, it was authentic,” Simon said. But his performance was the end of the road, as America didn’t vote him through.
https://youtu.be/xdywAdDKoXg
America’s Got Talent Season 12: How to watch, TV info for Tuesday September 13, 2017
Second Semi-Final
Tuesday, September 12 | 9 p.m. EST |
Second Semi-Final Results
Wednesday, September 13 | 8 p.m. EST |
