‘AGT’ Recap: Archie Williams Wows The Judges & Sofia Vergara Tells Him That He Deserves To Win
The ‘AGT’ live shows on Aug. 11 featured incredible performances from amazing acts and Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer act also returned. Only 5 acts will move forward after tonight.
The America’s Got Talent season 15 live shows get off to a shocking start. Simon Cowell is out recovering after breaking his back in an electric bike accident. Kelly Clarkson is stepping in as a temporary replacement judge.
The acts will perform at various locations within Universal Studios in Hollywood and around the world. The first act up is Pork Chop Revue. These are some talented pigs, but there’s just no wow factor about this act. Howie Mandel calls it a “very lethargic dog act,” while Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum say they loved it.
Ukulele player Feng E performs via satellite from Taiwan. He slays the stage with an epic mash-up of songs. Howie tells him that he’s the “[Jimi] Hendrix of the ukulele.” Kelly says that Feng E could “control an entire arena” with his act. Next up is singer Shaquira McGrath. She wows with a powerful performance of “What Hurts The Most” by Rascal Flatts. Sofia raves that her voice is “magic.” Kelly gives Shaquira a few points to help her next time but notes that she has a really “powerful voice.”
Dance duo Simon & Maria perform in Mel’s Diner. They are as saucy as ever. Howie admits they get “better and better” with every performance. Heidi gushes that they “sparkle.” Sofia is a huge fan of this duo. FrenchieBabyy returns with his insane flexibility. This man can bend his arms in ways you could never imagine. Sofia calls his act “super entertaining.” Kelly compliments his song selection, while Howie calls the act “wow and ow.”
Bello & Annaliese Nock were preparing for their live show performance when things took a turn. Bello got hurt in the last rehearsal. Now Annaliese is performing by herself, and she had less than 24 hours to come up with a new routine. She ups the stakes even without her dad. She jumps rope on a spinning wheel and blindfolds herself and walks on the spinning wheel when it’s on fire! Heidi says this act is “always spectacular,” and Sofia tells the daddy-daughter duo they have “nerves of steel!”
Sofia’s Golden Buzzer pick, Roberta Battaglia, takes the stage and stuns with her performance of “You Say” by Lauren Daigle. Her voice is so incredibly powerful for someone so young. Kelly calls her “incredible” and says her “tone is beautiful.” She tells Roberta that “all the potential” she has is “insane.”
Comedian Michael Yo reveals that he was diagnosed with COVID-19 months ago and had to be hospitalized. He has since recovered and returning to perform on the AGT stage. He brings the laughs once again. Kelly says he “nailed” his performance, and Howie tells Michael that he “delivered” with his stand-up. The Double Dragon duo bring the sass with their latest performance. Heidi wants to be a triplet! Sofia loves this duo and says they “deserve a reality show at least.”
Brett Loudermilk manages to shock the judges even more with his latest performance. At first, he has Heidi help with a card trick, and then he brings Sofia up. He wants her to shoot a crossbow directly at his face. After some thorough explanation, Sofia fires the crossbow. Brett pulls Heidi’s signed card out from his throat with an arrow. Kelly is freaking out in the audience. “I’m so in awe right now,” Kelly says. She wants to see a full show of just Brett’s tricks.
The final performance of the night is Archie Williams, the singer who spent more than 36 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He stuns with his performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s In Need Of Love Today.” Sofia and Heidi are moved nearly to tears. “You deserve this more than anyone,” Sofia raves. Kelly says it’s a “blessing” to be able to witness a storyteller like Archie. In the Aug. 12 episode, only 5 acts will move on to the next round.