Nicolas Ribs and his daughter, Emma, are the first to perform during the June 28 episode of America’s Got Talent. Nicolas is a magician and combines digital and physical aspects to his acts. He receives a standing ovation.
“I’ve never seen magic better,” Howie Mandel says. Simon Cowell calls Nicolas’ act “unique” and admits he’s “never seen anything like that before.”
Mr. Pants Is An Undeniable Hit
Mr. Pants takes the stage next wearing a full-fledged “pant suit.” He brings the laughs with his pants-related human. He gets the loudest laughs from Howie. All the judges love Mr. Pants and want to see him in the next round.
Mia Morris is a singer and multi-instrumentalist. Her performance is totally unique. Howie tells Mia that he could watch her do this in Las Vegas. Heidi Klum is all about Mia’s “one-woman show.” Sofia Vergara raves that Mia is “one of the coolest girls” who’s stood on the AGT stage. Simon admits that Mia’s performance is a “bit of a mess” but thinks Mia is a “genius.”
Chiko totally stuns the judges with his death-defying act. He keeps going higher and higher on stilts until he reaches the judges’ Xes at the top of the stage. At one point, he blindfolds himself. He’s tossed one stilt and nearly falls. He recovers and balances himself on his hands.
The crowd goes wild for Chiko. Heidi tells Chiko that this act has left her wanting more. He’s definitely moving on to the next round.
Connor Johnson is ready to make the ladies melt. He starts out by singing Lewis Capaldi’s “Forever,” but Simon stops him midway through. He asks Connor to sing another song. Connor quickly adapts and sings “Latch” by Disclosure.
The crowd is head over heels for this performance. “Your voice is beautiful,” Sofia raves. Heidi acknowledges that Connor is “very easy on the eyes.” Simon tells Connor that he had a really good audition and wants to see Connor go outside his comfort zone moving forward.
Lily Meola Gets The Golden Buzzer
Lily Meola hasn’t had it easy over the past couple of years. Her mom sadly passed away in 2020 after a battle with cancer. She stuns the judges and the audience with a performance of her original song “Daydream.” Howie says he “could feel the emotion” from Lily. Simon tells Lily that there’s “something special” about her.
Heidi is in tears and admits she’s nearly speechless. She tells Lily that she immediately fell in love with her. Heidi decides to give Lily her Golden Buzzer, sending her straight to the finals.
Jordan Conley comes out wearing a Minions sweatshirt and wows the judges with his standup act. After Jordan’s done, Howie keeps saying “wow.” Sofia calls the performance “spectacular.” Jordan is overwhelmed to tears by the praise.
Merissa Beddows Is A Standout
Merissa Beddows is an opera singer and impressionist. She begins singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as herself but transitions into singing as Ariana Grande, Stevie Nicks, Celine Dion, and more.
“You’re original in the way you want to present your impressions,” Howie tells Merissa. Sofia is amazed by how Merissa “nailed every single voice.” Needless to say, Merissa is moving on.
The final act of the night is from Siegfried and Joy. These full-time magicians cause a ruckus on stage, with everyone but Simon enjoying it. There are highs and lows to this performance, but the duo saves it at the end. While Sofia calls the duo “creative,” Simon found them annoying. Thankfully, the other 3 judges want to see more of Siegfried and Joy!