Here Are All of the Golden Buzzer Performances from 'America's Got Talent' Season 14
NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” may be one of our favorite shows of the summer, watching people pursue their dreams and display their talents all for a chance to win $1 million.
Season 14 has already proven to live up to the past years even with three new faces: Terry Crews, Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough.
The most emotional moments of the show are when the judges press the coveted Golden Buzzer that allows the performers to skip the next round of “Judge Cuts” and advance straight to the live shows.
Watch all of the buzzer-worthy acts here. These are the acts you don’t want to forget as we get closer to the live performances.
Grab the Tissues: This Blind Man with Autism Inspired Gabrielle Union with His Performance
Twenty-two-year-old Kodi Lee charmed the judges and the audience with his infectious personality before he even began to sing.
As soon as the first line of Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” melted across the auditorium, all four judges’ mouths gaped open; they could hardly believe the amount of soul and talent they were hearing from the stage.
His performance brought many people to tears, including new judge Julianne Hough.
“I know everybody needs a voice and an expression and I really feel your heart, your passion,” Hough said. “Your voice blew all of us away.”
Gabrielle Union agreed and knew that Lee deserved the chance to move on to the live shows in Hollywood. Watch his performance below, but make sure to grab some tissues first.
A Foot-Stomping Performance: This College Student from Texas Had Howie Mandel Jumping on the Judges’ Table
Joseph Allen, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter from Texas, said that he has always worked hard to achieve his dreams, but he wanted to use his time on the “AGT” stage to inspire others to pursue theirs.
“I see myself as someone who can make a major impact in the world and I just want to see how much of a footprint I can leave on Earth before I leave,” Allen said before performing an original song.
In the middle of his performance, Allen broke down in tears as his dream became a reality.
When he was finished, the judges were amazed at his ability to captivate an audience, including Howie Mandel.
“You said you want to leave a footprint, well I’m going to give you the footprint you need,” Mandel said while literally stomping on the Golden Buzzer.
When Classmates Started Bullying This Young Boy for Having Cancer, He Learned How to Play the Violin
Eleven-year-old Tyler Butler-Figueroa stood confidently on the “America’s Got Talent” stage with his violin. When the judges asked him why he decided to play the violin, he shared an emotional story.
“I wanted to start playing the violin because I was being bullied in school,” he said. “Because I had cancer and I almost died.”
When Tyler was only 4 years old, he was diagnosed with Leukemia and underwent chemotherapy. His classmates began bullying him, but around the same time he saw a flyer for free violin lessons and he begged his mother to let him sign up.
“When I play the violin it helps me forget about the bad stuff,” he said. “I just didn’t want to be the kid with cancer so now I’m the kid who plays violin.”
His performance of Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” definitely establishes him as such.
As Simon Cowell was giving his feedback on the the young man’s performance, he said, “I would like to say something on your behalf to the bullies.” He then pressed the Golden Buzzer ensuring Tyler’s advancement to the live shows.
Could Tyler be the next Lindsey Stirling?
This Inner-City Youth Choir from Detroit Brought Host Terry Crews to Tears
An inner-city youth choir not only brought their talent to the “America’s Got Talent” stage, but they also brought an inspiring message.
“We have a lot of inner-city kids. Some of them have bad home situations or they could be in the streets, there’s violence,” Detroit Youth Choir Director Anthony White said. “We give them something positive to come and be a part of.”
Their lively performance of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Can’t Hold Us” especially struck a chord with “AGT” host Terry Crews.
“Every young man and woman on this stage represents me and where I came from,” Crews said in response to the children’s performance. “I remember sitting at my window in Flint, Michigan, dreaming and wanting to make it, and wanting to be here. And they’re here, and they did so well that I have to do this.”
Crews and the Detroit Youth Choir’s performance served as further proof that you can succeed no matter where you come from.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
