America’s Got Talent 2023 The 10 Acts Who Must Advance to the Live Shows
America’s Got Talent Season 18 Auditions consisted of several talents from across the globe. It seemed like there were quite a few skilled acrobatic and dance acts this season as well as the typical excellent singers, magicians, and comedians. In this list, I tried to include a variety of types of acts, but these were simply the 10 acts that stuck out to me and deserve to move on to the live shows which will most likely be a top 55.
Seven Golden Buzzers advance straight to the live shows
The cast and audience chose seven golden buzzers who will advance straight to the live shows without needing any deliberation. They are: Mzansi Youth Choir (NEW Audience buzzer), Singer, Putri Ariani (Simon Cowell buzzer), Chioma and the Atlanta Drum Academy (Terry Crews buzzer), Dance group Murmuration (Howie Mandel buzzer), Singer Lavender Darcangelo (Heidi Klum buzzer), Singer Gabriel Henrique (Sofia Vergara buzzer), Dance group Chibi Unity (Group buzzer).
America’s Got Talent season 18 live shows begin August 22
America’s Got Talent 2023 Live Shows begin on Tuesday August 22 at 8 pm ET/PT with the Qualifiers 1 Performance episode. The Live Results begin on Wednesday August 23 at 8 pm ET/PT with Qualifiers 1 Results episode. See the full schedule HERE.
Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell sit on the judges panel. Terry Crews hosts.
Sound off below on who you think should advance to the live shows.
1. Oleksandr Leschenko – Dancer
This season is strong when it comes to dancing with the likes of Chibi Unity and Murmuration, who were both creative dance crews but I would argue Oleksandr’s solo dance act in the auditions was just as impactful. Although the whole audition was contained inside a multimedia box, I could not take my eyes off both his dancing and the multimedia visuals going on. This audition was simply breathtaking. The dancing wasn’t complex, but it was artistic. Oleksandr’s audition may be my favorite of the season.
2. Ramadhani Brothers – Head balancers
In a season where we saw nearly two acrobatic acts a week during auditions, there’s a ton of competition in the category. These brothers made it look so easy with extreme strength and unexpected twists to the typical acrobatic act. Going backwards while balancing and doing such fluid movements wowed me. The act also reminded me of AGT great Uzeyer as they showcased a ladder in their act. They took the concept up a notch as the ladder bit involved balancing one brother on the other brother’s head. This was a WOW moment that screamed finale level talent, and Howie said it was “scariest, most dangerous act” he’s ever seen.
3. Warrior Squad – Dance/acrobatic
Warrior Squad is a lot of things. They are a dance crew, acrobats, and simply put, entertainers. We’ve seen a fair share of groups like them that have gone far in past seasons, Zurcaroh and V. Unbeatable, to name a few but Warrior Squad brought enough of a thrill ride to make their own audition stand out from the past. This audition was climatic building to super high heights and was executed flawlessly with a thrilling throw to top it all off. This audition only gave a glimpse of their talent. In future rounds, they can play to themes and concepts more to elevate it.
4. Freedom Singers – Choir
On first listen, I thought Freedom Singers were good, but their audition has only grown on me. The formerly houseless group brought a realness through their emotions, and the unexpected song choice of “Under The Bridge” which they flipped into a gospel ballad was stunning. The lead singer, Micayla De Ette may be the best vocalist of the season. The harmonies were elegant, and her voice soared especially when she displayed an uber impressive head voice. The spirit of this group needs to be seen again, so I hope they advance.
5. Summer Rios – Singer
AGT has been bringing us huge singing talent the last few seasons. Brooke Simpson and Kristen Cruz are who come to mind when I think of viral audition moments with superb tones and voices worthy of a golden buzzer. Summer, a pizza hut manager and viral social media singer, is another stellar pop vocalist. Summer’s tone was intriguing from the first note on this pop rendition of one of country’s biggest hits of the year, “Something In The Orange.” Her belts were crystal clear in the chorus and she brought emotion in the verses. It was a well balanced audition, with dynamics throughout, and displayed why Summer may be the most marketable singer of the season outside of the show.
6. Grace Good – Hoops/acrobatics/fire
One of the prizes of AGT is having your own Vegas show, so being able to succeed in Vegas should be criteria for most of the auditions, and Grace Good’s audition felt like a Vegas worthy show. She’s a hoop artist who incorporated acrobats and fire in her audition. Her showmanship was so incredible that her performance commanded the audience’s attention. Grace is a natural born entertainer and must advance to the lives as I believe her act will only get bigger and better. All of the judges commended her for being the best hula hooper they’ve ever seen.
7. MOS – Female brass band
MOS is not your typical brass band. Their brass cover of “Bang Bang” felt straight out of a studio and was poppy and full of energy. It was choreographed and so in sync too! This was an elevated band act like I’ve never seen before. It was refreshing, and I can’t wait to see what songs they would cover next. They did receive some minor critiques that their audition wasn’t perfectly executed, but I think if they advanced they could easily perfect the act.
8. Orlando Leyba – Comedian
We’ve seen some top notch comedian talent including Ahren Belisle, Maureen Langan, and Barry Brewer Jr. Many of them were unique comedians too, but when I watch comics, I ask who could I watch for a whole comedy special, and Orlando felt like the one I could watch the longest. His material which featured Yellowstone jokes was good, but what truly stood out was his lively personality and excellent pacing. Orlando could advance very far if he’s a part of the live shows.
9. Lachune – SInger
As I noted in my initial write-up, a big ballad singer choosing the quiet ballad that is “Yellow” by Coldplay was a bit of an odd pick, but the way Lachune executed this performance displayed why she is a vocal coach. Her technique was superb, she brought a newness to the song, and her tone and vibrato were interesting, giving shades of Leona Lewis. I hope Lachune gets picked to move on in a sea of talented singers.
10. Justin Jackson – Tap dancer
It’s not often that we see tap dancing on AGT. Tap dancing is tough to stand out as so much of it is reliant on footwork and it can feel a bit dull after a while. But Justin took it to the next level when he performed to smash hits like Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble, and when he brought his dancing closer to the judges with Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” His showmanship and entertaining qualities make him a must to move on.
