14-Year-Old Singer’s Golden Buzzer Performance on ‘AGT’

Tuesday night’s America’s Got Talent auditions brought plenty of surprises. While there were some less-than-stellar acts, 14-year-old Reid Wilson from Alabama stood out, earning himself a coveted Golden Buzzer and a direct pass to the live shows.

Reid, visibly nervous, managed to tell judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia Vergara that he has been singing all his life. “Over the past year, I’ve been working on it more, singing in front of people, and pursuing it because it is definitely my dream,” he explained.

Nervousness was evident as Reid added, “I am definitely nervous, but I am going to put my all into this and sing my heart out and try not to miss a note.”

Simon gave Reid the opportunity to shine with two minutes on the AGT stage. Reid chose an unexpected song for someone his age, Lesley Gore’s 1963 hit “You Don’t Own Me.” Simon commented on the song choice, noting that Reid’s parents must have good musical taste. Reid humorously responded with a simple “no,” to the delight of the audience and judges.

Reid’s vocals left a significant impression—”We weren’t expecting that,” Simon admitted.

Heidi Klum praised Reid, saying, “I think you’re absolutely incredible. I loved when you took the mic off the stand and gave a little more stage presence. Well done.”

Sofia Vergara added, “You were so nervous at the beginning. I thought you might not be able to pull it together, but you did amazingly. It sounded spectacular from here.”

Simon shared that he closed his eyes to focus solely on Reid’s voice. “Then I opened them again and saw a sweet, young kid,” he remarked.

Howie Mandel seemed the most moved by Reid’s performance. “I was bowled over because I was surprised,” he confessed. “You’re a 14-year-old kid from Alabama, and you came off incredibly nervous. That was a surprise. You know what? That stage is where dreams come true. Do you believe in dreams?” Reid answered with a “yes,” and Howie responded, “Well, one of them is about to come true.”

With that, Howie hit the Golden Buzzer, marking his second and final Golden Buzzer for the season, sending Reid directly to the live shows.

As confetti rained down, Reid’s mom joined him on stage for a hug. Howie also went up to congratulate him personally, saying, “Congratulations, buddy, you are amazing.”

Host Terry Crews asked Reid how he felt, to which he managed to reply, “I am so star struck. Thank you, guys, especially Howie.”

Howie, who walked backstage with Reid and his mom, added, “I did it because the sound and who you are were nothing close to anything I was expecting. You are a big talent.”

Reid, who counts Aretha Franklin as his favorite artist, is hopeful about his future in music. “When I was little, I would just run around the house screaming at the top of my lungs,” he shared. “I was not good at all. I just started teaching myself from there. I am a middle child. The stereotypes of being forgotten a little bit are true, but now I will not be forgotten. I am on TV. I would love to be the next superstar. I sing at family gatherings every now and then but nothing big.”

America’s Got Talent airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, with streams available the next day on Peacock.

Source: Particle News