The live shows of America’s Got Talent Season 21 have officially begun, and the stakes are higher than ever for the show’s remaining contestants.
This season’s Quarterfinals kicked off on Tuesday, August 18. The first 11 of the top 44 acts took to the stage to impress judges Simon Cowell, Sofía Vergara, Howie Mandel, and Mel B. with their talent. However, it’s up to viewers to decide which acts move on to the next stage of the competition and which will have their AGT journeys come to an end.
“Tonight, your votes will put three acts through to the Semifinal, and one more act will go straight into the Final thanks to the Golden Buzzer,” host Terry Crews stated, noting that this week’s judge with the Golden Buzzer is Mandel.
Voting for Round 1 of the Quarterfinals opens at the end of the episode, and closes on Wednesday, August 19, at 7 a.m. ET. Fans can cast their votes on NBC‘s website, the AGT app, and AGT‘s official TikTok account. The Round 1 results will be announced during Wednesday night’s episode.
Scroll down for a recap of the first live show of AGT Season 21.
The CommUNITY ATL Choir
The Atlanta-based choir kicked off the night with an uplifting rendition of Natasha Bedingfield‘s 2004 hit “Unwritten.” Dressed in light blue outfits accessorized with yellow flowers, the singers got the audience and the judges on their feet with their impressive voices.
Vergara called the performance the “perfect way” to start this season’s live shows, and praised the choir for bringing joy to the AGT stage. Though Cowell wasn’t a fan of the song selection, he described the performance as “stunning.”
NBC
James & Marina
For their Quarterfinals act, the mentalist couple turned the judges’ and audience’s thoughts into drawings. After throwing a teddy bear through the audience, Marina correctly illustrated pieces of information such as their zodiac signs, birthdates, and childhood pets. Halfway through the act, however, Cowell hit his buzzer. The couple pushed through and ended the performance with a drawing of them on stage with Mel B. and a randomly selected audience member.
Mandel admitted he considered hitting his own buzzer during the act because of its length, though Cowell told him not to. The judges were all impressed by their magic, but agreed the presentation wasn’t the most intriguing. Mel B. defended the couple by calling them “amazing.”
NBC
Jesse White Tumbling Team
The tumbling team from Chicago got the AGT crowd cheering with their impressive routine set to “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai, flipping through the aisles and jumping over their own members.
Vergara loved the group’s energy and how they represent their community on the show. Cowell said their live performance was “better” than their first audition and called them an “inspiration.” They ended the night with more praise from Mandel and Mel B.
Updating live…
America’s Got Talent, Season 21, Tuesdays, 8/7c, NBC