AMERICA’S GOT TALENT Delivers a Golden Buzzer First in the Season 18 Premiere

[Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Tuesday, May 30 season premiere of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.]

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT has handed out dozens of Golden Buzzers to contestants since the device was introduced to the series in 2014—initially, it just meant the act would move to the next round; in 2015, it allowed the contestants to skip straight to the live rounds—but the Tuesday, May 30 season 18 premiere utilized a new twist.

After the Mzansi Youth Choir performed a deeply moving rendition of Nightbirde’s “It’s OK,” the AGT team (judges Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofía Vergara, as well as host Terry Crews) were visibly emotional…and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.

“What a surprise to hear that song, and your voices were fantastic,” Vergara said. “That was the perfect AGT audition.”

“I’ll always remember Nightbird,” Mandel added. “And to see it touched people on the other side of the globe; unbelievable. You deserve so much more than a ‘yes’ and to be here—you deserve a thank you.”

The choir shared that they recorded a cover of the song—which earned Jane Marczewski, aka Nightbirdie, a Golden Buzzer from Cowell in 2021—and Nightbirdie reached out prior to her 2022 death. (Nightbirde dropped out of the series due to her worsening health.) The reason they chose this for their audition? They wanted to continue her legacy.

“I know how much this would have meant to her,” Cowell said, struggling to get his words out. “Right until the end, she was so passionate about sharing her music.”

As the crowd chanted “Golden Buzzer,” Cowell continued on: “We’ve never done this before, but we always discussed one day giving the audience something.”

“So this is for [the choir], this is for [the audience], this is for Jane,” he continued, before the four judges and Crews jointly pushed the button.

“Mzansi Youth Choir, you have just received a Golden Buzzer from the fifth judge—the AGT audience!” Crews said as the kids celebrated on stage.

Watch the emotional moment below…

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, Tuesdays, 8/7c, NBC

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