Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers from America’s Got Talent’s third night of auditions, which aired on June 13.
We’re three nights into the auditions of America’s Got Talent’s 18th season, and the contestants so far have shown some amazing talents, often with more than just one skill. It was mind-blowing singing that earned the Golden Buzzer in last week’s episode and a tribute to Season 16’s Nightbirde that moved the judges to tears in the premiere episode that earned the button. However, in Episode 3, it was all about the drums. Eight-year-old Chioma said he dreamed about getting the Golden Buzzer with his fellow drummers from the Atlanta Drum Academy, but before host Terry Crews helped make that dream come true, Simon Cowell had some high praise for the musicians.
When Chioma took the stage ahead of the audition to introduce himself to the judges, they were immediately won over by the biggest and most infectious smile I’d seen. He was so excited to be standing in front of the crowd that he kept forgetting to speak into the mic, which was understandable, given how much he said he loved the show. When it came time for his crew to join him on stage, however, the entertainer in him took over, and the Atlanta Drum Academy put on a show. Check it out below:
The precision from the large group of youngsters was pretty unbelievable. Chioma showed his skills on a couple different types of drums, and the whole group nailed some complicated choreography that included jumping over one another, throwing drums across the stage to each other and even performing blindfolded.
Getting to America’s Got Talent was clearly something that the group put a lot of work into, and when Terry Crews asked the 8-year-old why they wanted to be on the show, Chioma told him:
I had a dream that I was on America’s Got Talent, winning the Golden Buzzer. And now I’m just right here. I love this show. We made a vision board with my mom, and I had some gold glitter to make the Golden Buzzer. I believe I can win.
The crowd went wild following their performance, and all four judges gave them a standing ovation. Sofía Vergara said she thought they had a good chance to win the whole competition, and Simon Cowell elicited some passionate boos from the audience when he proclaimed that he “didn’t like it,” before clarifying:
I absolutely loved it. I mean, seriously, what’s not to like? They’re so much fun and they’re so talented. This is one of my favorite, favorite auditions this year. I really mean that.
Simon Cowell called for a vote, but Terry Crews interrupted him, running over the judge’s table as he recalled Chioma’s dream. He said he was honored to make that dream come true, as he slammed his hand down on the Golden Buzzer. The golden confetti fell around them, and tears flowed freely from the Atlanta drummers and their parents, as well as from James Riles III, the director of the academy.
Viewers have already seen some amazing contestants take the stage this season, and the third episode added a comedian, a ventriloquist/mentalist, a hula hooper/aerial artist and many more, so if you missed any of the amazing acts so far, you can catch up by streaming the episodes with a Peacock subscription. As for the next set of auditions, you can catch them next Tuesday, June 20, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and also be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to stay up to date on all of the upcoming premieres.