Spoilers ahead for the June 20 episode of America’s Got Talent Season 18 on NBC.
Season 18 of America’s Got Talent has wasted no time in handing out golden buzzers to advance standout performers straight through to the live shows in the 2023 TV schedule, and the latest one rewarded more than sixty dancers. Just a week after 8-year-old drummer Chioma got a golden buzzer from AGT host Terry Crews, judge Howie Mandel hit the button for the Murmuration dance group from France after rocking blindfolds for their audition. They also received a comparison to a previous AGT champion that could bode very well for their future this season!
It was clear as soon as a long stream of dancers walked out onto to the stage that something special was going to happen, with veteran judges Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel commenting on the size of the group. The comments were nothing but enthusiastic after they performed, though! Take a look at the performance that mesmerized Mandel:
Count on Howie Mandel to deliver some comedy before hitting the golden buzzer! His moves may not be enough for him to score an invite to join the 60+ crew of Murmuration, but he clearly made a lot of people very happy when he surprised the group by hitting the buzzer. After telling them that he was mesmerized and describing them as “hypnotic,” perhaps it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise for viewers from home!
Of course, Mandel wasn’t the only judge impressed by Murmuration, although Simon Cowell losing his voice meant a lot less commentary from him over the course of the episode, which will be available for rewatch via Peacock Premium subscription. Heidi Klum started her commentary with “Wow!” and went on to praise how they were in sync with each other despite the blindfolds, while Sofia Vergara paid them the compliment of comparing them to Mayyas.
Fans will remember Vergara hit her buzzer for the Lebanese dance group back in Season 17, and Mayyas went on to win after a very close vote that earned them a spot on the list of AGT champions who won a golden buzzer first. Could Murmuration follow the same path toward victory in Season 18? It’s too soon to say after just four episodes, and the other acts who have already gotten golden buzzers – including one that motivated Simon Cowell to lead the other judges in making history – are certainly set up for success as well.
Their odds definitely seem better at this point than they would have in earlier seasons of the show. Mayyas were the very first group to win a season of America’s Got Talent (with the arguable exception of Olate Dogs from Season 7). If fans were willing to vote for a group last season, why not Season 18? Of course, Murmuration isn’t even the only group to get a golden buzzer so far this season after Mzansi Youth Choir was the first.
Whatever the future holds for the French dance group of 60+ performers, fans presumably won’t see any more of them for quite some time now that they’ve been advanced to the live shows. See more auditions with new episodes of America’s Got Talent on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC!