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Benjamin Hightower has channeled Chappell Roan for his America’s Got Talent audition, going from Tennessee to Los Angeles to receive a standing ovation from judges for his performance of “Pink Pony Club.”
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Appearing on Tuesday (June 10) night’s episode of America’s Got Talent, Hightower told judges how he ended seven years of active duty in the Air Force to pursue his dreams of stardom. “I made the really scary choice to get out of the military and take a chance on myself because I believe in my ability to be a performer,” he explained.
Dressed in a white shirt and ripped jeans, the unassuming musician sat behind a keyboard as he launched into a triumphant rendition of Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.” Originally released in 2020, the single gained renewed attention following Roan’s 2025 Grammy Awards performance, and hit No. 4 on the Hot 100, tying with “Good Luck, Babe!” as her highest-charting single to date.
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Receiving a rapturous reception from the audience (which included his own mother), Hightower explained that it was a more than fitting track given his roots in Tennessee. Though Roan grew up in Missouri, the lyrics to “Pink Pony Club” describe the singer’s desire to leave Tennessee in hopes of acceptance on the west coast.
“That song is great, but I think that also could be a hit; your rendition of her song,” enthused judge Howie Mandel. “It was beautiful, it was great.”
“The perfect audition, this is what you’re supposed to be doing,” added Sofia Vergara. “I think America’s going to love you.”
The biggest response, however, came from Simon Cowell, who expressed his certainty that Hightower’s performance could become a viral hit. “I really like you. I really do,” he told the singer.
“When I saw the keyboard I thought, ‘Oh God, it’s going to be something like “Stand By Me,” or something we’ve heard a billion times.’ And it wasn’t,” he added. “When you do somebody else’s song and you make it your version, that’s smart. I love that song, I love your version, and I don’t know, there’s something about you I really like.”
Hightower’s overwhelmingly positive reception was echoed in his own response to the acclaim, with the visibly emotional performer telling host Terry Crews that the moment has been a long time coming.
“If the little kid who grew up in Tennessee could see me now, he would be so proud,” he explained.
Watch Hightower’s full performance below:
23-year-old street performer Jourdan Blue has found himself an instant national fanbase with his emotional audition for the season 20 premiere of NBC’s America’s Got Talent on Tuesday (May 27).
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Blue’s performance of The Script‘s “Breakeven” was one filled with tears and triumph, with the young father’s story of overcoming adversity and terror adding to the euphoria that accompanied his Golden Buzzer-worthy performance.
Per Blue’s own account, he’s a street performer from New Orleans who spends most of his nights performing into the wee small hours in order to support his girlfriend and young son, Jax.
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“Growing up, my mom was a cop, my dad was a lawyer, so naturally I was a rebel,” he explained to the judges ahead of his performance. “I kind of got myself into some trouble and ended up living with my grandpa and he’s a big music listener and that inspired me to get into it.
“I started street performing in New Orleans because I really wanted to just fully dive into it. As you might remember, at the beginning of the year, there was an attack on New Orleans, right on the exact block where I perform.
“It made me realize that there’s so much more to live for,” he added. “That’s what made me choose AGT. I feel like this is the best way to level up.”
Immediately leveling up with the crowd as he dove into his performance of The Script’s 2008 hit, Blue’s unique voice instantly won over the crowd as it became clear that even the judges were immensely impressed by his rendition.
“I think you are somebody [who] maybe lost their way a little bit, but like you said, through music [you have] now found your way,” explained judge Simon Cowell. “You have such a distinctive voice, you are so cool, and you feed off the audience. They love you and how you made me feel just then was actually amazing.”
“This is season 20,” added fellow judge Howie Mandel. “I’ve seen dreams come true, and I’ve seen lives change right where you’re standing. And that stage and that moment can take you anywhere, and this is just the beginning of where you can go.
“I think you’re a star,” Mandel told Blue after hitting the Golden Buzzer. “I think your name is gonna be on the lips of everybody watching this across the globe.”
Blue was one of two acts to receive the Golden Buzzer on the May 27 episode, with Brazilian dance group Light Wire also receiving the same honor from Cowell.
Watch Blue’s full performance below:
On Tuesday’s (May 27) season 20 premiere of America’s Got Talent, judge Simon Cowell was blown away by a Brazilian crew that combined LED technology and dance for a simply mesmerizing show. The troupe is called Light Wire, and their show has to be seen to be believed. The movements of four dancers onstage cascade […]
In a season already brimming with talent, 9-year-old Journeyy stepped into the spotlight of America’s Got Talent on Tuesday night (July 23) and delivered a performance that left both judges and the audience deeply impressed.
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“I just didn’t expect that me recording videos at my house would lead to me being here right now. When I grow up, I want to be a pop singer,” Journeyy said in a backstage interview ahead of his performance according to NBC.
Performing his own original song “Paradise,” the New Jersey native wowed the crowd with not just exceptional songwriting skills but also an incredible stage presence and vocal ability that belied his young age.
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As he began to play the opening notes of “Paradise,” the room fell into a hushed anticipation. His voice, soulful and rich, had a haunting quality reminiscent of Lana Del Rey, drawing listeners into his imaginative world of “purple clouds” and “automatic lullabies”.
The judges’ reactions were unanimously positive. Heidi Klum was the first to speak, telling Journeyy, “I’m very impressed by you. Nine years old, your parents must be super proud of you. I’m proud of you. I hope you’re proud of yourself. Very well done, you have a beautiful voice.” Journeyy’s parents and sister stood in the wings, wiping tears away and nodding in agreement.
Sofia Vergara, clearly moved, stated, “I love you,” prompting a giant grin from the young talent.
“I think this season we have so many cool kids. Super cool kids, you’re one of them,” she enthused. Howie Mandel, always ready with a quip, joked, “A long time ago, I was nine years old for almost a year, and I think you’re amazing.”
Simon Cowell, often the toughest critic, was full of praise. “You’ve just got it, haven’t you? I love hearing people write their own material. It’s a glimpse into who you are, and I really like you. Great things are going to happen to you. I can feel it.” He added, “You are somebody who has a God-given talent. And it’s rare.”
The impressive performance not only earned him a standing ovation but also four enthusiastic “yes” votes from the judges, securing his place in the next round.
Journeyy’s path to “America’s Got Talent” was not just a lucky break. Simon Cowell revealed that one of his friends had discovered Journeyy’s talent online and recommended him to the show.
“A couple of days ago, ‘You’ve got to see this video.’ And it was you. Anyway, we sent the video to the production team and then we found out that they’d already found you,” Simon said.
Despite his young age, Journeyy has already garnered a significant social media following, where his viral cover of Hillsong United’s “Oceans” caught the attention of both fans and industry insiders, paving his way to the show.
Check out Journeyy’s America’s Got Talent performance below.
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TikTok creators will soon be handed a fresh set of tools to soundtrack their videos and potentially make hit songs when a new in-app platform created by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment company, in partnership with Universal Music Group and Samsung, launches on the platform later this month.
Called StemDrop, the initiative will provide TikTok’s more than 1 billion monthly users with access to music “stems” (the isolated components of a song, such as drum tracks or individual vocal parts) from an exclusive new track composed by hit songwriters Max Martin, Savan Kotecha and Ali Payami entitled “Red Lights,” which creators can then use to record and share their own versions.
The project was conceived by British music mogul Cowell and entertainment executive Tim Van Rongen in partnership with Universal Music imprint Republic Records and Samsung.
“With tens of thousands of songs uploaded every day this idea will give aspiring artists the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most successful songwriters in the world,” said Cowell in a statement announcing the project.
Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, paid tribute to the “incredible team” Cowell has assembled to launch the platform, “harnessing the scale of TikTok, to leverage the artistry of creators worldwide.”
StemDrop debuts on Oct. 26, when 60 seconds of “Red Lights” will be exclusively released on TikTok, along with individual “stems” from the track which can be accessed through a dedicated micro-site or an in-app StemDrop Mixer, enabling users to play with production effects and create new versions of the song.
A spokesperson for StemDrop tells Billboard that Universal/Republic Records retain ownership of the master recording of “Red Lights”, the publishers own their share and with any future versions, the contribution of any new creator will be added to the royalty split.
It’s not clear if Martin — who co-wrote and produced multiple Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, including Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” – or “Red Lights” co-writers Kotecha and Payami will be involved with the platform beyond its first phase, which is officially titled “’StemDrop’ – A Song for the World.”
Following its launch, a StemDrop profile on TikTok will share new versions of the track from around the world, curated by the platform, Syco, Republic Records and Universal Music Group. TikTok music curator Ari Elkins, singer-songwriter Astrid S and digital creator Your Boy Moyo will act as global ambassadors for StemDrop and host daily content on the @StemDrop TikTok channel. Syco Entertainment and Republic Records will provide creative direction and drive the StemDrop talent discovery program going forward, according to a press release from TikTok.
“Every day, brilliant, undiscovered artists and songwriters turn to TikTok to share their music and find a global audience,” said Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music at TikTok. “StemDrop will put a spotlight on this talent and act as a springboard to help them build their careers.”
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