America’s Got Talent review: Mike Yung, Chase Goehring, & semifinal show #1
As we always do, we are your LIVE companion for all of the excitement that happens tonight. Be sure to refresh the page for more as the show goes on!
Yoli Mayor – We said before the show that song choice would make or break Yoli, and we love James Arthur’s “Say You Don’t Let Go.” Why this isn’t a bigger hit in America we don’t understand. The first part of this cover was really strong, but we think she actually needed to let go and be a little grittier and meaner near the end. Make it raw! Still, probably Yoli’s best performance. Grade: B+.
Eric Jones – The one mistake that he made was forgetting Heidi Klum’s name in the early going. Beyond that, though, this was one of his better performances. He was slick, he explained himself as it went along, and his presentation was much better than it’s been. Grade: A-.
Greater Works Choir – We never thought that we’d near a choir version of an Aerosmith song … or that we would actually like it. This was powerful, but to go along with that very emotional at the end of it. We don’t know if this gets the group to the final, but they absolutely have a shot. Grade: A-.
Preacher Lawson – It took him a minute or two to get going, but one he started getting into the stuff about the duck lips and the robot, he really won us over. He roasted Tyra Banks at one point, and her reaction to it was almost as funny as the joke himself. By far the best of the night so far. Grade: A.
Johnny Manuel – What was this? We didn’t understand most of the lyrics, his pitch was a little all over the place, and the song just didn’t work. We like that he took a chance, but he probably would’ve been better with a cover here that was a little more familiar. Our big critique is with production: Why is Simon, the guy who actually knows music, only getting three seconds? Grade: C.
Billy & Emily – There is no reason why this act keeps evolving and getting better every time, but it does! This act is all sorts of insanely dangerous, and there was no better example of that when Billy THREW HIS SISTER OFF THE STAGE. We don’t know how they do this, but they do and never make any obvious mistakes. It’s incredible stuff and there were at least three different tricks in here that we hadn’t seen before. Grade: A-.
Evie Clair – Evie deserves a ton of credit for performing after watching these gut-wrenching packages about her father every week, and she does have a lovely voice. It’s hard to criticize her because it’s almost not fair. Her story almost completely swallows up her talent and everything else about her. The moment with Simon Cowell actually choked us up more than anything. Grade: B+.
Sara & Hero – The funniest thing about it was that Hero actually seemed to be better at volleyball at one point than Sara, and this act was both crazy but also crazy-fun. The best word to describe this act as a whole is simple: Endearing. It’s fun, it’s different, and it’s exciting. Tonight, they managed to put something together in a crazy-short period of time. Grade: B+.
Chase Goehring – This was the mid-tempo number in the middle of a concert, and what we’ve come to see from him is that it’s his style and his heart that really sells what he brings to the table. Lyrically this wasn’t the most incredible performance we’ve seen from him, but it was magnetic and entrancing from start to finish. Grade: B+.
Darci Lynne – We gotta give all of the credit tin the world to Darci for continuing to be no only exceptional with her singing, but also her ventriloquism. It takes GUTS to go and sing mere inched from Simon Cowell’s face. She’s winning the show; just get prepared for that now. Grade: A.
Mike Yung – This was an interesting performance to end the show on, given that Mike was very good, but he also did a song that not too many younger viewers will know. He’s probably going to get through on his grit plus getting to perform last, but we don’t think that it’s a sure thing for him by any means. Grade: A-.
Who are some of your favorites on America’s Got Talent tonight? Be sure to share now in the attached comments below! (Photo: NBC.)