America’s Got Talent 2019 Recap Week 6 Auditions, Performance Videos

America’s Got Talent 2019 Video: Matthew Richardson’s Hoop Magic
America’s Got Talent 2019 Video: Robert Finley Sings a Soulful Original
America’s Got Talent 2019 Spoilers: Meet the Auditions 6 Acts (PHOTOS)

When Does America’s Got Talent Live Shows Start? Season 14 Schedule
America’s Got Talent 2019 Judge Cuts Guest Judges Revealed

Gonzo – Power Tambourinist – Gonzo is Japanese and has an interpreter with him. Fun fact: He was a contestant on the recent season of Britain’s Got Talent. Backstage, he rips off the tuxedo he was wearing to reveal…a very interesting outfit. Yikes. He performed the exact same routine on BGT, only to “Livin La Vida Loca.” He bangs himself all over his body, including running the instrument all up and down his face. That looks like it hurts. I mean, he’s pretty tricksy with that tambourine, but it’s really a one note joke. Howie is impressed with his intensity. Julianne can’t stop looking at his white sneakers. Gabrielle admires his level of commitment. “You played your face off.” Har har. “That was bonkers,” says Simon, pretending that he never saw the act before. Terry dances along with him on stage. 4 yeses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XOsqANb80c

Olivia Calderon –  Singer – The 47 year old singer is a detention officer for the Tempe. Arizona police department. Note: She made the Top 5 on Univision’s “La Reina De La Canción” a few years back. Her mother and brothers are there with her. Backstage, she shares that she lost her dad 4 years ago. Terry commiseates–he did too. She sings “My Way” in Spanish. Her voice is pleasant. She’s strong on the high notes and pulls off a great big finish. After, she points to heaven–presumably her dad. Julianne says she made the song her own. Howie confesses her style isn’t his cup of tea. He wishes her a ton of luck, though. He should say yes anyway! I don’t like her style either, but she can sing. Olivia explains that she put her dream on hold to help take care of her dad. Simon loves her dramatic style. –  3 yeses a no from Howie. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5FFSWrfozE

Marco & Elisa – Dancers – Italian duo competed on France’s Got Talent in 2018. I watched their act on video from FGT. It’s pretty contrived. Basically they dance and do acrobatics while their lips remain locked. Simon buzzes them instantly. They immediately stop. Simon found it “quite uncomfortable.” Howie notes that the routine was only “first base” he doesn’t want to see more – Howie and Simon say no.

Duo MaintenanT – They performed as friends, eventually fell in love, married and had a couple of kids. The dream is to produce their own shows. The act is part dance, part acrobatics. It’s  graceful and romantic. At one point, the male partner swings the female under his legs and up, holding her high by her hands. The strength and agility exhibited here is impressive. The big trick–she balances on his forehead using only one hand. Wow. The judges are up on their feet! Julianne calls them the best acrobatic act so far. “I am blown away.” Simon calls it “perfection” and a 10. The couple disagree! They are perfectionists. Gabrielle wants to get her husband Dwayne in on the act. Ha. Howie calls the act dangerous and scary. But he was thrilled.  – 4 yeses.

We get a glimpse Jacko, a wacky magician…or something. Definitely a joke act.

RA’ED – Singer – He comes from a family of professionals. He studied singing at school–even went on to get a masters. He looks super silly, however, like a joke act. He informs the panel that his name is Lebanese. Currently, he drives a Hollywood tour bus. He sings for the customers, and they love it! Oh gosh. He’s singing an original called “Celebration.” Uhm. No way he has a masters in singing. If he does, he wasted his money. This is really bad. OH THERE’S WHISTLING. The red Xs go off immediately, stopping him mid song. “I don’t know what that was,” says Simon. Julianne notes the whistling, comparing it to a dog call, but not in a good way. “If it wasn’t for the singing, I’d like you,” says Simon. However, the crowd gives him a standing ovation. Producer prompted no doubt. 

Revolution Queens – Argentine All Female Malumbo Group – The group is from Argentina. However, the spokesperson from the group barely has an accent!  They pick up big drums from the back of the stage, but this act is more than drumming!  There are WHIPS too. Holy cow. This is really wild. They ditch the drums and begin tapping. This routine is chaotic, but it’s good. They end with ropes with balls on the end, which they whip around wildly–some using their mouths. Crazy. The girls become very emotional, sharing how they worked hard to get here. There are not many opportunities where they come from. Gabrielle felt like they were literally dancing for their lives. Howie notes how Malumbo is usually performed by men. Simon advises them to never doubt their talent. – 4 yeses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63RNkTJ3CzY

The Sentimentalists – Mentalists – The couple have appeared on Penn & Teller Fool Us. They are Steffie K and Mysterion. Steffie claims to have a mysterious relationship to her dead grandmother. Sure. Mysterioso asks the audience and judges to draw something simple and “transmit” it to Steffie. She sees an image–a tree. Oh look Gabrielle drew a tree. M drops the remaining slips into a huge wind machine, in which Terry enters. He grabs one. And Steffie draws a heart, matching the image Terry grabbed. Hm. I bet all the slips somehow had hearts on them. Oh, but there is an attempt to prove it’s real by finding a person in the audience who drew a heart. Julianne calls them magical and mysterious. Howie found the presentation “weird.” Simon agrees with Howie. Uh oh. Simon thinks they need more imagination. There have definitely been better mentalists on AGT. Howie says No. Julianne and Gabrielle say yes. Mysterioso tries another trick to convince Simon. And Steffie guesses that Simon was thinking of the TV show Lassie. 3 yeses one no. Steffie “predicted” the 3-1 outcome in their video package. 

Angara – Contortionists – Russian performers who previously competed on Britain’s Got Talent in 2017 get a quick clip and 4 yeses from the judges. Also the Bencha Theater, a balance and air acrobatics act from the Netherlands was montaged at some point during the show. The group incorporates wall climbing into their act. Click to watch a performance.

Chris Klafford – Singer – He won Swedish Idol in 2017. He just turned 30. He looks older! His parents wanted him to join the family business. He claims that pursuing music hasn’t been easy. Except for that winning Swedish Idol thing–which of course he does not mention. He was a fan of KISS. Is he really going to repeat “Imagine?” YAWN. It was his audition song for Swedish Idol, later in the series he sang it again on the finale. It’s a nice version. I’ve heard better coughdavidarchuletacough. I wish he’d sung something else. His voice has a nice tone, mixed with a bit of rasp. He’s got good range in his chest voice. Chris is very emotional, “This is weird,” he confesses. A weirder experience than auditioning for Swedish Idol? Howie notes he wore his heart on his sleeve. Julianne felt his heart and passion. Simon thought he did something special with the song. – 4 yeses

Matthew Richardson – Hoop Aerialist – Thirty-three year old Matthew didn’t pursue performing until after he turned 20. But he hopes AGT can be his ticket to a performing career. Currently he’s a freelance graphic designer. He executes a beautiful, graceful act using a large silver hoop as a prop. It’s hard to believe he got such a late start on his craft. Plus, he’s over 30 and still so limber and strong. Matthew explains that he has struggled for years, through injuries, even. Gabrielle is impressed that he went for his dreams. Howie calls him graceful and athletic. Simon says yes, but warns that there needs to be more going forward. – 4 yeses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTLVe8YdXzs

Robert Finley – Singer – This 65 year old Vietnam Vet is struggling with glaucoma, but it’s not stopping him from pursuing his dream to be a singer and musician. He grew up a sharecropper on a farm in Louisiana. After coming back from the war, he got married and had kids. He gave up his musical dreams. Glaucoma has robbed his sight over the last four years. The loss prompted him to discover music again. “I had to lose my physical sight so I could see my true destiny,” he says before launching into an original song called “Get It While You Can.” His raspy, spirited voice is soulful and full of grit. He definitely could have been a contender back in the 70’s. The original sounds like a hit from that era. Simon’s got “Susan Boyle Face” as he watches. Heh. Howie calls him a great inspiration and a great talent. Simon compares his voice to the finest old wine. “You don’t have that voice when your 17, 20 years old…this could go through the roof for you,” he says. His daughter joins him out on stage to help him off. Sweet – 4 yeses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McazBQaXp3o

Kara with a K – Comedian – Thirty-seven year old comic mostly performs in and around Los Angeles, but is originally from Texas. Fat jokes seem to be her shtick. She once appeared on A&E’s hidden camera show Nobody’s Perfect. Her breasts are huge, but she has a skinny waist as if she corsets (yes, that’s a thing). She flirts with Simon before she begins her routine. Or maybe this is her routine. IDK. No, she has a routine. She does fat jokes, using that annoying Cardi B. okuuuur deal. Oh Lord. She pulls cheeseburgers out of her bra and does a split while eating it. She pulls fries out from the other side for the judges panel. Next she swipes Simon’s drink before heading back to the stage. OK then. She’s a little over the top for me. Howie calls her a “hilarious buffet.” Gabrielle says, “More please. More mama more.” Julianne declares her “empowering.” Simon calls her the “Dolly Parton of comedy.” – 4 yeses

Howie celebrates his 10 year anniversary on the show. Nobody shows up. Simon sticks his finger in the middle of the cake, which germ phobic Howie just loves. Yay.

Luke Islam – Kid singer – He’s a 12 year old singer from Garden City New York. He loves Broadway shows. He saw his first at six years old. His dream is to be on stage some day. He’s seen Kinky Boots eight times.  When Luke confesses that Julianne is his favorite of the judges, Simon hits his red X. Just kidding! Luke has been following Julianne and her brother Derek for ages. And of course, by process of elimination, he’s her Golden Buzzer. So much for suspense! He sings “She Used to Be Mine” from the Broadway musical Waitress in a beautiful, clear tenor. I hope his eventual voice change does not mess that up. His tone is lovely. He’s still imitative at his young age, and tends to reach blindly for runs, but there’s a ton of potential there. Julianne is crying. Gabrielle shouts “YOU KILLED IT!” Howie compliments his poise. Simon doesn’t diss him for being “Broadway.” Heh. But he does warn him not to be generic. Julianne is so flattered that he looks up to her and brother Derek that she…..HITS HER GOLDEN BUZZER. Luke is crying as he shares how grateful he is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3MaA6L1qNk

Next week, it’s Judge Cuts! Brad Paisley, Jay Leno, Ellie Kemper and Gabrielle Union’s husband, Dwyane Wade are guest judges. Next week, it’s Brad Paisley.