America’s Got Talent 2022 Recap: Auditions 5 Live Blog (Video)

America’s Got Talent 2022 Auditions 5 Spoilers – Meet the Acts (Photos)
America’s Got Talent 2022 MEGA Contestant List (Photos, Videos)

America’s Got Talent 2022: Full Season 17 Schedule

The episode opens with a Kia commercial starring the judges. Simon steals a car, the judges show up late, and Sofia trips on her way to the table. 

Nicolas Ribs – Magician

NBC dropped this audition early. Check it out HERE. Nicolas is French and brings his daughter along to translate for him. He performs close-up magic at a light table. In his unique act, Nicolas turns images on the table, including playing cards, into 3 dimensional objects, seamlessly. The act ends with a patriotic flourish, which gets the crowd on its feet.

Heidi calls it cool. Howie gushes, “I’ve never seen magic better, I’ve never seen magic more unique.” Simon also calls it “unique.” He wants to see auditions he’s never seen before. 4 yeses

Keegan the Bicycle Comedian

Keegan Buckingham is a Chicago based comedian whose comedy revolves around bikes, bike riding, and bike puns. He explains that he’s done stand up for 10 years and has something unique to bring, which is jokes only about bicycles. The audience begins booing immediately. The judges push their Xs pretty fast. NO.

Mr Pants – Comedian

Ryan Dee, who also creates giant sculptures, including one of the infamous poo emoji, wears a costume comprised of a large pair of pants. Simon immediately rolls his eyes when Mr. Pants takes the stage. He does an act similar to Keegan, except pants. However, he’s so confident and charming, the crowd loves it. The jokes are bad, but delivered amusingly.

Howie thinks he’s hysterical “You didn’t slack off.” Har. Heidi can’t wait for him to come back “and really let your pants down.” Har. Har. Sofia calls him “amazing.” Simon calls him “silly funny” and adds, “people are going to remember you.” 4 yeses

Mia Morris – Drummer/Singer-Songwriter

Mia is a Nashville based 17-year-old multi-instrumentalist musician. In her act, Mia performs an original song while “looping” in all the instruments. She starts off with a bass line. Then grabs a guitar and adds an electric riff. She plays the drums live and sings. Her style is pop punk, which has come back into style recently. She’s obviously talented. But the song is really short. Mia has been uploading viral videos to Youtube since she was a tween.

Howie calls her “a star…I just loved what you did.” Heidi loved it. Sofia calls her cool. Simon thought it was a bit of a mess but “it should be…I loved it so much.” He appreciates her originality. 

William Roelants – Comedy musician

William, a Vancouver, Canada native plays blues and country music while incorporating comedy. On AGT, however, his act consists of popping balloons to a track of the “1812 Overture.” It’s very dumb. Of course, he’s immediately buzzed by Simon. Somehow he injures himself and is bleeding – NO

Chiko – Acrobat

Chiko the acrobat competed on Spain’s Got Talent Season 7. He doesn’t speak good English–Sofia offers to help him. He’s from Cuba, but lives in Spain now, Sofia translates. Chico performs a dangerous hand balancing act, from great heights. He builds a scaffold nearly as high as the Xs. And he keeps building the structure higher. His assistant throws up a metal pike, and Chico misses it. He tries again, and adds knives. The hand balancing is pedestrian. The act is all about height, and sharp objects. 

Howie calls it “really scary.” Heidi wants to see more. Chico explains that his brother is the dude assisting him. – 4 yeses.

Abbie and Ellie Smith – Sibling singing duo

The two are twin daughters of Angie Smith, Christian author and Todd Smith, Lead singer of popular Christian band Selah. They aren’t very good. Simon stops them “That was a little bit stodgy…you won’t be remembered.” At least he didn’t buzz them! They were pretty terrible – NO

Marcus Terell – Singer

AGT returnee, Marcus,  was a season 4 quarterfinalist back in 2009. His act is high in sex appeal and he performs with a crew of dancers. Check out his 2009 quarter finals performance HERE. In the Las Vegas round, the judges forced Marcus to find more “talented” background dancers in order to move on. He’s still doing the same lame schtick from years ago, only more outrageous. 

Simon buzzes him quickly and Howie follows. Simon explains that he liked him when he took the stage (who knows, that part is edited out). The crowd is booing. Marcus politely thanks him for the feedback – NO

Connor Johnson – Acoustic Singer

Connor, from Waikiki is an acoustic pop singer who busks on the streets. He’s also a surfer! His mom, a military nurse, is in the audience cheering him on. He has a very pretty tone and a lovely falsetto. Not much of a guitar player, however. Simon stops him: “That was a bit boring.” The audience boos. Connor performs another song. It’s also a ballad and not much different from the first, actually. The melody is a little more compelling, maybe. He reminds me somewhat of American Idol’s Francisco Martin. It’s that same heart-on-his sleeve thing. 

Sofia liked the second song more. “Your voice is beautiful.” Heidi calls him “easy on the eyes.” She thinks the girls will love him. Howie believes he’ll have a successful career. Simon says he needs to go a bit out of his comfort zone if there is a next time. 4 yeses.

MPLUSPLUS – Tech Dancers/Stage Tech

Tokyo-based dance crew incorporates lights and other technologies into dance routines. The group’s director has been working on their stage technology for 12 years.  The crew dances while seemingly wielding ribbons of light.  It’s colorful and dramatic. A short routine, did that really take 12 years to create?

Simon calls it “very Vegas very original.” Sofia says “I was in a trance.” Heidi forgot where she was for a minute. “Your dancing was on point.” Howie loved it – 4 yeses

The Dremeka Choir – Heavy Metal Choir

Backstage with Terry, the group is presents like a normal choir. But actually, the group, based in Montreal, claim to be the first and only choir in the world made up of heavy metal vocalists. When they begin singing, it’s literally growl-metal. It’s not very pleasant for non-metal heads. But it is different! Simon should appreciate that. They end with an “interesting” metal version of Britney’s “Toxic.”  

Simon is laughing. Heidi buzzes them. The crowd gives them a standing ovations. Simon calls it “fantastically creepy. I’m all for going over to the dark side.” Sofia calls it “creative, spectacular.” Heidi didn’t love it, she didn’t see the appeal. 3 yeses, Heidi says no

Lily Meola – Singer/Songwriter – Heidi’s Golden Buzzer

Lily is a touring musician, born and raised in Maui, now California-based. She describes her sound as dreampop and folk. She gained recognition at 20 after performing a duet with Willie Nelson. She sings an original song “Daydream,” which she wrote when her life was “really beautiful.” Life was great, she had a label deal. Her future looked bright. But then her life turned upside down. She lost her mother to cancer, and while taking care of her, Lily lost her record deal. She tears up talking about her. As a songwriter, she’s a good storyteller, vocally, she sings with a beautiful, lyrical tone. If she doesn’t make it as a performer, she could survive as a songwriter. 

Heidi is wiping away tears. Howie can “feel the emotion…you are the butterfly on the way.” Sofia says “I think your mother was watching you tonight.” The record deal didn’t produce music, she says. Simon admires her persistence. Heidi is speechless. “I see a light around you.” She’s so moved that…Heidi hits her golden buzzer. That means Lilly will advance straight to the live shows.

Jordan Conley – Comedian

Jordan is a comedian from Garden Grove, California. He’s entertaining from the moment he hits the stage. His comedic hero is Kevin Hart. He’s cribbing jokes from his viral video HERE, which is about his dad wanting him to join the military. It’s odd that he’s using old material. But he is funny! 

Sofia loves his energy. Simon calls him “naturally funny” and “super talented.” Heidi calls him “fast.” She says, “It was all funny.” Howie likes that there is no separation between who he is and his act. He likes that. 4 yeses

Merissa Beddows Vocal Impressionist

AGT previewed Merissa’s audition. Watch it HERE. The 23 year old studies opera singing at the Curtis Institute of Music, a conservatory located in Philadelphia, PA. However, she runs a popular Tik Tok account filled with spot-on vocal impressions of iconic pop singers. AGT alum Jackie Evancho inspired her to sing. A stage hand hands Heidi a big die that have Merissa’s favorite impressions written on each side. Merissa begins “Over the Rainbow” in her own voice. Heidi shouts out names, and Merissa delivers spot on impressions of Ariana Grande, Stevie Nicks, Celine Dion, Disney Snow White and, hilariously, the iPhone voice, Siri.

Howie compliments her singing and her impressions. Heidi loved being a part of her act. Sofia calls the whole act “perfect.” Simon didn’t like the cube, but he liked her impressions a lot. 4 yeses.

On a personal note, and not mentioned in the clip, Merissa started a GoFundMe last month to raise money for her sick mother who needs long-term care.

Siegfried and Joy – Magicians

The duo are Berlin based magicians who perform illusion based magic. They performed an act in Vegas titled “Las Vegas in Berlin.” They appeared on Romanian Talent show iUmor. The routine mixes comedy into their act. Hilariously, they make a confused Jordan Conley appear out of nowhere. The jokey name should be a tip off, right? Simon looks annoyed, but Howie seems to love it. It’s a fun act!

Heidi is proud to be a German. They bring her a present. “I love this!” Howie gushes. “Comedy is becoming king.” One of them replies, deadpan, “We’re magicians.” Sofia wants to be part of their act. Simon didn’t get it. The crowd boos. “I thought it was all a bit stupid,” he says. – 3 yeses, Simon says no