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Music savant Kodi Lee gives a completely new version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on 'AGT'

Lee gave "America's Got Talent" audiences chills with his haunting cover.

America's Got Talent/Youtube

Kodi Lee has become an "AGT" fan favorite with his next level skills

Since 2019, Kodi Lee has wowed “America’s Got Talent” audiences with his next-level musical skills. That goes for whether he’s performing touching original works or putting his own personal touch on well-known songs.

For “America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League,” the music savant was guided by his mentor Howie Mandel to cover “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

It’s hard to imagine a version of this fan-favorite tune you haven’t already heard before, since the song has been covered quite a few times. But once again Lee delivered something epic and completely unique.

Even though judges Mel B and Heidi Klum still prefer Lee’s original songs, all applauded his haunting and emotional piano rendition of the rock-n-roll anthem.

Simon Cowell even said “You use these words ‘Star Quality’ a lot, but you genuinely, Kodi, over the years we’ve got to know you, you’ve just got better as an artist. You’ve never given up, and the Finals just wouldn’t be the same without you in it this year.”

Other viewers applauded Lee for one-of-a-kind performance, agreeing that he did freddie Mercury proud.

One wrote, “‘You can do whatever you want to do in my music, just don't make it boring’ -Freddie. What a magical performance.”

Another added, “Kodi has an amazingly rare talent to be able to sing across different musical genres. He owns them all!!!”

Last but not least, I think this comment sums up the general consensus pretty well: "This version is unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. It’s truly a masterpiece. Kodi is an amazing gift to our world. He continues to change the world just by being himself."

Watch below. And enjoy.

This article originally appeared on 2.13.24

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Pop Culture

14-yr-old's expressive, physics-defying 'Mad World' dance blows away AGT judges and fans

Her haunting performance is a must-see.

America's Got Talent/YouTube

Mariandrea Villegas has talent and showmanship beyond her years.

Dance is a unique art form in that the medium it utilizes is the human body itself. Simply through purposeful and graceful control of movement, dancers can express and evoke joy, sadness, fear, confusion—the whole range of human emotion. And when dancing is done well, it's utterly mesmerizing.

Such is the case with Mariandrea, a 14-year-old from Mexico who auditioned for America's Got Talent in July of 2023 and wowed both the judges and the audience with her dance performance. She has been dancing since she was 5, and as Simon Cowell pointed out, it's clear that she was born to do this.

After showing off her sparkling personality during the pre-performance interview, Mariandrea danced to a cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," personifying the song in her performance. But it wasn't just her intentional movement that reflected the emotional complexity of the ever-popular hit. Her facial expressions, ranging from subtle fear to a clown-like smile to genuine sorrow to angry defiance, change on a dime, adding an acting element to her routine that takes it to the next level.

Add in the incredible control she has of her body as it twists and turns and seems to defy gravity, both gracefully flowing and disturbingly contorting, and it's easy to see why she earned a standing ovation and enthusiastic praise from all four judges.

Watch:

For someone so young to have such a strong grasp of her craft is quite extraordinary, and people were wowed by her talent as well as her showmanship.

"I had to watch this more than once. Her smile, energy, and face reminds me of a young Natalie Portman. You can tell she is more than a dancer also, very intelligent, expressive, talented, yes acting too. Wow! Congratulations!" shared one commenter.

"This young lady has a very bright future ahead of her! The passion that she emanated while dancing was above and beyond what we have seen in half the dancers that are older than her... Can't wait to see what she does next!!!" wrote another.

"Stunned. I would have given her a golden buzzer. The sharpness, flexibility, timing, theatrics, and costume use. 10/10," shared another.

One commenter pointed out that her dance felt like a monologue, and another person called it "absolute art." Many people expressed disappointment that she didn't receive the Golden Buzzer, which would propel her immediately to the final round. But if her other performances are anything like this one, she's got a pretty decent chance of making it to the finals without it.

This article originally appeared on 9.18.23

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Guy shows off unreal drumming skills during mesmerizing 'AGT' audition

The rhythm, the energy, the smile. No wonder one judge called it "the perfect audition."

America's Got Talent/Youtube

Gotta love a good drum solo.

Few instruments in this world are as universally loved as the drums. For thousands of years, humans in virtually every culture have used drums to raise energy, be it for ceremonial purposes or good old-fashioned celebration. I mean, have you ever listened to a really bangin’ drum solo and not been immediately revved up? It’s pretty much impossible.

So when a masterful drum player aces an instrument that already gives such a visceral experience, you know you’re in for one hell of an auditory ride. Twenty-six-year-old Timothy Fletcher gave “America’s Got Talent” audiences just that.

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, and armed with only a single drum, Fletcher mesmerized the crowd with a personality-filled hip-hop routine that not only had a fantastic array of rhythms, but fun dance moves and impressive tricks. It really was a whole show in itself.

Watch:

Fletcher shared with the judges that he started playing drums in high school, but stopped. However, he took up the passion once again thanks to the encouragement of a friend who said he had a gift with the instrument, even predicting that one day he would be on the “AGT” stage.

After that friend was tragically killed, Fletcher decided to really take that message to heart by sharing his gift with the world. And yes, coming to compete for the winning title.

Fletcher is clearly well on his way to doing so, earning an enthusiastic “yes” vote from all four judges. Heidi Klum called it a “perfect first audition.”

We don’t always see our talents for the gifts that they are. But that changes when we receive support from a loved one. Their affirmation can carry us to surprising, exciting and wondrous places even after they’re gone. Love really is a magical thing.

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11-year-old AGT audience member wows everyone with her amazing voice—getting her own 'Golden Buzzer'

Madison Taylor Baez continued to move audiences when she told them what she would do with the million dollar prize.

YouTube

Her talent is unreal.

We all know that in NBC’s long running “America’s Got Talent,” it’s all about earning that coveted Golden Buzzer. Performers of all kinds grace the stage in hopes of wowing the judges, seizing the prize and moving onto the next round.

What you might not know is that during commercial breaks, random audience members get a chance to show their stuff as well. Usually this bit is just for fun to pass the time. But one young singer gave such a spectacular performance that everyone was left in awe.

Eleven-year-old Madison Baez Taylor was placed in the audience by the show’s producers unbeknownst to the judges. A huge AGT fan, Madison had been to tapings since she was 4 years old and would always try to sing during the commercial breaks. Finally—the year she came to actually audition, no less—her dream came true.

Once Madison was handed the mic, there was no holding back. Her raw, soulful rendition of “Amazing Grace” instantly wowed, and the crowd burst into a standing ovation. Judges Sofía Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel spun in their chairs. Even the notoriously unimpressed Simon Cowell quickly came in from backstage to see who the mysterious powerhouse was.

“We do ask people in the breaks if they’d like to sing a song and I was literally just coming back in and I heard this voice, thinking, ‘Who the hell is that?’ And then I see this little thing in the audience and it’s you,” Cowell told Madison.

With a smile, Cowell then asked Madison to sing again. This time on the stage. For an official audition.

Through tears, Madison sang again a capella, somehow with even more flair and gusto. And holy moly, that vibrato.

Needless to say, cheers ensued.

After her thrilling encore, Cowell told Madison, “I’m not kidding. In all the years we’ve ever done this, this has never actually happened before. I mean, I normally leave during the break because people do sing, so this is actually the opposite. It actually brought me back into the room.”

Mandel then asked Madison what she might do with the $1 million grand prize if she were to win. Her heartfelt answer caught everyone by surprise.

“I would help my dad with cancer research. He's had stage 4 colon cancer for the past nine years,” Madison said, getting emotional.

Her dad, who had come to support his daughter during her big moment, later joined Madison on the stage. He revealed that she learned to sing by serenading him during his surgeries and chemo treatment. “She’d sing to me and help me get better, and I’m doing very well,” he told the audience.

Madison received the Golden Buzzer from Mandel. No vote necessary. She and her dad shared a wonderful moment of victory as the golden confetti rained down. Whether she makes it to the final round or not, this girl is a winner.

From Your Site Articles

best of humanity

americas got talent

Music savant Kodi Lee gives a completely new version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on 'AGT'

Lee gave "America's Got Talent" audiences chills with his haunting cover.

14-yr-old's expressive, physics-defying 'Mad World' dance blows away AGT judges and fans

Her haunting performance is a must-see.

Guy shows off unreal drumming skills during mesmerizing 'AGT' audition

The rhythm, the energy, the smile. No wonder one judge called it "the perfect audition."

11-year-old AGT audience member wows everyone with her amazing voice—getting her own 'Golden Buzzer'

Madison Taylor Baez continued to move audiences when she told them what she would do with the million dollar prize.

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