Top 10 Americas Got Talent Performances That Will Make You Cry
#10: Angelina Green
On its own, The Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” is a pretty emotional song, speaking to the powers of love and helping others in times of darkness. But, when 13-year-old Angelina Green sang the ballad on the twelfth season of “America’s Got Talent” – and told the story of how she used music to heal her soul during her parents’ turbulent divorce – she earned a standing ovation from the judges, and left both herself and her family in tears. Angelina claimed that music was her medicine during that rough time in her life, and she turned a bad situation into a positive one through the power of music for all of us to take hope from.
#9: Anna Clendening
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The story of staring fear in the face and beating depression and anxiety is a powerful one that sparks hope in many listeners, and hope is exactly what 20-year-old Anna gave to the judges and audience during her “Got Talent” audition. Having been literally bedridden only months earlier, she used music - along with therapy - to help her face her fears and overcome the deep, dark hole of mental illness from which she suffered since the age of 14. Her choice of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is the perfect song to represent her victory in the battle against mental health issues.
#8: Frank Dimitri
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At first glance, 74-year-old Frank Dimitri’s rendition of Harold Arlen’s “I’ve Got The World on a String” - made famous by Frank Sinatra in the 1950s - is a swinging, upbeat version of the classic song that had the audience and fellow musicians smiling and clapping along. But, and you wouldn’t know it from his performance, Frank has a stuttering problem that kept him from singing in public all his life… until NOW that is! Frank refused to let his stutter hold him back any longer, and proved to the “Got Talent” judges what true courage looks like, getting a unanimous “yes” vote from them in the process.
#7: Johnny Shelton
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Johnny’s performance of his own song, called “That’s Love,” in season 10 of “America’s Got Talent” left audience members crying. It also had judge Howie Mandel searching for words to describe it. See, Johnny had been singing and playing guitar all his life, but when his five-year old son died of cancer he stopped performing. The one thing Johnny always instilled in his son was the power of love, and – using that exact power – he finally started performing again prior to this appearance and channeled the memory of his son to deliver one of the most powerful, emotional performances in “Got Talent” history.
#6: Calysta Bevier
Calysta’s choice in performing Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” – a tune about believing in yourself against all odds – is incredibly apt, seeing as she was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer and battled against all odds to not only survive, but also to make it on “America’s Got Talent” as well. She recounts memories of the cancer taking over in hospital, but always having her headphones in listening to music to give her hope and the power to fight back against the disease. Simon gushed over her performance, calling it “special” while giving her the Golden Buzzer and sending her to the quarterfinals.
#5: Drew Lynch
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Drew is a stand-up comedian who’s used to making light of situations for a laugh, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t seen his own share of struggles. Playing softball at age 19, Drew took a groundball to the throat – causing nerve damage – and also suffered a concussion that greatly affected his speech. Amazingly, while believing that he could turn any negative situation into a positive one and wishing to give hope to others, he began working on a stand up act and totally floored the “AGT” audience with his jokes about his stuttering condition. Howie Mandel could barely contain himself during Drew’s performance and gave him the Golden Buzzer to send him into the quarterfinal.
#4: Mandy Harvey
Tragically losing her residual hearing at age 18 due to a deteriorating nerve condition, Mandy triumphed on the “AGT” stage in 2017, singing an original song of her own creation called “Try.” Having been a musician from a young age, Mandy originally left the music biz after losing her hearing. But she later relearned how to get back into singing and playing using muscle memory, visual tuners and by feeling the vibrations of the beat through her feet on the floor. She so impressed the judges, namely Simon Cowell, that she earned the Golden Buzzer and made it all the way to the finale of season 12.
#3: Evie Clair
To be honest, we were already choked up at the mere mention of why teenaged Evie wanted to be on the show. Her dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer but continued working to support their family, and Evie wanted to honor him by singing Christina Perri’s “Arms” – a song about the comfort of wrapping your arms around a loved one. While she broke into tears early, she was able to recover and deliver a beautiful tribute to her father that had the audience and judges on their feet. Her highly emotional performances would see her through to the finale of season 12, but failing to make the Top 5.
#2: Kechi Okwuchi
Kechi’s story is an absolute miracle. While returning home for Christmas Holidays from her boarding school in Nigeria, her plane crashed and she was only one of two survivors. Having sang from a young age in children’s choirs, Kechi used music to escape the pain of losing her friends and classmates along with overcoming over one hundred surgeries. From not knowing whether she’d live or die, to gracing the stage of “America’s Got Talent” and becoming a finalist in the twelve season, Kechi showed the world not only her immense talent but also her strength of character, offering hope to all those suffering in life and encouraging us all to never give up. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Christian Guardino Jaycob Curlee Sharon Irving Tim Hockenberry Merrick Hanna Tyler Butler-Figueroa
#1: Kodi Lee
Despite being born blind and diagnosed with autism at a young age, Kodi’s dream is to be a rock star… and after his 2019 appearance on “America’s Got Talent,” he’s well on his way! We mean… just listen! The look on the judges’ faces, Terry Crews cheering from backstage, the entire audience on their feet… it’s just an incredible moment and one that Simon Cowell says he’ll never forget. The 22-year-old musician not only won over judges’ hearts, earning himself the Golden Buzzer, but he also warmed the hearts of celebrities on Twitter like Oprah Winfrey and Ellen. Keep an eye out for Kodi… He’s going places!
