On the July 9 episode of “America’s Got Talent” Season 19, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara will meet Alex Sampson, a 20-year-old singer who delivers a “retro” original song titled “Pretty Baby.” The judges praise his originality and urge him to continue singing tunes that sound like they’re from the ’50s and the ’60s. Watch Alex Sampson’s performance above in this week’s “AGT” sneak peek video.
When Alex first steps out on the stage, he admits that he’s “a little bit nervous,” and then he bonds with Simon over their similar wardrobes, aka plain black T-shirts. He’s from the small town of Atikokan, Ontario, Canada, which he jokes has less people than are currently sitting inside the “AGT” theater. As for what he plans to do with the $1 million should he win, Alex divulges, “I’m just trying to get through this audition, to be honest.”
SEE ‘America’s Got Talent’ winners list: All seasons, plus ‘Champions’ and ‘Extreme’
Following his performance of “Pretty Baby,” the judges have nothing but praise for the aspiring singer. Sofia calls the routine “beautiful” and that he didn’t seem nervous at all.
Even though Heidi did pick up on Alex’s nerves, she notes, “I also love the vibe and I’m here for it.”
Alex’s voice reminds Howie of the lead singer of the 1960s band Herman’s Hermits. “I love that, and that’s kind of retro, and nobody’s doing that now,” the Canadian judge remarks. “So not only is it good, but I think you’re creating something that doesn’t exist right now.”
Simon concludes the critiques by saying the song sounds like it was “written in the ’50s or the ’60s,” which is a “smart” move. “It’s the kind of song you would hear in a Martin Scorsese movie, in that era. It was very authentic. It was very different.”
All four judges give the singer a “yes” vote, sending him through to the next round. Do YOU think Alex Sampson is on his way to the winner’s circle? Sound off down in the comments section.
“America’s Got Talent” will continue to air throughout the summer on NBC and the finale of Season 19 will likely air in mid-September, when the next winner will be crowned. Refresh your memory on all of the former champs by scrolling through our “AGT” winners list. The program is such a monumental success that it’s spawned countless versions around the globe, plus four spin-offs in the U.S. alone: “America’s Got Talent: The Champions,” “America’s Got Talent: Extreme,” “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars” and “America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.”
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