Young contestants are taking over “America’s Got Talent.”
Tuesday’s episode marked the fourth and last round of Judges Cuts, where 18 acts competed for the final spots moving on to the live shows at Dolby Theatre.
“This is going to be the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make to decide the seven acts who are going through, because you have to be a contender (to advance),” judge Simon Cowell said.
He had help from Jay Leno, although the famed comedian and television host admitted, “I spent 20 years introducing people not judging them, so this will be new for me.”
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But Leno seemed to get the hang of his guest judging duties rather quickly, adding a new milestone to his esteemed showbiz career.
“I feel at some point of my career, people will say, ‘What do you remember most?'” Leno said. “I remember hitting the golden buzzer.”
The former “Tonight Show” host bestowed the honor on 10-year-old opera singer Emanne Beasha, who performed “the hardest song I’ve ever done,” Lucio Dalla’s “Caruso.”
“To have a voice like this is not something you train to get; it genuinely is a gift,” Cowell said, while Howie Mandel added: “We are seeing acts coming out here … and they aren’t stepping it up and they are double your age. Then you come out here and show them how it’s done.”
Cowell noted that “all the young kids on this show are literally killing.”
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The six acts joining Beasha in the live shows are magician Eric Chien, contortionist dancer Marina Mazepa, singers Charlotte Summers and Benicio Bryant, stand-up comedian Jackie Fabulous and the group Voices of Service.
“America’s Got Talent” will return on Aug. 13 for the live shows.
