It was one of the most captivating nights on “America’s Got Talent” (AGT) season 17 week 5 of the Live Shows.  It’s a high stakes game with eleven acts competing each week for only two spots to move on to the Finals.  Tuesday night’s Semi-Finals show had some really grand standout moments. Some of which belonged to rapper magician Mervant Vera, comedian Jordan Conley, pole dancer Kristy Sellars, danger act Blade 2 Blade, and a show stopping performance from AGT judge Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer act, Arab dance crew, The Mayyas.

AGT host Terry Crews said Wednesday’s show will be the “biggest” Results show.  Crews reminded viewers at home about the Wild Card act coming up that they will vote on.  There will be an Instant Save vote on the Judges’ Wild Card choices, and then two more acts will be revealed as going into the Finals next week.  There will be a performance from “& Juliet” on the Results episode.  The winner of “America’s Got Talent” will get the two prizes of $1 million and a show at the Luxor in Las Vegas.  The live performance show Tuesday night opened with a TikTok singer.

KRISTEN CRUZ (Singer)

First up was singer Kristen Cruz, who made a name for herself online between making smoothies and shakes.  She was 5 years old when she realized she wanted to be a singer.  Kristen said she would get in trouble for singing in class. On TikTok, it was her thing for making smoothies and singing.  For her live show performance, Kristen sang “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” by Miley Cyrus.

Sofia loved that Kristen got out of her comfort zone and auditioned on AGT.  Simon asked who her influences are.  She said mainly Adele. Simon said she has a great Country voice and in his opinion she chose the wrong song choice.  “I just don’t think you connected with the song tonight.”  Heidi disagreed and said when she closes her eyes, she sees Miley Cyrus.  Howie said he didn’t agree with Simon either.  He said the word that comes to mind is “powerful.” It seems that she’s been doing this live on stage for years, he said.   Crews asked her what it feels like performing on the biggest stage?  She said it’s definitely different from singing in her room and she’s so grateful for being there.

MERVANT VERA (Magician)

Pictured: Mervant Vera — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

From Philly, Mervant Vera said growing up, people didn’t think magic was cool.  He said he’d perform on the street and get kicked-out of wherever he was performing.  He said he had been rapping for a while and decided to put the two together.  With two magicians already passing, he said he has something different to offer.  Mervant said for the Live Show, he’d be doing something risky and even he doesn’t know what to expect from the outcome.
Mervant’s live performance consisted of him free styling a rap from words written on cards that were shuffled by host Terry Crews.  He matched up a word that Heidi picked, then predicted she would say it by placing large cards under every audience member’s seat with the same word written on it.
Heidi reacted that if he just came up with that, he’s a genius.  And his rap with magic definitely separates him from the others.,  Sofia told him that he deserves to be there.  Simon said he really, really liked his first audition. He could hear tonight how nervous Mervant was, and it made him like him even more.  Simon said he can feel how much Mervant wants this. “I think you are super likeable, incredibly talented… You have a real shot at the Finals.”  Howie called him unique, authine this is the year of magic and “you deserve to be here.”    Mervant told Crews that he wants to be a pioneer of magic.

TRAVIS JAPAN (Boy Band)

Pictured: Travis Japan — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Travis Japan said they really want Simon to like them since he formed boy band, “One Direction.”  They want to perform around the world.  They decided to do an original – a boy band song with a twist of Japanese.  About halfway through their act, Howie buzzed them.

Howie said he’s a big boy band fan, he loves BTS.  “You have to hit some of the notes when you’re singing solos.”  He said this seemed like a parody. He called it like an SNL skit.  Simon said it’s really difficult singing live and if you were to listen without the music, they’d be great.  He said but the song was awful.  “I just wish you had chosen a better song. Why didn’t you ask me??”  Hiedi said the vocals needed some finessing.  Sofia said the vocals were “bad” and “I don’t think tonight was your night.”

MAX OLSTER (Dancer)

Max, who is a dancer, said he grew up watching AGT and it’s a full circle moment.  He said he wants to be the most sought after choreographer.  Heidi called his performance “beautiful. poetry in motion.”  She hopes he gets discovered by this.  Sofia said there’s something about him that makes people love him.  Simon said it’s his talent, and his guts.  For non-singers like Max, the music they bring is such an important part.  His dynamics, he flew halfway around the world to live his dream.  Howie said Ed Sheeran, who was the artist whom’s song he chose to dance to, should give Max a call and he can dance live on stage with him.  Crews brought up that Max was the only one to break the video floor earlier during his rehearsal.

JORDAN CONLEY (Comedian) – WILD CARD Winner

Jordan said growing up he moved a lot because his parents were in the military. His natural self is goofy, he said.  This allowed him to make friends.  He decided that he wanted to do comedy.  When he found out he didn’t make it to the AGT live shows, he was devastated.  Then, he got the Wild Card spot!  He said he wants to convince America that they made the right decision by putting him through to the Lives.

Simon gave him a standing ovation.  Howie reacted that Jordan is just loveable, relatable, and likeable.  He said he has a feeling that Jordan connected. Heidi thought he was very funny and her favorite part is his physical comedy.  Simon said it’s so interesting the luck of the draw tonight.  There are about five people that should and could make it through to the Finals.  “Jordan you did brillant tonight,” Simon told him, and he said he felt like he was watching the Olympics.  Simon added that he thinks the audience is going to love him after this performance.   Crews asked how Jordan feels knowing he’s America’s choice.  Jordan answered that he feels like “one million dollars.”

KRISTY SELLARS (Pole Dancing)

Pictured: Kristy Sellars — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Kristy is a mom of three with a busy schedule.  She combines her art of dance with pole dancing.  She plans-out her performances by hand-drawing the routine and mapping out the storylines beforehand.  As part of her pole dancing act, Kristy interacts with a large LED digital screen as a backdrop which is highly animated.

After her live performance, Kristy got a standing ovation from all the judges. Heidi reacted “I loved it, and as you can see everyone else loved it.” Heidi told Kristy that her imagination is amazing.  “Do you have a large LED screen?”  Kristy answered “no” she doesn’t and that she uses a low budget projector in her backyard. Sofia said it’s so fascinating to see her do this on the stage.  She said she thought it was better than her audition.  Simon said he knew the first time they met, that she was going to be great.  Heidi and Sofia called-out Simon that he didn’t!  Simon said usually when people do pole dancing, they go up a short pole and stare at them.  He called her act one of the most astonishing, brilliant, creative acts on the show.  Howie said as a grown man who’s watched hours of pole dancing, “finally a pole dancer I can take my family to see.”

BLADE 2 BLADE (Danger Act)

Pictured: Blade 2 Blade — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Blade 2 Blade is a stunt act from Spain made up of two brothers.  They are from a family of stunt artists.  Their dad was a knife thrower and mom was an acrobat.  They said since they are brothers, they are connected.  They can understand when something is wrong and can correct it.  Being the only danger act left in the competition, they planned to bring fire to their live show.  They added fire to a set of knives that they threw at each other.

Their live show performance earned a standing ovation from all of the judges.  Sofia said it’s so unique to have a duo “doing this knife thing on the stage.  It was great.”  Simon said he was on his feet because he was going to run out of the building at one point.  He said it’s like a horror movie.  “The staging..the danger… everything about it  This is what the show is about.” Howie agreed with Simon and they brought something they needed on the show.  Heidi called it intense, exciting, terrifying.

URBAN CREW (Dance Crew)

Urban Crew is from Manila, Philippines.  After their AGT audition aired their popularity exploded in the Philippines.  Dancing is a passion that they all share.  They street break dance in the streets of Manila.  They plan to have more people jumping in the air on their Live Show performance.  Urban Crew traveled from the Phillipines to be on AGT.

Simon, Howie and Heidi gave them a standing ovation. Simon said he’s so happy about their act.  “What we can do is judge the act on how it makes us feel.  This act makes me feel amazing.”  He added, “that’s what I call a ten.”  They answered it’s about “trust” and it brings them to a higher level.   Howie called it the most exciting and entertaining act of the night. It was Heidi’s favorite act of the night too.  Sofia called their performance “perfect.”

AUBREY BURCHELL (Singer)

Pictured: Aubrey Burchell — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Aubrey talked about how she sings in the back room of her job at Target.  Her audition went very well.  After her AGT audition, when she went back to work at Target Aubrey said shoppers recognized her.  Aubrey said being on AGT made her realize her potential.  She sang with her eyes closed during her audition, but for her live show performance, she said she’s a whole new Aubrey.  She sang “Love By You” by Kirby.  She chose the song because it’s’ so emotionally charged and shows a more tender side of her.

Aubrey got a standing ovation from all of the judges.  Howie said “we think we know now you are such a brave young lady.  You shared with us your struggles.” He said she was right that she is a different person. But, he thought the song choice was “a little cabaret” and would have liked a bigger song. Heidi disagreed and said she loved the song because it shows her amazing range.  Heidi predicted that Target should put up a “help wanted” sign because Aubrey’s career is starting right now. Sofia said she sounded amazing, not like she’s been singing at Target.  Simon called her really cool, and really interesting. He said she could have made it a little easier on herself by singing a song that they all know.  He said “it doesn’t matter.  Because you did brilliant.  You have a star glow about you.”

SHU TAKADA (Yo-Yo Artist)

Simon previously said “all yo-yo acts are boring.”  But, Shu Takada raised the bar.  His inspiration was his dad because he wanted to be better than him.  He’s a six-time champion.  He had to improve his skill for live performance and practiced new tricks. He said at his house he has one thousand five hundred yo-yos.  For his live show performance, Shu used LED yo-yos.

Simon and Howie gave him a standing ovation.  He said his son Eric just gave Shu two thumbs up.  Simon said it’s brillant what he does and Shu has a real shot at the Finals.  Heidi said Shu is already a superhero.  Sofia said he definitely makes yo-yo cool.   Howie said he’s never seen yo-yoing at that level and Shu redeemed his country, “Japan is proud.” Simon said Howie got flak online for his rude remarks about the boy band.  Shu said he really enjoyed the stage and hoped they liked his show and performance.

MAYYAS (Dance Crew) – Sofia’s Golden Buzzer

Pictured: Mayyas — Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC

Sofia said she gave her Golden Buzzer to the Mayyas because it’s 36 women dancing as one.  “It’s magic!”  The Mayyas have been dancing for more than ten years.  They said dancing as a female Arab isn’t really supported.  “Once you do something you love, you will succeed no matter what.” They said it was overwhelming to get the Golden Buzzer and know that it’s possible to have a career in dance.  They said they have to take it up to the next level for the live shows.  So, for their live show performance, they said they want to make everyone believe in magic.

After their stunning performance which consisted of them turning themselves into a tree, then a snake, they got a well deserved standing ovation from all of the judges.  Simon said every single person in this room is going to remember this moment. This is a performance that changes the world.  “That is America’s Got Talent.  That is the world’s got talent.” Sofia, who made her way up onstage with them, said she would give them another Golden Buzzer.  Heidi called them “Vegas ready” and they don’t have to do another thing.  Howie said they aren’t’ a dance crew. They create the most powerful creatures. Visually and audibly the best moment I have seen in AGT history.”