Spoilers ahead for the August 1 episode of America's Got Talent Season 18.
America's Got Talent started August strong with the latest auditions episode, which delivered contestants that were not only incredibly talented, but who also had incredible stories to share. The episode also finally delivered judge Sofia Vergara hitting her golden buzzer to advance a competitor all the way to the live shows, and she decided on a singer from Brazil who belted a Whitney Houston song. After she hit her golden buzzer for the Mayyas in Season 17, who went on to win the grand prize, is singer Gabriel Henrique already a frontrunner to win this season?
It had felt like forever since Heidi Klum hit the golden buzzer for singer Lavender Darcangelo, and I was more than ready to see Vergara make her choice as the only judge remaining who hadn't yet made the gold confetti rain down on the AGT stage. After watching Gabriel Henrique's performance of Whitney Houston's "Run to You," I'm glad that she saved it until it was his turn! Take a look:
I know that I was rooting for Gabriel Henrique to at least be good after he introduced himself as a 27-year-old from Brazil, who spoke only a limited amount of English. All in good fun, Heidi Klum asked Simon Cowell's frequent question about whether or not the contestant had a pet, leading to Henrique's sad reveal that he'd recently lost his dog. He was speaking his native tongue while telling the story, and Sofia Vergara gasped before the interpreter could even translate for the rest of the room, which clued Klum in that he wasn't going to have a happy answer.
So, I was very happy to see that he absolutely nailed his rendition of "Run to You" and won the long-awaited golden buzzer from Sofia Vergara! There can be no doubt that he would have gotten a yes from all four of the judges and advance anyway, but I'm glad that he got something special from the former Modern Family star.
A vote of confidence from Sofia Vergara could be even more encouraging in Season 18, considering that that her golden buzzer choice from Season 17 went on to win the whole thing! Admittedly, the Mayyas last season and Gabriel Henrique are hardly the same kind of competitors, and Henrique isn't the only singer to get the gold confetti this summer, but I'm feeling good about his chances. Support from Sofia Vergara is a great way to start the AGT journey. Plus, contestants who get a golden buzzer are historically more likely to win the grand prize!
There is only one more episode of auditions left in Season 18, with no golden buzzers left to distribute unless the judges all bend the rules again, and I don't really see that happening after they did so already in the premiere for the Mzansi Youth Choir. Now is definitely the time to keep tuning in to America's Got Talent on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, and/or catching up streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.
