America’s Got Talent is preparing for its second live quarterfinal of Season 21, and another group of 11 acts is about to face the biggest test of the competition so far.
The next live show airs Tuesday, August 25, with singers, dancers, musicians, magic and specialty performers all competing for a limited number of places in the next stage.
Taking the stage are Béty, Brad & Tracy, Butter & Grit, Come Here, Geno Ploeger, LaRussell, Mackenzie Sol, Nene Royal, Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm, Patrox and Veronika Goroshkova.
The lineup immediately creates an interesting clash because the acts come from completely different corners of the competition.
Béty returns as a singer, while Butter & Grit and Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm bring vocal partnerships into the live-show pressure. LaRussell offers something different as a rapper, while teenage standout Nene Royal combines vocals with guitar.
Nene could be one of the acts attracting the most attention going into the night.
Her audition became one of Season 21’s biggest online performances after she delivered her interpretation of “Zombie,” demonstrating a combination of rock vocals and guitar playing that immediately separated her from many of the season’s singers.
There are also two contestants entering Tuesday night with the extra expectations that come with receiving an audition Golden Buzzer.
Singer Mackenzie Sol, who received Mel B’s Golden Buzzer, will compete alongside aerial performer Veronika Goroshkova, Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer choice.
But earning that honor earlier in the season doesn’t guarantee anything now.
Season 21 introduced an especially unforgiving live-show structure. The Top 44 have been divided into four groups of 11, meaning every quarterfinal night eliminates the majority of the performers who take the stage.
There is, however, one enormous shortcut.
During each live quarterfinal, one judge has the opportunity to use a Live Golden Buzzer, sending an act directly to the Finals rather than simply advancing them to the Semifinals.
How powerful that twist can be became obvious during the first quarterfinal.
Howie Mandel used his Live Golden Buzzer on South Korean magic group Hundred Fingers, the same act he had previously backed during the auditions. Their quarterfinal performance impressed Mandel enough that he sent them straight past the semifinal stage and into the Finals.
For everyone else, viewers control what happens next.
After Tuesday’s 11 performances, voting remains open overnight. Three acts will advance to the Semifinals through America’s vote, while the Live Golden Buzzer recipient moves straight into the Finals. That leaves seven performers facing elimination from a single night.
The first quarterfinal already demonstrated just how brutal that format can be.
Luke Taleno, Olivia Befus and Royal Lasers earned places in the Semifinals after the opening live round, while Hundred Fingers skipped directly ahead to the Finals. The remaining contestants saw their Season 21 journeys end.
That means Tuesday’s performers know there is very little margin for error.
For dance group Come Here and dancer Patrox, one routine must be memorable enough to stand out against singers and musicians. Magician Geno Ploeger has to create a moment strong enough for a live television audience, while specialty duo Brad & Tracy will be trying to translate the excitement of their earlier appearance onto the much bigger quarterfinal stage.
And there is another major change hanging over the upcoming live shows.
Simon Cowell is expected to miss several weeks while undergoing a planned back procedure, meaning the judging panel could look different as Season 21 continues. Guest judges may temporarily appear during his absence.
All of that makes Quarterfinal 2 particularly unpredictable.
Two Golden Buzzer contestants enter with enormous expectations. One judge will have the power to send somebody directly into the Finals. Three more acts can survive through the public vote.
For the other seven, Tuesday night could be their final performance on the AGT stage.
With Nene Royal, Mackenzie Sol, Veronika Goroshkova and eight very different challengers all fighting for the same few positions, Season 21 is about to find out which acts can turn an impressive audition into something even bigger when the pressure is finally live.
