“America's Got Talent” Unveils Its 10 Finalists for Season 19: Meet the Acts Vying for the $1 Million Prize (Exclusive)
America's Got Talent's two-part season 19 finale airs Tuesday, Sept. 17 and Tuesday Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC
America's Got Talent fans have spoken, and it all comes down to this!
As season 19 of the national talent show ends its semifinal rounds, 10 contestants have made it to the two-part finale, beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
After a show-stopping season of gravity-defying stunts and legendary vocal stylings, America voted for the final 10 who will compete for the $1 million grand prize.
Below, PEOPLE has an exclusive look at each act heading into the finals.
AIRFOOTWORKS
AIRFOOTWORKS is an air-dance group from Japan who embodies a unique fusion of dance and street workout. The group was formed by Takashi Jonishi, who pioneered this innovative self-taught dance style during rehabilitation from a lower back injury.
During the Aug. 20 episode of the NBC hit series, the stakes were raised even higher as judges Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel jokingly feuded over AIRFOOTWORKS' impressive dance performance and who really had the honors of giving them a coveted Golden Buzzer.
After the group's routine left the judges and crowd on their feet, all wowed by their mesmerizing performance to Ed Sheeran's "Celestial," things took a dramatic turn. Chaos ensued when Simon and Howie both reached to press the golden buzzer at the same time.
In an interview with PEOPLE shortly after the performance, AIRFOOTWORKS reacted to the feud, saying: "I was really surprised when we got out and this! It was really amazing."
Brent Street
Brent Street is a powerful and heartfelt dance act representing Sydney, Australia.
Many members have been performing since the age of 3, leading to nearly two decades of experience.
During auditions, the group received a standing ovation from the crowd and judges Howie, Simon, Sofia Vergara, and Heidi Klum as they raved about the performance. Then, following a standing ovation and positive feedback from all the judges, the group received Howie’s Golden Buzzer.
"This was a very, very, very, very exciting dance... it was also something we haven't seen before," Heidi said as Sofía declared, "That's my favorite part of being a judge of AGT is to be able to watch dancers ... that was for sure the coolest thing I've seen today."
Dee Dee Simon
Dee Dee Simon is an inspiring singer from Oakland, Calif., with an emotional performance style reflecting her lifelong dedication to music and acting. Dee Dee, a proud registered nurse for over nineteen years at the San Quentin State Prison, brought the house down in her audition with a powerful rendition of “And I’m Telling You.”
In addition to receiving high praises, she also earned a standing ovation from all four judges.
During the Live Shows, Dee Dee received a Golden Buzzer from Heidi. In a conversation with PEOPLE shortly after the moment, she admitted that her performance felt like "a blur."
"After that buzzer, I just start jumping. I think I just shook my brain up because I can't wait to go rewatch," she smiled. "It's so loud in there that I have to go rewatch it, because sometimes you can hear and then sometimes you can't. But the energy in that room, this is the biggest stage of my life and I am having a ball."
Hakuna Matata Acrobatic Group
Based out of Tanzania, Hakuna Matata Acrobatic Group was conceived by Winston Ruddle, a Zimbabwean who founded an acrobatic school in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam.
During the Aug. 13 episode of the NBC hit series, Sofía helped Hakuna Matata Acrobatics make series history when she hit her Live Show Golden Buzzer for the very first time. This came after their impressive act, which saw the group perform a series of acrobatic tricks — all carefully balanced upon each other's bodies and rolling platforms.
"This was perfection!" Sofía, 52, declared after pressing her Golden Buzzer. "Everything, all of it!"
Learnmore Jonasi
Learnmore Jonasi, originally from Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, and now living in Pittsburgh, Pa., delivers an engaging comedic performance, drawing humor from everyday experiences.
The standup comedian got the attention of his idol Terry Crews, who hit his Golden Buzzer during the May 28 premiere of the show.
"Backstage, you were telling me that you were taking 14-hour bus trips to go perform for five minutes and then having to take 14-hour bus trips back home," he said before pushing his buzzer. "Brother, you will never have to go back home again because you are here with us!"
In terms of what fans can look forward to in the finals, Learnmore told PEOPLE that he plans to "up my game."
"I have to bring something surprising because comedy is all about surprise, like misdirection," he explained. "So people are going to be shocked because there's so much to me than what you've seen so far. So I think I'll have to up my game and be more vulnerable."
Richard Goodall
Richard Goodall, affectionately known as the Singing Janitor, stole America’s hearts with his inspiring rendition of “Don't Stop Believin’,” earning him a coveted Golden Buzzer from Heidi.
While speaking to PEOPLE after winning the Golden Buzzer, Richard said the song's title was a perfect representation of his journey up until this point.
"I tried out for AGT in 2009 and didn’t make it past the first round in Chicago... But like the song says, 'Don’t stop believing!' How can I tell the kids that and not reach for dreams too?" he said. "The songs I love to sing are timeless, and they give everyone hope. That’s what I really want to do, just give people hope [and encourage them to] never give up."
Though Richard previously explained he had "no expectations" of winning, he told PEOPLE that he was going to "give it everything I've got."
"I’m a normal person who does regular things for people. My singing, I have done mostly every year in our schools. Anytime they have asked me to sing I did it," he added. "To this day, I know how lucky I am. And I’m not taking any of this for granted."
Roni & Rhythm
Rhythm & Roni bring a unique dog dance act all the way from Israel. Roni has been training dogs to dance since 2019, but first performed with her canine partner, Rhythm, in 2022.
After performing their energetic semi final routine, Roni told PEOPLE a little more about what fans can expect when it comes to their final performance.
"So the idea for next week would be about my personal story with how working with dog changed my life and it's going to be about self love and appreciating yourself as a person," she explained. "And I hope that we get to show this."
Sebastián & Sonia
Aerial duo Sebastián & Sonia, a couple based out of Barcelona, Spain, combine high stakes aerial stunts with ethereal dance movements to deliver a magical display of athleticism.
During the Sept. 3 episode of the hit talent show, the couple proved that the show must go on after Sonia injured her arm during rehearsals. Despite the set back, Sebastián performed a solo routine to Shawn Mendes' "In My Blood." When he finished his routine, Sonia joined him on stage and the pair shared a kiss before getting praise from all four judges.
"A lot of people would have given up," Simon said before asking rhetorically, "How do you do this act with two people with one person and then make it incredible?"
"Honestly, I think most people would have just said, you know what, we've had an accident and therefore we can't continue, but you did the opposite, you continued," he added before pressing his Golden Buzzer.
Sky Elements
Based in Texas, Sky Elements came to AGT with an epic drone show experience that transformed the sky and captivated the audience with its innovative storytelling. Their performance wowed Simon so much that he ended up giving the group a second Golden Buzzer, leading to a first-ever rule change that allowed for more Golden Buzzers this season.
Shortly after the historic change, Simon told PEOPLE, "We are using more Golden Buzzers this year because there were so many brilliant, mind-blowing auditions. I know right away when I see an act that is Golden Buzzer-worthy. You feel it."
"I love that we were the 'first' second one," added Preston Ward from Sky Elements in an interview with PEOPLE. "We have been the first of many things, so it’s exciting to get to add this to our list of firsts!"
Solange Kardinaly
Hailing from Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal, Solange is a professional magician and quick change artist whose act embodies the power of magic and creativity.
Her performances are unique, packing numerous skills into a brief two-minute display. Her audition stunned the judges and quickly went viral across social media.
In a conversation with PEOPLE after her semi-finals performance, Solange shared that the judges' feedback made her feel "special and grateful." She also added that fans can expect to see "something new" that she lovingly created before joining the AGT competition.
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America's Got Talent's two-part season 19 finale kicks off Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by the finale's results show airing on Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET.
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