The contestants on “America’s Got Talent” just keep getting better and better.
During Tuesday’s episode of the talent competition show, judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel were completely caught off guard once 10-year-old Maya Neelakantan took the stage and performed Papa Roach’s hit “Last Resort” on her electric guitar.
The young girl from India began her act by stringing a slower, more traditional song before rocking out to the heavy metal tune.
“Are you sure you’re 10 years old?” Vergara asked after Neelakantan received a standing ovation from the audience and all four judges. “Your energy, your confidence. A perfect audition. Amazing.”
Mandel followed with a question. “Who inspired you?” he asked.
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“Alex Jones from Tool and Gary Holt, the guitarist from Exodus and Slayer,” she revealed.
“Well, I think you just picked yourself up a viral moment,” he added.
Klum added, “Everyone in this room loved what you just did. You should be very proud of yourself.”
“You know what I love about this audition?” Cowell asked. “You just weren’t expecting this. You were so shy, and you’re 10! And then you turned into, like, this rock goddess.”
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“That is the beginning of a career, which I always say, ‘Make noise among the noise.’ And you just did that.” he added.
So far, this season has been full of surprises.
Earlier this month, Cowell made show history after pressing the highly sought-out Golden Buzzer, which sends contestants straight to the live shows, twice in one episode.
Cowell first pressed the Golden Buzzer for Chicago-based singer Liv Warfield after she gave a lively performance with her band.
Later in the episode, a group of six men called Sky Elements performed an impressive drone light show.
In a shocking turn of events, Cowell pressed the same buzzer for the second time, immediately prompting questions from production, his fellow judges and the audience.
“Simon, what are you doing?” a producer asked.
While his fellow judges were just as impressed with the drone show, they were equally confused about Cowell’s move.
“You already had one,” Mandel said. “That’s his second one.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cowell responded. “I had to.”
After discussing logistics with production, the rules for season 19 were changed on the spot. Judges now have two opportunities to press the Golden Buzzer for acts they think are deserving of a spot on the live shows.
