An ‘AGT’ Favorite Audition Shines in First Quarter Final

The Big Picture

• Janitor Richard Goodall wows AGT judges with emotional live performance of Michael Bolton’s hit.
• Goodall’s Rod Stewart-esque tone and raw emotion captivate audience, leaving not a dry eye in the house.
• Golden buzzer winner Goodall impresses judges and audience, potentially a favorite to win it all.

After an Olympic-sized hiatus that felt like forever, America’s Got Talent returned with a bang on August 13. The newest episode marked the beginning of the live portion of the nineteenth season, with all auditions now complete. One audition that blew judges away, that of janitor Richard Goodall, took to the stage for the first quarter-final on the reality competition series and topped his initial performance with a powerful rendition of Michael Bolton‘s “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You”.

Returning with his Rod Stewart-esque tone, Goodall used his life experience to bring enormous emotion to his live performance. The golden buzzer winner felt every moment, with that feeling translating to an ecstatic audience that indulged in every note. With the crowd holding their phone torches aloft, the whole performance made for a moving few minutes, and a reminder of the beauty of a series like America’s Got Talent.

As Goodall finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The woman behind his golden buzzer, Heidi Klum, noted just how much of a “soft spot” she had for the Terre Haute, Indiana native, and how she feels the “passion” he has with every syllable he sings. Simon Cowell then encouraged Goodall to believe in himself, something he clearly lacks despite singing a rendition of Journey‘s “Don’t Stop Believin'” in his audition. Simon then called him “one of the most memorable contestants we’ve had for a long, long time”, which is a sentiment likely shared by the audience. Whether Goodall gets through is up to the public vote, but it has to be said that, as of now, he is a favorite to go all the way.

There Are Plenty More Exciting Acts on the Way as ‘America’s Got Talent’ Goes Live

Unbelievably, the emotion and power behind an audition like Goodall’s was anything but a rare occurrence in the AGT Season 19 audition process. Because of this, many fan favorites have made it to the live shows, with 44 acts ready to fight it out to be crowned the champion. With this season seeing more golden buzzers given out than ever before, the quality going into the next rounds is also higher than ever. Alongside the golden buzzer acts, the live show line-up includes the likes of:

Alex Sampson, Ashes & Arrows, Attraction Juniors, Biko’s Manna, Brooke Bailey, Dee Dee Simon, Flewnt and Inkabee, and Journeyy. L6, Maya Neelakantan, Menudo, Nini, Oscar Stembridge, The Reklaws, Stephanie Rainey,Young-Min, Tonikaku, Solange Kardinaly, Sebastian and Sonia, Sam Huang, Rhythm and Roni, Sabrina, Phillip Lewis, Los Osos High School, Jonathan Burns, Jelly Boy The Clown, Illya and Anastasiia, Hyper Kids Africa, Hakuna Matata Acrobats, Bboy Samuka, Ashlee Montague, Arshiya, Erica Rhodes, Kelsey Jane, and AIRFOOTWORKS.

Richard Goodall blew audiences away with his live performance in the first AGT quarter-final of Season 19. You can catch up with all episodes on Peacock.

Watch on Peacock