The first season of America's Got Talent: The Champions featured around 50 participants from across the Got Talent franchise, ranging from winners, live round participants – quarter-finalists (where applicable), semi-finalists and finalists – and other notable acts. The judging panel consisted of Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Howie Mandel, all of whom judged the previous season of the main series. Terry Crews served as host.
Overview The contest's preliminaries rounds that featured around 10 participants who competed to secure a place within the finals. Twelve were chosen, five from Golden Buzzers, five from public votes, and two chosen as Wildcards. The following table lists each participant that took part, their history in the Got Talent franchise – the respective international version and season they appeared in, and the result of their corresponding performance in each – and their overall result in the contest:
Got Talent History KeyAGT — America's Got TalentAuGT — Australia's Got TalentBGT — Britain's Got TalentBeGT — Belgium's Got TalentČSMT — Česko Slovensko má talentDHT — Danmark Har TalentDS — Das SupertalentFIT — La France a un incroyable talentGTE — Got Talent EspañaHGT — Holland's Got TalentIGT — Italia's Got TalentMS — Minuta slavySAGT — South Africa's Got TalentUMT — Ukrayina maye talant
| Golden Buzzer Finalist | Wildcard Finalist
Participant Act Got Talent history Preliminary Results Alex Magala Sword Swallower AGT: S8 – Quarter-finalist; IGT: S5 – Finalist; MS: S8 – Winner; UMT: S6 – Semi-finalist; FIT: S9 – Participant; BGT: S10 – Finalist; ČSMT: S6 – Semi-finalist 1 Angelica Hale Singer AGT: S12 – Runner-up 3 Ashleigh & Sully Dog Act BGT: S6 – Winner (as Ashleigh and Pudsey) 2 Attraction Shadow Theatre Group DS: S6 – Semi-finalist; BGT: S7 – Winner 5 Bianca Ryan Singer AGT: S1 – Winner 1 Billy & Emily England Rollerskating Duo BGT: S9 – Semi-finalist; AGT: S12 – Semi-finalist 3 Brian Justin Crum Singer AGT: S11 – Grand-finalist 4 Colin Cloud Mentalist BGT: S6 – Participant; AGT: S12 – Semi-finalist 5 Cosentino Escape Artist & Illusionist AuGT: S5 – Runner-up 5 Courtney Hadwin Singer AGT: S13 – Finalist 2 Cristina Ramos Opera & Rock Singer GTE: S1 – Winner 2 Darci Lynne Singing Ventriloquist AGT: S12 – Winner 2 Darcy Oake Illusionist BGT: S8 – Finalist 3 DDF Crew Jump Rope Dance Crew HGT: S5 – Winner; BeGT: S4 – Semi-finalist 2 Deadly Games Knife Throwing Duo AGT: S11 – Semi-finalist; FIT: S12 – Semi-Finalist 2 DJ Arch Jnr DJ SAGT: S6 – Winner 3 Drew Lynch Comedian AGT: S10 – Runner-up 4 Issy Simpson Magician BGT: S11 – Runner-up 4 Jackie EvanchoOpera Singer AGT: S5 – Runner-up 5 Jon Dorenbos Magician AGT: S11 – Third place 3 Justice Crew Dance Troupe AuGT: S4 – Winner 1 Kechi Okwuchi Singer AGT: S12 – Finalist 4 Kenichi Ebina Dancer AGT: S8 – Winner 4 Kseniya Simonova Sand Artist UMT: S1 – Winner 5 Light Balance Electronic Dance Troupe BGT: S8 – Semi-finalist; AGT: S12 – 3rd Place 2 Lost Voice Guy Comedian BGT: S12 – Winner 5 Moonlight Brothers Dance Duo DHT: S4 – Winner 4 Paul Potts Opera Singer BGT: S1 – Winner 3 Paul Zerdin Ventriloquist AGT: S10 – Winner 4 Piff the Magic Dragon Comic Magician AGT: S10 – Finalist 2 Preacher Lawson Comedian AGT: S12 – Finalist 1 Prince Poppycock Opera Singer AGT: S5 – Grand-finalist 3 Ryan Stock & AmberLynn Sideshow Duo AGT: S11 – Quarter-finalist 3 Sal Valentinetti Singer AGT: S11 – Grand-finalist 5 Samuel J. Comroe Comedian AGT: S13 – Grand-finalist 3 Sara & Hero Dog Act AGT: S12 – Grand-finalist 1 Shin Lim Card Magician AGT: S13 – Winner 5 Sofie Dossi Aerialist Contortionist AGT: S11 – Finalist 1 Sons of Serendip Band AGT: S9 – Grand-finalist 5 Susan Boyle Singer BGT: S3 – Runner-up 1 Tape Face Mime AGT: S11 – Finalist 4 Taylor Williamson Comedian AGT: S8 – Runner-up 2 The Clairvoyants Mentalist Duo AGT: S11 – Runner-up 1 The Professional Regurgitator Regurgitator BGT: S4 – Semi-finalist; DS: S4 – Finalist; ČSMT: S2 – Finalist; DS: S5 – Semi-finalist; IGT: S4 – Semi-finalist; FIT: S9 – Grand-finalist; AGT: S10 – Grand-finalist; DS: S12 – Winner 4 The Texas Tenors Country & Classical Vocal Group AGT: S4 – Finalist 4 Tokio Myers PianistBGT: S11 – Winner 5 Tom Cotter Comedian AGT: S7 – Runner-up 3 Uzeyer Novruzov Ladder Acrobat AGT: S10 – Finalist; FIT: S11 – Semi-finalist (as Freeladderman) 1 Vicki Barbolak Comedian AGT: S13 – Finalist 1 Viktor Kee Juggler AGT: S11 – Finalist 2
Preliminaries Summary
| | Buzzed out
Preliminary 1 (January 7)
ParticipantOrderBuzzesResult Bianca Ryan 1 The Clairvoyants 2 Sara and Hero 3 Uzeyer Novruzov 4 Vicki Barbolak 5 Alex Magala 6 Justice Crew 7 Susan Boyle 8 Sofie Dossi 9 Preacher Lawson 10
Preliminary 2 (January 14) ParticipantOrderBuzzesResult Darci Lynne 1 Ashleigh and Sully 2 Light Balance 3 Taylor Williamson 4 Cristina Ramos 5 DDF Crew 6 Viktor Kee 7 Courtney Hadwin 8 Deadly Games 9 Piff the Magic Dragon 10
Darci Lynne was later made a wildcard act for the Grand-final by the judges.
Preliminary 3 (January 21) ParticipantOrderBuzzesResult DJ Arch Jnr 1 Darcy Oake 2 Angelica Hale 3 Tom Cotter 4 Prince Poppycock 5 Ryan Stock & AmberLynn 6 Samuel J. Comroe 7 Paul Potts 8 Jon Dorenbos 9 Billy and Emily England 10
Jon Dorenbos was later made a wildcard act for the Grand-final by the judges.
Preliminary 4 (January 28) ParticipantOrderBuzzesResult Issy Simpson 1 The Texas Tenors 2 Drew Lynch 3 Paul Zerdin 4 Moonlight Brothers 5 Tape Face 6 Kechi Okwuchi 7 The Professional Regurgitator 8 Brian Justin Crum 9 Kenichi Ebina 10
Preliminary 5 (February 4) ParticipantOrderBuzzesResult Attraction 1 Jackie Evancho 2 Colin Cloud 3 Lost Voice Guy 4 Sal Valentinetti 5 Tokio Myers 6 Kseniya Simonova 7 Cosentino 8 Sons of Serendip 9 Shin Lim 10
David Hasselhoff, a former judge of America's Got Talent and Britain's Got Talent, made a special appearance as part of Colin Cloud's performance. Cowell, Klum & Mel B pressed their buzzers as part of Colin Cloud's performance.
Finals Summary Top 12 Final (February 11) FinalistOrderActResult Cristina Ramos 1 Opera & Rock Singer Advanced Preacher Lawson 2 Comedian Advanced Darci Lynne 3 Singing Ventriloquist Advanced Deadly Games 4 Knife Throwing Duo Top 12 Finalist Kechi Okwuchi 5 Singer Top 12 Finalist Brian Justin Crum 6 Singer Top 12 Finalist Jon Dorenbos 7 Magician Top 12 Finalist Angelica Hale 8 Singer Top 12 Finalist Kseniya Simonova 9 Sand Artist Advanced Paul Potts 10 Opera Singer Top 12 Finalist Shin Lim 11 Card Magician Advanced Susan Boyle 12 Singer Top 12 Finalist
Grand-final (February 18)
Guest performers: Tokio Myers & Voices of Hope Children's Choir, The Clairvoyants, Cirque du Soleil, and Jackie Evancho
Grand-finalistActPerformed withResult Cristina Ramos Opera & Rock Singer Brian Justin Crum & Deadly Games 4th Darci Lynne Singing Ventriloquist Rowlf the Dog 2nd Kseniya Simonova Sand Artist N/A 3rd Preacher Lawson Comedian N/A 5th Shin Lim Card Magician Melissa Fumero 1st
References