'America's Got Talent' 2020 Recap and Results: Auditions Night 6

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America's Got Talent Season 15 airs on Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. ET. Find out everything you need to know about tonight's show including a live-blogged recap and results for which performers advanced so far.

The sixth night of Season 15 auditions on America's Got Talent may look a little bit different. That's because there will be no audience in the Pasadena Theater where the NBC talent competition is filmed.

Judges Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel will be in attendance, but they will be the only ones contestants will get to perform for during Tuesday night's show. The reason for the absent audience six weeks into the season is simple: coronavirus.

The episode was one of the last to be filmed inside the theater in March, just as the coronavirus pandemic began proving to be a real threat across the United States. Production suspended filming in front of a live audience for a few days before eventually halting altogether. Later in the season, AGT will air in virtually with contestants performing for judges via video chat, similar to the format that The Voice turned to for its final episodes of Season 18.

Despite the lack of an audience, the talent will still be full throttle, and we'll be on hand providing a full play-by-play of all the action with an AGT live blog once the show begins at 8 p.m. ET. As always, we'll provide the results of all the acts set to move forward in the competition. If you need to catch up on any of the previous performance, you can do so here.

America's Got Talent' 2020 Recap and Results
Shevon Nieto appears on "America's Got Talent." The sixth night of Season 15 auditions airs on June 30, 2020. Justin Lubin/NBC

America's Got Talent Season 15, Episode 6 Live Blog

8:00:

The show opens up a bit differently than previous episodes. The judges, Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Howie Mandel and Eric Stonestreet—who's covering again for Heidi Klum—are the only people in the audience at the huge Pasadena Theater. Oh, and Terry Crews is here too. In the backstage area, all the remaining contestants are socially distancing and spread several feet apart from their competitors.

8:03:

The first act we meet tonight are the Wildcats, a competitive cheer team from Plano, Texas. They definitely give AGT an energetic start with free-flying tricks, flips and stunts that leave the judges on the edges of their seats.

8:07:

The Wildcats get a standing ovation from all four judges.

"It was so synchronized. It was so beautiful. You guys looked so happy up there," Sofia said.

Howie was just as thrilled by the ambition and athleticism that shined throughout their performance, and Simon and Eric agree. The group ends up with four yes votes, so it's off to the next round of AGT for the Wildcats.

8:10:

The next contestant to hit the stage is Jacob Velazquez, a 12-year-old pianist who suffers from PPPNOS, which is a disorder that affects the brain.

"I want to be on America's Got Talent to show people that just because you have some kind of disability or diagnosis doesn't mean you aren't capable of great things," Jacob explained.

8:13

Jacob decides to perform an original song that he's composed for the judges, and it's utterly beautiful. Howie and Simon are pretty amazed by the fact that such a young performer can write such a heartfelt piano ballad, but the show isn't over just yet. Jacob surprises the judges and hops on a drum set for a head-banging drum performance.

8:16:

The judges are floored by Jacob's performance.

"You are amazing, like a prodigy. I mean, the range of music from being able to play those drums...but I was balled over from that piano. In my mind, you're Boy-thoven," Howie said.

Simon agreed that Jacob had all the makings of a prodigy.

"You just have this amazing kind of aura about you, Jacob," Simon said. "Some people rarely just have this gift. Combined with hard-work, combined with your showmanship, I think you're going to inspire people."

8:18:

It's yes votes all around for Jacob. He's headed to the next round of AGT.

8:23:

Entertainment journalist Michael Yo is the next contestant to hit the stage. As an E! News correspondent, he's actually interviewed each of the judges. Instead of watching them live out their dreams, he decided to make the jump and follow his own dreams of becoming a standup comic. He's here today to perform his comedy routine, and from the very start, he gets the judges laughing with his cracks about growing old.

8:27:

If it was up to Sofia, she'd give Michael a hug right now, but with the virus and all it's best for her to stay seated at the judge's panel. Simon, Eric and Howie share in her enthusiasm for the comedian, and they go on to flood him with compliments.

"Your rhythm is great. Your voice is great. Your passion is great. You're lovable and relatable and likable," Howie said.

Meanwhile, Eric says Michael totally "nailed it."

"It was great man. You said get busy living your dreams. It's happening. That was hilarious," Eric said.

No surprise here—Michael gets four yes votes.

8:34:

When is the last time you saw a harmonica duo perform? Well, you're about to get one tonight from Brody and Alex, otherwise known as Brothers Gage. They're musicians from Topanga, California, and they're set to play an original song on their harmonicas.

8:36:

Backstage, Terry is vibing to the boys' harmonica performance. He's clearly forgotten there is no audience out in the theater when he yells from behind the stage curtain: "This is so cool!"

It was certainly the most unexpected and fun performance on harmonicas we've ever seen.

8:38:

The judges loved the performance.

"At the beginning when you guys started talking about the harmonica I was already dreading it, but you guys made it exciting," Sofia said.

Howie said before Brothers Gage hit the stage, he thought the harmonica was the "most annoying instrument" ever created.

The brothers get yes votes from all four judges. They're off to the next round.

8:44:

Next up is Shevon Nieto. She's a two-time Olympic runner, but it's not her speed she'll be showing off tonight. It's her vocals. Following a tragic accident that left her husband, Jamie Nieto, paralyzed, she gave up her career as an Olympian. However, he pushed her to continue following her dreams as a singer. That's why Shevon's here tonight. She'll be performing an original song titled, "Through the Good and the Bad," which she wrote for her husband.

8:52:

The judges are moved by Shevon's performance and story.

"That was amazing. You put a big giant smile on my face from the bottom of my heart. And your voice is beautiful," Eric said.

Sofia, Howie and Simon agree that the singer delivered an emotional and heartfelt performance. She receives yes votes from each of them.

8:58:

Back from commercials and the judges are greeted by one heck of interesting contestant. Instead of introducing himself when he hits the stage, he begins an outlandish air-guitar performance. Three judges end up pushing their red "no" buttons before he can finish his set.

8:59:

Next up is 11-year-old Elijah de la Motte, a cellist from San Diego. He plays a classical rendition of Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" that gets the judges moving in their seats.

9:04:

The judges enjoyed Elijah's performance, but more than anything, they loved seeing how much he enjoyed playing his instrument.

"You look like you were having the best time up there," Sofia said. "I thought it was fantastic. I love how you enjoyed yourself being up there. Usually, that's an instrument that doesn't make me excited but I was having a great time watching you."

Simon wasn't the biggest fan of the background track that played during Elijah's performance, but that was as far as the critiquing went for the tough-as-nails judge. He gives the young musician a yes, and Howie, Eric and Sofia follow suit.

9:11:

Magicians Anthem and Aria are next to hit the stage. They've been a couple for the last six years and performing magic together is a major part of their love story. And love is apparently a major part of their act.

Although they tell the judges they're going to perform magic, they open their act with a bizarre musical performance that leaves the judges stumped. Simon calls the performance corny, and Eric says there wasn't nearly enough magic. Sofia didn't really know what was going on.

"I didn't know what was really happening, that maybe something was going to come but it never came," she said.

9:16:

Next to the stage is a fighting, jumping, stunt duo who never gets the chance to introduce themselves. The judges bang on their red buzzers, sending the performers on their way before we learn exactly who they are.

9:21:

Kenadi Dodds, a 15-year-old musical from Utah. She came to AGT to fulfill her little sister's dream to see Kenadi perform on the biggest stage in the world. The singer's family suffers from Retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that causes people to go completely blind over time. Kenadi is the only one in her family that does not suffer from the disease.

Tonight she's singing an original song titled, "One-Way Ticket to Tennessee," and before she even begins her performance, Simon tells her, "I've got a really good feeling about you."

9:26:

Simon's intuition about Kenadi is on point. She delivers a stunning performance, and the judges are head-over-heels.

"This is just the beginning for you. I promise you. Your future is already set in stone from this moment," Howie says.

Simon, Eric and Sofia give Kenadi a yes vote and Howie gives her a "yee-haw," which means yes. Kenadi may end up with more than just a one-way ticket to Tennessee—she's off to the next round of AGT.

9:33:

Next up is comedian Crystal Powell from Tatum, Texas.

"I'm here to tell the funny, to bring the funny to the world," she proclaimed.

9:36:

Crystal gets a laugh out of all the judges as she performs her set full of jokes about the perks of hanging with a diverse group of friends. She even lands a standing ovation from Simon.

"I love you," Simon says. "From the minute you came on, you're just naturally funny."

Yes votes all around for Crystal. We'll see her later in the next round of the competition.

9:44:

Wesley Williams, the self-proclaimed one-wheel wonder, is next to hit the stage. Simon claims that he's old friends with the cyclist and stuntman. Wesley's already made an appearance on the British version of the show, and now he's here to wow the Americans.

He puts on a daring performance full of nail-biting tricks on a unicycle. As the performance continues, the unicycles get even taller, and at one point, Westley begins juggling knives while riding a unicycle that has to be over six-feet tall. The tallest unicycle he rides is 20-feet.

9:48:

Sofia said the performance was nerve-wracking, and even Simon thought Wesley had "real guts" by pulling that off. The dare-devil unicyclist gets yes votes from all the judges.

9:53:

The last contestant of the night is poet Brandon Leake, a former school teacher who is now a guidance counselor. He'll be the first spoken-word artist to ever hit the AGT stage. He's going to perform a piece dedicated to his late sister.

9:58:

The performance is so raw and emotional that even we need to pull out the tissues. The judges are just as moved as we are.

"My brother passed away the same year that your sister passed away. I can feel your pain. I know what it is to have somebody taken from you without you knowing. But it was very beautiful for me," Sofia says, holding back tears.

Simon said he wasn't even capable of judging Brandon, calling the poet "very very special."

"It was extraordinary," Simon says.

Brandon managed to move Howie so deeply with his words that the judge gave him a golden buzzer, sending him straight away to the live shows.

"It's amazing to me that on season 15 it's the first time that we're hearing somebody perform spoken word," Howie said. "There was something more raw in the way it was like singing and talking and just being a human a cappella. No music, no nothing. Just a raw heart beating in front of us. We fill your pain. We feel your love. And you moved me to do this."

We'll see Brandon again at the live shows!

America's Got Talent, Season 15, Episode 6 Results

Despite all the talent we've witnessed tonight, not everyone managed to impress the judges and make it to the next round.

Wildcats—Cheerleaders

Jacob Velazquez—Musician

Michael Yo—Comedian

Brothers Gage—Musicians

Shevon Nieto—Singer

Elijah de la Motte—Musician

Kenadi Dodds—Singer

Crystal Powell—Comedian

Wesley Williams—Unicyclist

Brandon Leak—Poet, Gold Buzzer winner

About the writer

Michigan native, Janice Williams is a graduate of Oakland University where she studied journalism and communication. Upon relocating to New York City, she held internships at celebrity news-focused publications including Hollywood Life and Us Weekly. She formerly worked at website Fashion & Style as a reality TV reporter before joining the news desk at International Business Times. Now she covers culture and entertainment for Newsweek. When she's not galavanting around New York's restaurant and wine scene, she's likely catching shows of up-and-coming musicians with friends.


Michigan native, Janice Williams is a graduate of Oakland University where she studied journalism and communication. Upon relocating to New ... Read more