America's Got Talent Season 20 Premiere Live Blog Watchalong: I'm Reacting To Mel B's Long-Awaited Return And The First Golden Buzzers Of 2025
Buckle up, AGT fans!
My America's Got Talent Season 20 Premiere MVP
If you'd asked me during the first hour of AGT's Season 20 premiere, I probably would have picked magician Zak Mirz. I've always loved magic acts on America's Got Talent, and tend to be biased against singers until they really dazzle me. (The Voice and American Idol are both out there, after all!)
But by the end of the episode, my MVP switched from Zak Mirz to Jacqueline and Wagner. Can you blame me?
I love an act that surprises me with something spectacular after an underwhelming start, and the performing couple did just that in the Season 20 premiere. For me, they're the act to beat despite not getting a golden buzzer, and my eyes are peeled.
Keep tuning in to NBC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of America's Got Talent Season 20, or stream episodes next day with a Peacock subscription. There are a lot of competitors to go, as well as golden buzzers from Mel B, Sofia Vergara, Terry Crews, and likely a group buzzer as well.
Sandy Larson And Her BFF Backup Dancers
The last main performer of the night was 70-year-old Sandy Larson, who immediately impressed the judges for looking much younger than her age. She had a background story to root for, having been a professional dancer in her 20s before giving up that dream to start a family.
And her song of choice of was Donna Summer's "Last Dance." She dazzled in a gold dress and started balancing swords on her head, bringing out her two best friends as her backup dancers. It wasn't the most spectacular performance of the evening, especially compared to Jacqueline and Wagner before them, but pretty sweet.
Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara enjoyed it enough to vote them through, and the audience booed Mel B when she hit the big X. Honestly, I think Sandy was a great performer to advance in the Audition stage of AGT, but isn't destined to go far beyond. Definitely fun for Night 1, though!
Jacqueline And Wagner – Performance Couple
Congratulations, AGT, because the Season 20 premiere pulled off the first switcheroo of the season! The episode didn't give Jacqueline (from Italy) and Wagner (from Brazil) a terribly flattering start, leaning heavily on her dominating conversation rather than letting him talk. She also was the only one really doing tricks in the first part of the dance, and I didn't see them getting to votes from all four veteran judges.
And oh boy, was I wrong! Once ropes were added into the mix, the duo started pulling off aerial stunts that had me hoping very hard that they'd tied those laces on their roller skates nice and tight. They defied physics, had the judges on the edges of their seat, and Simon Cowell had to be bleeped at once point when he dropped a non-NBC approved curse. I w as about ready to join him on that she was spinning by a strap around his neck for the grand finale!
They didn't get a golden buzzer from Mel B, Sofia Vergara, or Terry Crews, but I have no trouble believing that we'll see them again.
Jordan Blue – Belting His Way To AGT (And A Golden Buzzer) From NOLA
AGT Season 20's first traditional singer performing a cover song was none other than 23-year-old Jordan Blue, and he pretty much belted the roof off the theater with his cover of The Script's "Barely Breathin'."
I think the entire audience, all four judges, and probably most of us watching from home were pulling for him after he told the story of how he'd lost his way being being inspired by his grandpa to get into music and start performing on the streets of New Orleans. All with his grandfather watching over FaceTime!
The backstory took a heartbreaking turn when Jordan revealed that the attack on New Orleans from early 2025 was "right on the exact block" where he performs." Throw in him bringing his girlfriend and newborn son on stage after performing, and I'd say that he more than earned the golden buzzer from Howie Mandel.
Marty And Michael: Not Enough Pain For Sofia Vergara's Taste
Marty and Michael came to AGT all the way from Brisbane, Australia with an act that... I guess could be defined as a stunt and/or comedy act? The moves involved hurting each other for mini stunts like blowing out a candle and cracking an egg, and the slapstick earned some cheers from the audience but was not enough to advance to the next round.
Sofia Vergara said she "maybe" would have liked it if she had "seen more pain," prompting them to get a laugh when one of them said "My ass hurts a little bit." These kinds of acts aren't personally to my taste in general, and the most I'll say for Marty and Michael is that I 100% believe that they met in high school, because these were 100% high school boy antics.
Amadou Diallo From Guinea: Contortionist Extraordinaire
Amadou Diallo crushed his performance so much than I'm not sure if he has actual bones or just supremely bendy cartilage for a skeleton! Unsurprisingly, he got the support from the judges to move on, and it was fun to see Mel B's mind blown for her first episode back on OG AGT as a judge. She wasn't too impressed by Team Recycled or Eric Booker with his creamed corn, but Amadou? She was all in.
Unfortunately, I personally just can't with contortionists. Best of luck to Amadou, but I may be watching any future performances through my fingers. Best of luck to him!
Gallagher Is A Parrot With Stage Fright?
The second musical act of the AGT20 premiere was the singing duo Chloe and Gallagher... that is, it was supposed to be a singing duo. Gallagher, a 42-year-old yellow-naped Amazon parrot, didn't end up singing along with bird mom Chloe, although he did pipe up in time to say goodbye. Suffice it to say, Season 20 is not their time to fly to $1 million.
Micah Palace - Latino Singer/Rapper
Micah Palace came to AGT with an original song called "No sabo," which literally translates from Spanish to English to "I don't know." According to Micah, there's a much deeper meaning to it.
"'No Sabo' is a term used to make fun of kids who come from Latin descent but don't speak a lot of Spanish. I do speak Spanish, but I grew up in an Argentine household in America, so I never felt like I belonged in either culture. So this is for everybody who doesn't feel like they belong." - Micah Palace
The message and performance was enough to win over the judges and the audience, earning Micah Palace a "yes" from all four. Surely the backflip at the end didn't hurt either! I look forward to more from him.
I found the reactions to him using an original song pretty interesting, as Simon Cowell criticized Howie Mandel for "bad mentoring" when he encouraged Drake Milligan to perform a song he hadn't written himself for his AGT: Fantasy League performance.
Light Wire From Brazil = First Golden Buzzer Of 2025!
Dance + light show + tech magic from a pair of brothers and their company from Brazil = four judges and a full audience providing a standing ovation! Light Wire reminded me of the first time I watched the Mayyas, who won Season 17 with an act unlike any other from AGT.
I don't know how to describe it, but I was spellbound. As somebody who has watched a fair few of AGT's twenty seasons so far, I'd say that Light Wire doing something indescribable bodes well for their future!
"It was actually magic. Magic. One of my favorite, favorite ever acts." - Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell certainly agrees, as this group earned the very first golden buzzer of Season 20! Their future is guaranteed through to the next round, and perhaps they'll be rid of their nerves by that point.
Zak Mirz – A Magician From Texas
The best magician, according to Zak Mirz? David Blaine, and Simon Cowell was impressed with the pick. Starting out his act with "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol admitted had me thinking of Grey's Anatomy more than Shin Lim or any other AGT magician, but considering that Zak's act was centered on his love for his daughter, I'm on board with the emotional music choice. Plus, he included viewers from home as well as the judges and in-person audience, why not a popular song?
And Howie was on his feet to shake Zak's hand and declare him "Amazing" before the act was even over! For Simon, it was "spooky," but not in a bad way, while Sofia looked emotional before giving the first "yes." As for Mel B, she was a bigger fan of Zak Mirz than she was Team Recycled, because her "yes" was a "no-brainer."
Team Recycled: A Boyz II Men Origin Story
There are a lot of fun origin stories for acts that come on AGT, but Team Recycled coming together because Boyz II Men needed an opening dance is pretty sweet. Or have I just been won over because we're so early in the season that the only other performer so far was the guy who chugged hot dog water? Either way, Team Recycled has a strong showing as AGT's first dance group of the season.
I love a surprise coming from the crowd, and the surprise bunch of dancers with their crowd choreography behind the judges was a great twist. Is it too soon for me to want them to stick around AGT at least long enough for Boyz II Men to potentially join the show or send them a message? Howie declared them the "perfect" group for Season 20, and Sofia Vergara said it was "spectacular."
Mel B thought it got off to a boring start and go an audience full of booing in response, but Simon Cowell was quick to disagree with her. The overall verdict? A "yes" vote from Howie, Simon, and Sofia, while Mel B said "no" after Howie cracked a Spice Girls vs. Boyz II Men joke.
First Contestant Of Season 20: Eric Booker -
Eric Booker finally has time to work on his AGT dream after retiring, and – as Simon Cowell says – he has 2-3 minutes to change his life. But not without a chug of water courtesy of Terry Crews first!
Kudos to AGT for not going with the same-old, same-old to start the milestone season, but... what a choice. I didn't foresee Eric Booker winning $1 million by chugging pickle juice, hot dog water, creamed corn, and hot sauce, so I wasn't shocked by him getting a big red X from each judge.
Still, if there's a golden buzzer for an act that can activate my gag reflex in 2-3 minutes, Eric would get it. Honestly, one of my biggest questions is whether the hot dog water and creamed corn were warmed up before he drank them, and I'm not sure which would be better.
Everybody's Nervous For 20 Years
Even though none of the current judges have been around from the beginning and Terry Crews only took over as host back in 2019, they had a lot to say about feeling nervous to star in the milestone season. Take a look:
This season marks the return of Mel B, who left as a regular judge back at the end of Season 13. She was a longtime member of the panel, so if we had to lose Heidi Klum alongside Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Sofia Vergara, I can't imagine a better pick.
