America's Got Talent returned to NBC this summer as per usual as part of the 2023 TV schedule, but the hit competition show took a brief break for the 4th of July holiday. Now, the auditions will continue with the next new episode on July 11, and an early release of a chorus' rendition of "My Girl" by The Temptations leaves me extremely eager to see what the judges have to say. Not only does the one 82nd Airborne Chorus deliver a performance worth a rewatch or two, but they have a powerful message to go along with their song.
The 82nd Airborne Chorus definitely didn't seem like they were going to burst into a cover of one of The Temptations' most famous songs when they first marched onto the stage, but I think they're guaranteed to be one of the most memorable acts from the July 11 episode. Take a look at their take on "My Girl" and their reveal of what they're trying to honor:
Talk about a great video to release ahead of the episode airing! I may have "My Girl" stuck in my head for the foreseeable future, and one of my favorite parts of the whole performance has to be the reactions of the audiences, the judges, and host Terry Crews when the 82nd Airborne Chorus began singing a song that they recognized from The Temptations. Based on their performance alone, I know that I'd be giving them a "yes" to advance if I could!
But the 82nd Airborne Chorus has more going for them than just their take on "My Girl." Before they even began the song, one of the servicemen shared that they were dedicating their performance to the soldier who they'd lost just the week before as well as all the other soldiers who passed before him. While we'll have to wait until the episode airs at 8 p.m. ET on NBC on July 11 to see if their tribute to those they've lost was enough to be advanced to the next round of competition, I'm fairly confident that these singing soldiers aren't going to be cut.
Between their performance and their message, they're already one of my standouts from Season 18 so far, and that's saying something considering the calibre of some of the other contestants, including some who could be on the path to becoming the next AGT champion to win a golden buzzer first. I can see why their "My Girl" cover was chosen to be an early release to hype fans up for the show's return from its 4th of July break!
There's still the possibility that they get one of the remaining golden buzzers, as neither Heidi Klum nor Sofia Vergara had hit theirs prior to the July 11 episode. I'm inclined to think that the 82nd Airborne Chorus will have to advance without the buzzer, however, given that their performance got an early release. Besides, the judges seem to be a bit stingier with their buzzers by this point in the season, if what happened with a voice teacher and her Coldplay cover is any indication.
For now, you can revisit past episodes of America's Got Talent Season 18 streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription, and catch new episodes at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesdays on NBC.
