Shy 12-year-old transforms into a vocal powerhouse, wows 'AGT' judges (and us) with 'Dance Monkey' cover
When this nervous young girl walked onto the ‘America's Got Talent’ stage, nobody expected her to nail her performance! It takes a lot of courage to appear on one of the biggest talent shows in the world, and perform live in front of the judges and thousands of viewers. Twelve-year-old Annie Jones certainly felt the nerves when she walked onstage, but once the music began, she transformed. Jones performed a sensational cover of ‘Dance Monkey’ by Tones and I. While speaking to the judges, she revealed that she’s been singing since she was seven. During her act, she not only sang, but also impressed everyone with her dance moves.
Sofia Vergara got into the groove as soon as the music picked up pace. She remained seated but couldn't help move along to the beat and cheer for the young contestant. Jones was given a standing ovation by the judges and the audience after her performance. “That was so beautiful. The song was amazing. I loved it,” Vergara told the contestant. “I thought you were so confident, and I think this is what you are meant to do,” she added. Howie Mandel called Jones “a beautiful little dance monkey,” referencing the song she performed. He admitted that watching and listening to her performance was an absolute treat.
“You are a great performer. You sound great. You are a star and the world now knows you,” he added. Simon Cowell appreciated the “little twist” she added to the song. “While you were up there, your confidence was actually quite amazing. That was a great audition. Well done,” he said. Jones got "yes" votes from all three judges and earned a spot in the next round of the competition. ‘AGT’ has a strong history of young contestants stealing the spotlight, or even winning the show. Twelve-year-old ukulele player and singer Grace VanderWaal appeared in season 11 and won the show.
VanderWaal was so good that Cowell called her the “next Taylor Swift,” and she pretty much proved herself by winning the season. Mandel had called her a “beautiful, walking miracle.” The young talent also performed an impressive original song, showcasing her songwriting prowess. Overall, the judges were super impressed, especially Mandel, who gave her the coveted Golden Buzzer. ‘AGT’ gave the world another young superstar with 13-year-old Courtney Hadwin, who looked super frail and nervous while talking to the judges before her performance. However, once she began singing, her powerful voice impressed the judges.
Courtney performed ‘Hard to Handle’ by Otis Redding and fully channeled her inner rockstar. Within minutes, she got the audience vibing with her, and the judges were left speechless as they gave her a standing ovation. “What the hell, Courtney?” Cowell questioned in disbelief. “You are not from this era. You are from a whole different era,” Mandel added. He compared her to Janis Joplin, a one-of-a-kind singer who was discovered out of the blue. “I can’t sign you to a record deal. The only thing I can do for you, young lady, is give you…this,” he said while hitting the Golden Buzzer.
