Who is Matt Mauser? 'AGT' singer's wife died in Kobe Bryant chopper crash
'America's Got Talent' may be in its 16th season but the creators know how to keep the audience excited. Just when everyone thought the show is set to move on to the next stage, a sixth audition round is here to mesmerize both the judges and those watching it tonight. Of the 19 acts, one is Matt Mauser's. More about him in a bit.
So far, five contestants — Jane Marcewszki, Northwell Health Nurse Choir, World Taekwondo, Jimmie Herrod, Lea Kyle — have received golden buzzers. Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Terry Crews, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum have served their purpose on the show for now. Will they go for a sixth contestant? We'll find out in a bit.
RELATED ARTICLES
'America's Got Talent': Quickchange artist Lea Kyle gets Heidi Klum's golden buzzer
Who is Matt Mauser?
Mauser is a classic example of how to live life despite the curve balls it throws. On January 26, 2020, he lost his wife Christina to the chopper crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant and eight other people. To cope with the loss, he took to swimming workouts. "Once she died, it became something that was more than just a hobby," Mauser told Swimming World Magazine and added: "It became my therapy, getting back in the pool and training for the sake of training. My one break during the day is go to train at noon with the Masters program."
Did that help? Somewhat. What really helped him tide over was the song he wrote, 'Lost'. It was a tribute to Christina and the 15 years of life they had lived together. It served as therapy. "I play ('Lost') and it just brings up everything all over again," he told American Song Writer and added: "But I’m glad I wrote it. It directed me to what I needed to do next. It helped me to get to that next phase."
The couple met during one of his music shows. Five months later, he popped the question and they were married. They have three children together. While Christina helped Mauser build his music career, Bryant hired him to compose for one of his podcast episodes. After Christina's death, he started The Christina Mauser Foundation to support female athletes.
Appearing on 'AGT' and performing in front of a panel of judges and an audience takes not just guts but also a strong will. This is his way of showing his children how to pick oneself in life and raising awareness for the foundation.
In related news, Alex Ostrovskyi, Breez Carver, Cam Bertrand, ChapKidz, Chief, Darrell Thorne, Donovan, Femme Fatale, Gigi Deluxe and Devon, Guapacharros, Joshua Jacobs, Madilyn Bailey, MJ, Roy and Judith, The Stunner, Twirl Act, Vertical Flow and Victory Brinker are also on the roster tonight.
Catch all the new episodes of 'America's Got Talent' Season 16 on NBC every Tuesday at 8/7c. For more information, check your local listings. If you don't have access to cable TV, you can watch the show live on Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, and AT&T TV. For those not living in the United States, using a VPN will help your case.