‘AGT’ stage overflows with emotion as street singer relives near-death tragedy before landing Golden Buzzer
NBC's 'America's Got Talent' Season 20 kicked off its latest season with stunning performances and two surprise Golden Buzzers. One of them went to Jourdan Blue, who impressed the judges with his powerful vocals. While Blue moves on to the live shows, it's not just his talent that's getting attention, but his emotional backstory is also striking a chord. After winning the Golden Buzzer, the father of one opened up about his dreams and stepping out of the shadows of a painful past.
Blue is a 23-year-old singer who was awarded the coveted Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel. Blue makes a living performing on the streets of New Orleans and described his tough routine, saying, "I sing from 8 pm to 2 or 3 am until the cops kick me off the street. It's what I do to provide for my girlfriend and son, Jax." Though young when he became a father, Blue admitted, "I wasn’t ready when I had him," but said fatherhood changed him, as per People.
The singer shared that he wants to set an example, saying, "Being a street performer is hard, but I want to lead by example and show my son you should chase your dreams." Blue then opened up about his difficult past. Despite growing up with a police officer father and lawyer mother, he "went down the wrong path" and "got kicked out of school" as a teenager. "I got myself into some trouble and ended up on my own at 16," he revealed. There was a period when he was homeless, "bounc[ing] around from friends' house to friends' house or sleep[ing] in bathrooms where I worked until my grandpa found out."
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Not only that, once his grandfather learned the reality of his situation, Blue said, "He drove out there that night and picked me up and was like, 'You stay with me now,' and I've been with him ever since." With his grandfather's support, things began to improve as Blue immersed himself in music, performing on the streets of New Orleans to provide for his girlfriend and son, until a tragic event on January 1, 2025. In the early hours of New Year's Day, a pickup truck crashed into crowds on New Orleans' Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 people and injuring many more. Sharing an anecdote about the unfortunate incident before his audition, Blue shared, "At the beginning of the year, there was an attack on New Orleans, right on the exact block where I perform." Getting emotional, he added, "It made me realize there's so much more to live for. That's what made me choose AGT. I feel like this is the best way to level up." After composing himself on stage, Blue delivered a powerful rendition of 'Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)' by The Script. His girlfriend and young son watched from the audience as he performed beautifully. To his surprise, Mandel stood up and reached for the Golden Buzzer.
Although 'America's Got Talent' Season 20 was always a milestone, the premiere episode set an exciting tone. For Mandel, giving his Golden Buzzer to Blue was a powerful moment of recognizing real talent deserving a break. Additionally, Blue's emotional story, about his upbringing, his passion for performing, and surviving a near-tragic attack while busking on the streets of New Orleans, resonated deeply with the judges. Yet it was Blue's actual performance that sealed the deal, as per Screen Rant. Mandal's decision to press his Golden Buzzer may have happened anyway with another judge, but witnessing it live was incredible.