What will 'America's Got Talent' Season 21 winner get? New format shakes up the competition
Putting an end to a long wait, 'America's Got Talent' Season 21 is all set to premiere on NBC on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. The long-running reality television show aims to bring together the best talent from across all walks of life to give them a significant platform to succeed. Over the years, 'America's Got Talent' has featured a plethora of exceptionally talented singers, dancers, gymnasts, jugglers, magicians, and many others who have consistently raised the bar with each successive season of the NBC show. The latest season will once again feature Howie Mandel, Sofía Vergara, Simon Cowell, and Mel B. as the four judges, while the show is hosted by Terry Crews. With Season 21 premiering tonight, fans want to know what the winning prize is.
As it is widely known, 'America's Got Talent' awards a whopping $1 million prize to winners. However, there remains a catch! Given the massive prize pool, one might naturally wonder whether the network transfers the entire amount to the winners right away. According to a statement presented at the end of the show's credits, "The prize, which totals $1,000,000, is payable in a financial annuity over forty years, or the contestants may choose to receive the present value of such annuity." Therefore, if one were to do the math, dividing $1,000,000 by the 40-year annuity period yields $25,000 per year before taxes, applicable to winners who opt to receive the payment over time.
Given a long-running show such as 'America's Got Talent,' it is imperative that each new season features unique, eye-catching performances to prevent the show from growing stale over time. Cowell echoed this sentiment when he told WCNC Charlotte on Monday, "Fortunately, we do get surprises and mostly in a good way, that’s what I’m always hoping every year: 'Are we going to see an act we've never seen before or something better than we’ve seen before?' Because you never want to go backward." According to the Season 21 previews, audiences can expect performers to effortlessly swallow swords, dance with robots, and perform aerial acrobatics.
The upcoming installment will also be the first time that three Golden Buzzers will be earned in a single night, with previews suggesting one of them may go to 14-year-old singer Lai Noelle. Moreover, Season 21 will also feature a Judges' Callback round after the initial auditions, allowing judges to invite select performers back for a second audition before deciding who advances.
