This mom sang in bars while raising kids in a car — now her ‘AGT’ audition just earned a Golden Buzzera
AGT’s season 20, which premiered on May 27, came in with big promises—and it’s already exceeding them. Just three weeks into auditions, the season is shaping up to be one of the most unforgettable yet, raising the bar higher than ever before. In episode 3, Charity Lockhart appeared for her first-ever audition on 'AGT' and immediately captivated the judges and the audience with her sense of humor. After telling the judges, "I absolutely love to sing. I love music, but I also love my children. I have two children; they’re little," she added, "One is 27 and the other I can hold… he’s 21," instantly sending the judges and the audience in a fit of laughter.
When asked about herself, she replied, "Long ago, when they were kids, we ended up living in a car after a divorce. All I had was my voice, so I went to clubs and I went to bars and asked live bands if I could sing with them, and they gave me a little money at the end of the night." The 46-year-old also revealed she had won local singing competitions, cheekily adding, "not this big," which gave her some monetary support and helped her secure a home for her and her kids. Seemingly moved, Simon Cowell told Lockhart, "We are rooting for you," before she performed 'Over The Rainbow,' from 'The Wizard of Oz.'
But things got interesting when Cowell asked her to stop just after a few lines, sparking boos from the audience. But he explained, "I stopped you because I like you, but it just wasn’t working for me,” before asking her to perform a second song she had prepared instead. When the singer took a deep breath and began again, the magic truly started. The audience and judges couldn’t believe their ears. As the performance wrapped up, Cowell said, "This is what a great audition is all about." And Mel B said, "Every once in a while, you see someone, you connect with them, and they just bring more and more to the table." She added, “I think you’re amazing, and I want to give you this right now,” she added, slamming her hand down on the Golden Buzzer.
It wasn't only the judges who were moved by Lockhart's performance; even the fans didn't hesitate to praise her vocals and flooded the YouTube comment section. One viewer wrote, "Simon was right. I could FEEL the emotion in the second song. Outstanding!" Moved by the powerful voice, a fan couldn't help but write, "Her rendition was deeply emotional. I cannot stop listening to her voice, she sang like she passed through darkest nights."
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Looks like Lockhart had a fan base even before appearing on 'AGT.' One fan who had seen her live wrote, "Had the fortune of seeing Charity live. She is incredible and spoke to everyone who wanted to after the show. Incredibly proud of her!!!" Another fan echoed the sentiment, writing, "I've had the pleasure of hearing her live in one of her rehearsals when she performed on a cruise ship I was working on. Let me tell you that her voice is so, so, so much better LIVE. I was just passing by then but had to stop since her voice feels like it's healing my soul. I met her the next day face-to-face and told her she's amazing. very humble human being.