Simon Cowell chokes up as teen group sings in honor of lost member on ‘AGT’
Simon Cowell is a tough cookie to crack, but there have been rare instances when the 'America's Got Talent' judge has let go of his emotions. In one particular instance, Cowell couldn't help but get teary-eyed after a teen a cappella group honored a member who died at 15. The performance was so moving that Cowell and the other judges couldn’t help but praise it.
he group, Acapop! KIDS, stunned fans and judges during their emotional Season 17 audition on 'America's Got Talent.' Notably, the teenage group was made up of 12-to-17-year-olds from across the US and delivered an emotional performance in memory of one of their late members, Nolan Gibbons, as per Gold Derby. Before his passing, Nolan had written the song "My Turn," which the group chose to perform on the 'AGT' stage. "We're just here to spread his message and be his voice," one member explained.
They also spoke about their journey, saying they’ve been together for about four years and are “best friends” with dreams to "go on tour" and "inspire all the younger kids to do whatever they want." The nine teens then lined up to perform "My Turn," delivering a beautiful and raw a cappella rendition using only their voices, featuring humming, beatboxing, and harmonies that honored Gibbons' legacy with heartfelt precision.
After their moving performance, the judges were full of praise. Heidi Klum raved, saying, "That was beautiful," while adding, "You meld beautifully together with your voices. I just loved it. I was super entertained." Sofía Vergara added, "I thought that was so much fun. This is what you guys are meant to do. The song was beautiful, and I know this means a lot to you guys because he wrote it. I am very happy that you guys made it to 'AGT' because we needed you guys." A visible emotional Cowell then offered a heartfelt comment, saying, "To sing a song as a tribute to someone who you lost is such a difficult thing to do. So emotional, so respectful. It was what I call a moment. I love you guys. Absolutely brilliant."
Notably, Acapop! advanced to the 'America's Got Talent' semifinals, where they performed their original song 'Glow,' as per America's Got Talent Wiki. However, Howie Mandel buzzed the act during their performance. In the next round, they did not receive enough votes to make the Top 5 of the night and were eliminated from the competition, with Metaphysic moving forward instead. Talking about the history of the group, in May 2018, the founders of Pentatonix began searching for talented young singers and beatboxers aged 6–14 across the US and Canada. The final auditions took place in four cities, Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, and Miami, with 84 kids selected.
By October 2019, Scott Hoying launched a new a cappella group made up of performers aged 17 or younger, naming it Acapop! KIDS. Their first music video, a cover of 'High Hopes' by Panic! at the Disco, was released the same month and quickly gained popularity, earning over 15 million views in under three years, per Fandom. Other hits followed, including their covers of 'Shallow' and a Queen medley featuring 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and 'Somebody to Love.' In January 2020, they performed on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' following the success of their Kelly Clarkson medley. During the pandemic, they adapted by creating short remote performances under the name Acapop! Minis.
