Simon Cowell rolls his eyes before asking the contestant about his 'day job': 'This is my big dream...'
Simon Cowell needs no introduction! The record executive is not entirely known for his compassion, which was once again evidenced in the 'America's Got Talent' audition. Oozing his signature blunt energy, Cowell was seen rolling his eyes. However, he did not stop there only, as he grilled the contestant about his 'day job,' making it obvious that Cowell was less than impressed by him. However, in a surprising turn of events, Cowell ends up eating his own words and gives a heartfelt hug to this contestant.
During his 'America’s Got Talent' audition, Roland Abante introduced himself to the judges with the help of an interpreter. Heidi Klum welcomed Abante, to which he replied, "I'm Roland Abante. I am from the Philippines." When asked what he would be doing, Abante indicated he would be singing, prompting applause from the audience. Kulm then followed up, "So are you a singer in the Philippines?" to which Abante explained that he only sings for fun in his neighborhood karaoke, as his interpreter said , "In the Philippines, he's just singing in the neighborhood where they have karaoke."
Abante's answers were seemingly not welcomed by Cowell, who was seen rolling his eyes. It was then Cowell jumped in and asked Abnate, "Can I ask you a question? You have a day job?" Abante answered, "In the Philippines, my work is in the morning; I'm a fisherman, and in the afternoon, I drive a motorbike, and I deliver passengers and goods." Klum reacted warmly, calling it "amazing." When asked why he came to 'America’s Got Talent,' Abante became emotional, saying, "Every night I see [AGT] on my cell phone only because... this is my big dream to be here." Seeing Abante tearing up, Klum kindly said, "Roland, do you want to have a hug before you start, or are you good?" to which Abante replied, "Okay, okay." The audience cheered on as Klum embraced Abante in a heartfelt hug.
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However, Cowell had to eat his own words when Abante stunned by singing Michael Bolton's cover of 'When a Man Loves a Woman.' Cowell praised Abante and confirmed he had his own doubts before the performance, saying, "I genuinely thought for one moment you weren't going to be able to do this, and then that happened, and it actually made me love this audition even more. And I really like you." Howie Mandel also echoed Cowell's sentiments, adding, "I agree with what Simon said. You have a beautiful..." At that moment, Abante innocently interrupted with "Thank you so much, so much," to which his interpreter lightheartedly said, "I think he gets excited with Simon, his favorite judge!" Following that, at Sofia Vergara's instance, Cowell also gave Abante a hug.
Thanks to his powerful performance, Abante advanced to the semifinals of the competition and delivered a stellar performance of Whitney Houston’s 'I Will Always Love You,' as per America's Got Talent Wiki. His performance earned a standing ovation from all four judges. However, he did not receive enough votes to make the Top 5 and was eliminated, with Chibi Unity advancing instead. Notably, Abante made a name for himself in the entertainment industry thanks to his 'AGT' stint and even performed at various venues. Abante performed for a one-night-only free concert at Red Hawk Casino Resort back in November 2024, as per Folsom Times Entertainment. The performance gave fans a chance to see the powerhouse vocalist live.