Alabama’s Reid Wilson moved one step closer to winning “America’s Got Talent” as he mastered his cover of Ariana Grande’s “Almost Is Never Enough” on the NBC reality series this week.
Wilson, a Montgomery native, received a lot of trust from the show’s viewers, garnering a lot of votes after his performance on Tuesday’s episode and securing a spot in the semifinals of season 19. The voting results were announced on Wednesday’s episode and 15-year-old Wilson was among the three acts that viewers liked the most.
Although Wilson did not receive the coveted Golden Live Buzzer on Tuesday, which would have allowed him to skip the semifinals and go straight to the final, his cover of Grande’s 2011 pop/soul ballad drew a standing ovation from the studio audience and all four judges.
“Not even for your age, but for the fact that you’re 15 years old, you have so much poise, so much control,” said Howie Mandel. “Your voice is so clear and so crisp. You know what you want to do. I feel like you’re so close to get a dog.” (In a video package that aired Tuesday, Wilson said his parents promised him he could get a dog if he wins this season of AGT.)
“You reminded me of David Bowie with your appearance because you look so good. It was that outfit, the song,” Sofia Vergara said. “I mean, I loved your audition. You look like you belong on that stage tonight.”
“I really believe, Reid, that singing is going to be your career,” Simon Cowell said. “And it’s so important right now – forget posting stuff online – you’ve got to do what you did tonight. Get on stage, do it live, perform in front of an audience, because if you can’t do that, you’ve got no chance. I also thought you had real soul in your voice, honestly. … I really wanted you to do well tonight and you did. I’m really happy.”
“You’re so, so good,” said Heidi Klum. “I mean, you can really hold your own on stage. Everyone was so quiet, trying to hear every syllable you sang. … This amazing thing you did, I mean, epic. … You were incredible!”
Alabama teenager Reid Wilson is a contestant on the 19th season of “America’s Got Talent.” In the quarterfinals, he covered Ariana Grande’s “Almost Is Never Enough” and received a standing ovation from the judges and studio audience. “It’s an incredible feeling. I mean, my family is up there (in the audience) and everyone’s standing up, and all the judges,” Wilson told the show’s host Terry Crews (left in the middle photo). “This is what I was hoping for, and I’m just so grateful.”(NBC Photos)
READ: Artists from Alabama impressed the jury on “America’s Got Talent” 12 times
Wilson may be young, but he’s no stranger to television. He was in the spotlight in November when he appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show. The teenager also comes from a talented family, as he is the younger brother of Ryley Tate Wilson, a semifinalist on The Voice in 2023.
Wilson now moves on to the next round of competition on “America’s Got Talent,” appearing as one of 12 semifinalists. During the semifinals, the list of contestants will be whittled down to the top six for the finale. The winner of season 19 will be announced on September 24 and will receive a $1 million prize, according to a press release from NBC.
The show features a diverse group of entertainers, including singers, acrobats, dancers, magicians, comedians and more.
If you watch: “America’s Got Talent” airs on NBC, with live shows scheduled through Sept. 24. Two-hour episodes featuring the performances air Tuesdays at 7 p.m. CT; one-hour episodes featuring the results are scheduled for Wednesdays at 7 p.m. CT. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.
