America's Got Talent 2014 - Live Blog and Recap - Semi Finals 1 (VIDEO)
Welcome to the live blog and recap of America's Got Talent 2014, "Semi Finals 1"! The first group of performers from our Season 9 Top 24 perform for your votes! Some of the acts performing tonight include:
Andrey Moraru
Aerial Animation
Bad Boys of Ballet (WILD CARD!)
Dan Naturman
David & Leeman
Emily West
Flight Crew Jump Rope (WILD CARD!)
Mara Justine
Miguel Dakota
Mike Super (WILD CARD!)
Paul Ieti
Sons of Serendip
The fourth wild card, performing on next week's show, is stand-up comic Wendy Liebman. All in all, I'm surprised by some of these wild card choices (particularly Bad Boys of Ballet, since any number of dance acts were better), but I'm not sure there are any winning acts among those who were eliminated anyway, so it's just as well that these four acts were put through by the judges.
Tonight is a damn solid lineup, and should make for an interesting two hours of performances, since it's going to be all-out war among the singers (seriously, nearly half of the performers tonight are singing acts!). Videos will be coming as the night rolls on, along with my live commentary, so keep refreshing the page! And keep it locked right here for all of your America's Got Talent needs, as we begin "Semi Finals 1"!
Credit: Michael Parmelee/NBC
Let's get this show on the road!
RECAP
-We kick things off as we usually do, with a quick recap montage of some of the acts that have gotten through, and what a solid season this has been so far, leading into the semi finals. Admittedly, I think this actually has been a pretty great season, despite the amount of acts that have been easily dismissed.
-Nick Cannon introduces the judges and reveals that only six of tonight's 12 acts will advance to the next round. He then explains that each judge got to bring back one wild card act, and it will be Heidi's wild card act that opens tonight's show...
FLIGHT CREW JUMP ROPE opens the show!
-The crew recalls being cut at the last minute, when it came down to them and Baila Conmigo. "We never dreamed we would get this second chance," they say, adding that tonight's routine is more difficult than any routine they've done so far. They know that this is their second chance, and that they aren't likely to get a third, so they want to prove to Heidi that she made a good choice in putting them through.
-They perform an intricate routine set to "Break Free" by Ariana Grande, and it's a pretty fun act, honestly. However, there's less of what made the group unique, believe it or not, as they mostly focused on flips and dancing as opposed to high-altitude jump rope tricks. More troubling still, two male dancers flip a third female dancer, who proceeds to trip after landing on her heels. She covered her mistake well, and I do like this act, but I have to admit I was disappointed by this, unfortunately.
-Heidi says the group made her proud, while Mel B says that she thought this was an absolutely perfect way to kick off the show. But Howie doesn't agree. He says that while he thinks what they do is fantastic, this was too similar to what they normally do, noting that the pressure is getting to them. He noticed the woman who fell over, and says, "You've got to be perfect! This is the semi finals!" However, Mel B applauds the woman for getting right back up and covering her mistake immediately. Howard, meanwhile, says that while this is a talented act, it occasionally feels like they're the background dancers waiting for the lead singer to come out. He suggests, if they get through, to isolate a few members and focus on them. Mel B and Heidi argue that they did, but Howard disagrees.
-In their interview with Nick, they thank Heidi for giving them another chance. Yeah, I think this is pretty much it for them, sad as it is to say. Well, unless a couple other acts bomb. But this is a stacked night of performers, so I don't see how likely that will be.
WATCH: Flight Crew Jump Rope performs on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
MARA JUSTINE is up next!
-Mara talks about being saved by the judges, saying she cried so much when Howard put her through. "I remember hugging Nick Cannon. I just didn't want to let go." She wants to make it past the semi finals for the sake of her family and her own dreams, saying that this could change her life. I really like Mara Justine, even though I think there are better young singers in the competition. She has such a winning personality, and is mature beyond her years without coming across like one of those annoyingly precocious adult-kids.
-She sings "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson, and this wasn't a great performance, starting out. She seemed to spend too much of it pitched in her lower register, and it just sounded strange, almost like an operatic performance. That said, about halfway through this performance, she just started RIPPING INTO this song in GLORIOUS fashion. Seriously, I got some serious goosebumps from this. Howie gets to his feet in the middle of the song, and I don't blame him. Despite a shaky opening, she absolutely NAILED this performance. All four judges give her a standing ovation.
-Howie praises Mara for a wonderful performance, saying it's amazing that she's only 12-years-old, since she has the power of a vocalist twice her age. while Howard compares her to Superman/Clark Kent, in terms of the contrast to the power and subtlety of her voice. Mel B says that she was very smart with the arrangement, saying she showed the "light and range" of her vocals, proving that she's a true artist. Heidi thought it was a breakthrough performance, and I completely agree. I would totally vote for her. Hell, I just might.
-Nick asks her how she connects so intimately with her songs despite being so young, and she says she just looks into her heart.
WATCH: Mara Justine sings 'Breakaway' on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
-We move on next with Mel B's Wild Card act...
BAD BOYS OF BALLET are up next!
-We see backstage footage of Mel B revealing to Bad Boys of Ballet that they're her Wild Card pick, and their celebration is something I'm glad the cameras got to catch. As with any Wild Card act, they talk about how this is their second chance to show America who they are, and to get them into their style of dance. "We have to be better. We have to be stronger. We have to BRING IT."
-They perform a routine set to Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way," and this is already a thousand times better than their Quarter Finals performance. I'm not sure they're going to win any converts with this performance, but it was smart of the group to add more contemporary moves, and delivering a much more high-energy performance. I enjoyed this. If there was any drawback, it's that the lead dancer leaves the stage for some reason, only to come out wearing running shorts. It's strange, and was immediately noticeable. That said, I don't think it ruined the performance or anything. I thought this was a fun routine.
-Mel B thought they were great, and gives them a standing ovation. Howard, however, somehow links with me telepathically and gets on the lead dancer's case for disappearing from the stage for 45 of their 90 seconds to wow America. He says that she says she can't be a gimmick like Gypsy Rose Lee, if she's going to be in the next round. Heidi is more forgiving, praising the group and their skill. However, Howie doesn't think this is a million dollar act, saying they felt like background dancers.
-In her interview with Nick, the lead dancer tears into Howard by saying she was only gone from the stage for "two counts of eight," and then says she's not a gimmick, and that "background dancers" needs to stop being used a pejorative term. Yeah...this outburst isn't going to do her group any favors in the voting, I predict.
WATCH: Bad Boys of Ballet perform on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
PAUL IETI is up next!
-Paul talks about how he just can't believe all of this. He walks through the streets of New York and gets stopped by people all the time, from adoring fans to servicemen like himself. He says he was happy to make it back, since not every serviceman does. I like Paul, but I wonder how much of his appeal is his story. He has a great voice, and I honestly don't think the production needs to milk the military background as hard as it does. Just let him sing!
-Paul sings "I Want It That Way", and I wanted to like this so badly. It's a slowed-down arrangement that looks to give Paul more of a chance to highlight his vocals, but...well, his vocals weren't that great tonight. The arrangement was pitched way too low for his voice, and I think it's indicative of a larger problem with singers on talent competitions, particularly this one. They go for an arrangement with verses that are pitched lower so that the choruses can be right in their pocket. The assumption is that everyone will remember the choruses, while the uneven verses will be something that can be overlooked. But this almost never ends up being the case. I'd rather a singer go for a more consistent performance overall than sacrificing the verses so the choruses will soar. This was just a mess, unfortunately.
-Heidi didn't think this was his best performance, and Mel B adds that Paul is probably going to be disappointed when he watches it back, adding that his confidence seemed shaken. Howie says that in Paul's category alone, "Mara did a lot better than you," drawing an "ooooo" from the audience. And now I'm worried people will vote for crazy like Paul and forget to vote for Mara. Then again, I'm a paranoid sort when it comes to shows like these. Howard says Paul is a talented guy, but they need to separate his story from his ability. He says this song was just all wrong for him, and that he was battling the orchestration and the arrangement as he fought to hit the lower notes. I agree.
-Nick asks Paul for his thoughts, and he says, "It is what it is." Well, I guess that's all he really could say.
WATCH: Paul Ieti sings 'I Want It That Way' on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
-We move on with Howie's Wild Card pick...
MIKE SUPER is up next!
-Mike talks about how devastated he was to get cut, saying that Howard was "anti-Mike Super, so I went home." However, he was thrilled to get the call from Howie allowing him to advance, as Howie apparently didn't think he should have been eliminated in the first place. Ultimately, Mike is taking Howard's advice and ditching Desmond, saying he's going to do some straight magic tonight. Should be interesting.
-Mike does a super complicated card trick that involves the judges shuffling cards while he's in a sealed box, covered with a blanket that prevents him from seeing what they're doing. He somehow transports out of the box, and yeah...just wait for the video. It'll do a better job explaining what happened than I ever could. Needless to say, I was impressed as hell by this, and feel like he should have been doing this sort of thing from day one.
-Howie says this performance alone proved he's worthy of his own headlining Vegas act. Mel B says she's actually really glad to have Mike back. Meanwhile, Howard says he's glad Desmond is dead, and that Mike should leave Desmond dead forever. He thought this was fantastic. Heidi seems to think so too, saying he really made this work. I really dug this.
-Mike thanks Howie for believing in him, Howard for giving him advice, and the ladies for showing him support. He tells Mel B he wanted to prove he was a gentleman.
WATCH: Mike Super performs on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
ANDREY MORARU is up next!
-Andrey talks about how he could never get into public education, and felt lost in life before he discovered the circus. Through hand-balancing, he feels he can speak the language through his movements. He says this is his chance to share his soul with the world, as this is his form of expression. I really like Andrey and hope he delivers tonight. I've yet to see a bad performance from him, so I'm thinking he will.
-I just love Andrey's act so much. It's so stunningly simple yet irreducibly complex. Seriously, he's just doing a lot of hand-balances and poses! It's not really a dance, per se, but it's as gorgeous as any dance routine on this show so far. He contorts himself in such amazing ways that I almost feel like he doesn't need the silly, "Into the Woods" background they gave him (or he chose, whichever). That said, he does seem to slip up a bit, but he recovers with such unbelievable grace that I couldn't help loving this. Everyone is on their feet for Andrey at the end of the performance.
-Howie says Andrey is incredible at what he does, while Howard says that Andrey's act is truly compelling. "Vote for this guy!" he shouts, and I agree. Heidi compares Andrey to a human pretzel, and says she'd bend over backwards/sideways to see him go through. Mel B, meanwhile, notes that there were a few "hiccups" during the performance, but says it just didn't matter, because Andrey captivated everybody. "It was still memorable and mesmerizing. You had me on the edge of my seat again. Brilliant."
-In his interview with Nick, Andrey notes that he put a lot of work into this latest performance, and says he hopes people see what they want to see.
WATCH: Andrey Moraru performs on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
MIGUEL DAKOTA is up next!
-Miguel says that while his dream has always been to play music, making it to the semi finals of America's Got Talent is more than he could have ever dreamed of. He talks about how one moment he's performing at Radio City Music Hall, and the next minute, he's back working at home. He compares it to living two separate lives, as he's getting recognized on the street by people, who wish him luck in the competition. He hopes to make a career out of this, and I like his chances.
-Miguel sings 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes, and while it's not my favorite performance of Miguel's, I thought it was a really good vocal. He has this smoky, bluesy quality to his voice that is very compelling. Sure, his stage presence could use some work, but that can be worked on. I thought this was a damn solid semi finals performance, and it could be enough to get him to the finals.
-Howard says Miguel has the look, and all the right little moves onstage, but feels that if this were a paying crowd, they would have been snoozing through that performance. Howard says if he were a record exec, he'd send Miguel to a bunch of clubs to bomb, so that he could learn what will work in his performance style and what doesn't, so he can become a great onstage performer "like Mick Jagger." Heidi thinks Miguel is America's newest heartthrob, leading to a weird bit in which Heidi says Miguel's full name, prompting Howard to accuse her of forgetting. Howie disagrees with Howard completely, saying Mick Jagger isn't the best singer in the world anyway, so Miguel has a damn good chance at winning the million. Mel B also disagrees with Howard, saying he's more than just a look, as he's a proper musician who can sing. She tries for a comparison to Sam Smith and 5 Seconds of Summer that doesn't really work, since Howard interrupts whatever point she's trying to make, but the big takeaway is that three of the four judges feel Miguel is a potentially winning act.
-Miguel dedicates his performance to his grandparents, who are celebrating their 54th wedding anniversary today. He then says he appreciates the constructive criticism of the judges, prompting Mel B saying he shouldn't appreciate Howard's criticism, he should disagree with it. Howard wants to know why, since he thinks he could help Mel B out with the Spice Girls. Ooooo, it's on!
WATCH: Miguel Dakota sings 'Seven Nation Army' on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
SONS OF SERENDIP are up next!
-They recount the old story that their group name comes from, explaining that they simply feel they were meant to be put together. Each group member then explains how he learned to play his instrument, while the lead singer talks about how he first discovered his passion for singing. Turns out, it's when his chorus teacher told him he could, to the surprise of his parents. They discuss coming together serendipitously, as it never would have happened if they didn't all go to the same university. I love these guys something fierce.
-They sing "Don't You Worry Child" by Swedish House Mafia, and it's the best of the night so far. I absolutely loved this performance. Their instrumentation is matched only by their lead singer's vocals. This was downright heavenly.
-Heidi says they sang so beautifully tonight that she feels they don't have anything to worry about. Mel B says they took a well-known song, flipped it upside down, and made it their own, adding that it was simply beautiful. However, she's not so sure about the cloud arrangement in the background. Howie says that while Sons of Serendip are the most talented music group here, America is more likely to vote for the more youth-oriented singers. He says if America votes on talent, they'll vote for Sons of Serendip. If it's a popularity contest, they'll vote for Miguel. Um, that's incredibly reductive of Miguel's talent, particularly considering that Howie just got done saying he feels Miguel is a potential million dollar act. I have no idea why Howie is throwing some singers under the bus tonight. Stop comparing! Howard does it too, telling Mel B that "this is a singer," and says she needs to listen and know what a singer sounds like, instead of just looking for some hot guy to take his shirt off. What is WITH these guys tonight?!
WATCH: Sons of Serendip sing 'Don't You Worry Child' on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
DAVID AND LEEMAN are up next!
-This starts out with a day dreaming routine, as they imagine winning America's Got Talent. David and Leeman then talk about life since the show, saying they expected to be recognized by people after their appearance on the show, before noting that this didn't actually happen all that much. However, they're thrilled to advance to the semi finals, saying they want to impress Heidi tonight, who is the only judge not to stand for them in the Quarter Finals. They want to impress her so much that they advance to the finals, since neither wants to go back to their old jobs.
-This was a strange act, in that it's more predictive magic than an actual trick. But it's actually really entertaining and impressive. Basically, because they accidentally X'd themselves on their last performance, they decide to do it again to create a do-or-die scenario. They press the X's on Howie, Howard, and Mel B's panels, leaving only Heidi's X untouched. They then offer up five paper bags marked A, B, C, D, and E. One of these bags contains a spike with the final X on the bottom. A crew member placed the X in the bag backstage, so they don't know where the final X is. So each of the judges is going to choose a bag for them to slam down on, and if they choose wrong, not only will they hideously disfigure their hands by impaling themselves, they'll also force Heidi to slam down the final X on her buzzer, eliminating them from the competition. It's pretty amusing, as the guys joke about why no one would ever pick the "D bag," and other such little gags. Howard chooses the D bag (of course), while Howie chooses the A bag (because he's Canadian, "eh!"), Mel B chooses the B bag (naturally), and Nick Cannon picks the C bag. However, David and Leeman give Heidi the choice of keeping Nick's final choice, or switching bags. She chooses to switch, and thankfully, this proves to save the magic duo, as the C bag was the one with the spike in it.
-Mel B is impressed, saying that while there's a lot of information to process with this act, she thought they made it very entertaining. Both Howard and Howie enjoyed the routine, with Howard noting that their act is really well-crafted, despite the fact that he's seen this act everywhere lately. Heidi loves their showmanship, and loves that she didn't have to call 911 for them.
-In their interview with Nick, David and Leeman verify that the spike is real, and that they were able to get off easy.
WATCH: David and Leeman perform on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
DAN NATURMAN is up next!
-Dan says that in the weeks since making it through, his confidence has increased. He's been going to the gym, and has been getting more attention than he normally gets, saying he's gone on a few dates since then (we then get a skit of Dan going speed-dating). He notes that a comedian has never won America's Got Talent. "Will I be the first? Probably not! But I'm hopeful!"
-Dan jokes about being unmarried, and how his sister assumes he's gay. He then recalls learning Italian, saying that the only thing it's good for is impressing a date at an Italian restaurant. He then says his friend Jurgen, whom he calls a countryman of Heidi's, speaks four different languages. Jurgen apparently asked him why Americans don't speak foreign languages, and he says it's for the same reason people who can see don't learn braille. That gets a pretty decent laugh. And like that, the performance is over?! That was awkwardly brief.
-Heidi hated it. She thinks it's impressive that he managed to offend every person on the planet, including the Germans. And so she feels she has to say "Auf Wiedersen," but refuses to translate since he doesn't seem to want to learn other languages. Mel B says she laughed more towards the end of the performance. Howie says Mel B shouldn't have to specify when she laughed, just that she laughed. He thinks Dan is a very funny comic. Howard, meanwhile, thinks Dan put them all at ease, and that he knows how to keep things moving. He doesn't think this was Dan's best set, but he always looks forward to Dan coming on.
-Dan doesn't get why Heidi was offended, and she explains that it just wasn't funny. The other judges, however, think she should lighten up, apparently.
WATCH: Dan Naturman performs on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
AERIAL ANIMATION is up next!
-Abigail talks about how her routines involve so much of herself, from aerial acrobatics, to drawing, to storytelling. She's working to create something new, and says that her latest piece comes from the heart of her. This is her dream, and while it's a little bit scary -- since it's her true self up there -- she has to take this chance. She doesn't know what's going to happen next. I don't either, but I predict it'll be crazy good.
-This routine (set to "Best Day of My Life" by American Authors) was good, but not as eye-popping as previous ones. She's taken into the clouds by balloons, and all the way up into space among the constellations. She then descends into a circus, dancing all the while with her partner, making this the most involved he's been in a routine. It seemed more focused on delivering an interesting dance routine than with integrating the eye-popping visuals of the animation to create the appearance of, say, Abigail riding a horse or skipping across clouds. It's not a bad performance by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a bit underwhelming, considering what came before.
-Mel B says that the delivery was very disjointed, and that she doesn't need the guy so much at this stage of the competition. Heidi feels that every time she was on the stage, she's gotten better and better; but she felt tonight that she took a step back. Howard disagrees, saying this is a very smart performance, telling Abigail's partner that he did a great job, illustrating his strength in hoisting up his partner. "I say fantastic, and I hope you go on. Terrific job." Howie says he feels like he agrees with absolutely everybody. On the one hand, they need to experiment as artists; on the other, he felt that there was an imbalance between the animation and dance. Still, he likes the act.
-Abigail says she thinks the act is so much bigger than her, with its imagination and potential. She fights back tears as she says that being on this stage has shown her just how far she can go. I do love this act, even if this wasn't my favorite performance of theirs. I still hope they go through.
WATCH: Aerial Animation performs on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
EMILY WEST is up next!
-Emily talks about how it's been her dream to put on dresses and sing in Radio City Music Hall, and now she's here. She says her heart stopped when she was told she was one of the best singers this show has ever had. She recalls how she's been recognized on the streets, getting her credit card declined at the gas station, only to have some kind man offer her $20 because he saw her on the show and liked her singing. Wow, that's actually really moving. She's not ready to give up on her dream just yet, and honestly, I'm not ready to see her go yet.
-OH MY GOD, I LOVE THIS SONG! Emily sings "Who Wants to Live Forever" by Queen, and it's the best vocal of the night, full-stop. And given what Mara Justine and Sons of Serendip accomplished, that's really saying something. Not one single bum note in this entire performance. In fact, there's not one single note in this entire performance that isn't outstanding. Just flawless, from front to back. All four judges give her a standing ovation because WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T YOU?!
-Heidi says she might as well call Emily "Lady in Red," saying she has that special something that recalls old Hollywood. She basically says she has a lady crush on Emily. Mel B wondered how Emily was going to top "Chandelier," and says that she absolutely topped it with this, adding that she could listen to Emily all day long. Howie says Emily is "seasoned" and "iconic," and adds that this is the kind of performance they're striving for. Howard says this is a true million dollar act, a real singer, and someone America MUST vote for. He says Emily makes them feel, and makes them want to vote for her, and adds that she is "STUPENDOUS". He pleads with America to vote, because sometimes undeserving acts get through while truly deserving acts go home. He doesn't name names though.
-Emily says she's been dreaming of this all her life, and she's very grateful for the judges' kind words.
WATCH: Emily West sings 'Who Wants to Live Forever' on America's Got Talent 2014 Semi Finals (VIDEO)
-And that's a wrap! Tomorrow, we find out which six acts will advance, along with which act will be rescued by America with the Live Save. Also, Ariana Grande will perform. Join us tomorrow for the results show, and let us know which six acts you feel deserve to go through in the comments! Thanks for hanging out!