As a Judge, you always need your ear to the ground, and Simon explained that his friends sometimes give him the best tips. This time, his good pal, LeRoy Clark, put the bug in his ear.
“Over the years with this show, friends will spot someone online, and they’ll say, you gotta see this person. A very good friend of mine, sitting over there, his name is Leroy. He said a couple of days ago, ‘You gotta see this video, ‘and it was you,’” Simon told the young performer on stage.
Turns out, great minds think alike, and AGT’s production team had already found Journeyy. The up-and-comer said he loves singing covers, and his version of Oceans by Hillsong United quickly racked up views and glowing praise when he recently posted it on TikTok.
What song did Journeyy Sing on America’s Got Talent?
After perfecting his style by singing covers for the past few years, Journeyy took the next step and performed an original song that he wrote himself, titled “Paradise.”
“I just didn’t expect that me recording videos at my house would lead to me being here right now. When I grow up, I want to be a pop singer,” he said in a backstage interview, adding that coming to Los Angeles for the audition was the first time he’d ever been on a plane.
The 9-year-old was nervous before the show, accepting a glass of water and a high-five from “favorite” Judge, Simon, before he began. But all that melted away as he struck the first note on the piano and sang:
What did the Judges say about Journeyy?
Cowell’s pals have impeccable taste, and the judges heaped huge praise on the young musical talent. “I love hearing people write their own material. It’s a glimpse into who you really are. And I really like you,” Cowell told Journeyy.
“Your parents must be super proud of you,” noted Heidi Klum. Meanwhile, Journeyy’s parents and sister stood in the wings, wiping tears away and nodding yes! “I’m proud of you. I hope you’re proud of yourself. Very well done, you have a beautiful voice,” she added.
Whenever Cowell says, “Things are gonna happen for you. I can feel it,” we wonder if he has a crystal ball hidden behind the Judge’s table because he’s pretty much right. “You are somebody who has a God-given talent. And it’s rare.”
