Golden Ticket Winners Captivate Judges With Jaw-Dropping Performances
AEGT second live audition kicked off with a bang at KONTIKI on Wednesday, February 19th. Thirteen contestants of all ages and musical backgrounds came with their A game. Chip McKenney of McKenney Media returned as a brilliant host. Robert Dover AEGT founder, Nicho Meredith Global Dressage Announcer, PJ Rizvi Grand Prix rider and Katherine Kaneb , one of the Founding Partners of PBIEC were the judges for the evening.
Horse lovers turned out and packed Kontiki Raw & Wine Raw Bar to capacity. The entertainment was boundless. Contestants Tayla Davis, Alyssa Marie Coon, Tristan Francar, Tom Blake, Kiara Charles, Neva Powers, Hannah Lisec, Angelina Tharitimanont, Heather Watson, Delia Alvarez, Elliena Apollo, Teaghan James and Kalman Grigg performed in the first round. The top five moved on to a second round, determined by the judges scores.
A special Golden Phone lit up the room ‘phoned in’ the winners to the stage. Neva Powers, Teaghan James, Tom Blake, Tayla Davis and Delia Alvarez progressed to the second phase.
KIARA CHARLES
The first special moment of the night came when Kiara Charles, a14 years old, stunned the audience with a gorgeous opera rendition of “O Mio Babbino Caro”. The judges were astounded by Kiara’s voice, especially Robert Dover. He immediately picked up the Golden Phone and decided to give her the Golden Ticket. Kiara received a roaring standing ovation! Her performance was described by the judges as ‘marvelous and outstanding’. As the night went on, more jaw-dropping contestants came along.
TAYLA DAVIS
Tayla Davis, a former country singer, shared with the audience that a relative of hers committed suicide. In memory of Tayla’s relative, she sang “Rainbow” by Kasey Musgraves. The audience was deeply moved and she touched all hearts, with many weeping throughout the audience. During the second round, she showcased her vocal range with a completely different genre. Katherine Kaneb gave her the Golden Ticket.
TEAGHAN JAMES
Next to go was Teaghan James. This Canadian singer made a name for herself in 2018 AEGT event by placing in the top four. On Wednesday, her performance “Cold” by Demi Lovato, melted the hearts of everyone in the room. The atmosphere was electric with every word she sang. Judge Nicho Meredith had his golden moment and delivered his golden ticket to Teaghan.
TOM BLAKE
Last but not least, Tom Blake sang a beautiful rendition of the iconic song “Walking in Memphis”, which was pitch-perfect and showcased his vocal artistry. On the second round, he continued in the same style, and brought the audience and Judge PJ Rizvi to their feet. His soulful voice was accentuated by his country style, Tom received the fourth Golden Ticket of the night.
Mark your calendar and make your plans now for the Greatest talent fundraiser of the winter social calendar in Wellington, Florida, Discover Dressage, American Equestrian Got Talent Big FINALE on:
Sunday 15th March 2019 at 6:30 pm
At Adequan Global Dressage VIP Tent,
13500 South Shore Blvd. Wellington, FL
Ticket Information: Patty Scott - 917-318-0425/ pjscott@mac.com
or go to
www.aegtusa.com
