America’s Got Talent is getting close to crowning a champion.
On Wednesday, following the first of two semifinal episodes of season 16, five finalists were announced after the overnight audience vote was tallied. Tuesday night’s episode saw 11 acts perform, including a wild card selection by the judges. The wild card contestant was announced just before the start of the show and brought back after being eliminated in the previous round.
Three acts will advance to the finals based on fan votes and three acts, who placed third, fourth and fifth place in the voting, will be eligible for the Instant Save with only one earning a spot to move forward in the competition. The fifth finalist of the night will be saved by judges Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Sofia Vergara.
After both weeks of semifinal results, there will be a total of 10 finalists.
Below are the acts competing for the $1 million prize and residency at Luxor in Las Vegas.
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Amy Sussman/WireImage; Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
Jimmie Herrod
Vergara’s Golden Buzzer choice, who won the Instant Save from the fans, ended his semifinal round on a high note with a stunning cover of Pink’s “Glitter in the Air.”
The Portland native, 30, has been consistent in each round following his memorable audition, during which he performed “Tomorrow” from Annie, a song which judge Simon Cowell called the “worst song in the world.” Though Herrod was advised to “do another song,” the contestant wowed the judges’ panel with his soulful rendition and later changed Cowell’s mind about the track.
Herrod, who was teaching music virtually to children during the COVID pandemic, earned his bachelor of music degree from Washington’s Cornish College of the Arts and his master of music in jazz studies from Portland State University.
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World Taekwondo Demonstration Team
Host Terry Crews’ Golden Buzzer choice combined their martial arts discipline with showmanship and choreography for their semifinal performance.
Applauding the several members who practice taekwondo in South Korea and the U.S., Crews previously told PEOPLE, “The World Taekwondo Demonstration Team is the perfect mix of athleticism and showmanship! But even more than that is their commitment to culture, confidence and respect for themselves and others. So beautiful to witness their strength and see men and women demonstrating the power of martial arts together!”
The group was actually scheduled to perform during the Tokyo Olympics before the Summer Games were postponed a year due to the global pandemic in 2020.
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Aidan Bryant
The self-taught aerialist, 16, was called the “one to beat” by Cowell after his “gold medal-winning” semifinal performance, which was set to Backstreet Boys’ “Larger Than Life.” Vergara was also wowed, telling Bryant: “You’re 16 years old, self-taught and no safety net,” adding, “This was a gold level performance.”
The Virginia teen is only in his second year of learning aerials after starting out in the backyard with a tree and a bedsheet.
Dustin Tavella
The magician from Virginia, known for his storytelling abilities, continues to impress the judges and audiences with his interactive performances. For his semifinal performance, he asked for help from all four judges in his magic trick centered around his appreciation and love for his wife Kari.
His audition also touched the hearts of many when he spoke about his dedication to being a family man to their adopted son Xander.
Gina Brillon
The stand-up comedian has consistently made the judges laugh with her sets during the competition.
In earlier rounds, the Bronx native, 41, shared anecdotes from her life, including jokes about planning her wedding and previous dating life. In addition to her stand-up specials, she’s also made appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The View and Chelsea Lately.
The last five finalists will be announced on Sept. 8.
America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays on NBC.
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