Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
Sofia Vergara Gives AGT's First Live Golden Buzzer to These "Ambitious" Acrobats
America's Got Talent Season 19 had yet another first when Sofia Vergara gave out a Live Golden Buzzer.
The Quarterfinals of America’s Got Talent Season 19 are here and with them is the brand new Live Golden Buzzer. After last night’s stacked performance schedule, Sofia Vergara ushered in a new era of AGT and sent one very talented team immediately to the Finals, bypassing America’s Vote.
After getting a somewhat rocky start to the competition during their Audition, the Hakuna Matata Acrobats found themselves with a lot to prove going into the Quarterfinals. The group, who specialize in what can only be described as expert-level group rolla bolla balancing, took the stage ready to show the world that they’ve got what it takes to go all the way to the finish line and earn the $1 million grand prize.
RELATED: See This Bubbly 13-Year-Old Turn Into a Nightmare on AGT: “It’s Like the Exorcist"
With Vergara presiding over the night’s one and only Golden Buzzer, they took the stage and performed a death-defying Act designed to get her attention. And boy did they succeed.
Hakuna Matata Acrobats’ Golden Buzzer performance
The group, who came all the way to the AGT Stage from Tanzania, wasted no time stacking their many rollers up. It created a platform that could move in almost any direction and send the entire four-man group tumbling to the extraordinarily hard stage floor. With each passing second and new movement, they risked not only serious injury but an end to their AGT dreams.
Fortunately, they kept their balance, performing various poses in which they balanced on one another with nothing but the most unsteady rolla bolla platforms to support them. Not only did they show off their balancing and acrobatic talents, but they included a few moments into their performance to mug to the camera and showcase their swagger-filled personalities.
The group capped off their Golden Buzzer-winning Act by stacking themselves up in a straight line atop two rolla bolla platforms before performing an expert dismount that had the crowd and the Judges on their feet.
What did the Judges say about Hakuna Matata Acrobats’ Live performance?
The Judges wasted no time showering this group with praise after the nail-biting show.
“I feel this is one of the most difficult, dangerous Acts we’ve seen on a live show,” Judge Simon Cowell said. “It felt, to me, like you’ve arrived and I have so much respect for all of you for what you’ve done.”
He concluded: “And this means a lot to you and I have a feeling this is going to be a great, great night for you. I really do.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Howie Mandel joked that he agreed with Simon that Hakuna Matata Acrobats had arrived.
“And three of them are carry-on,” he joked. “What you’re doing, I don’t know that people realize how amazing that is.”
Mandel and Heidi Klum praised them for combining two very difficult Acts into one spectacular show.
“You had my attention from the beginning to the very end,” Klum concluded.
After that, it was time for the most heartwarming and exciting moment of the night, Sofia’s Golden Buzzer.
“Definitely one of the most ambitious Acts I’ve seen on AGT,” Vergara said. “I can see the difference from the Audition. You guys deserve to be here. I don’t think you guys need any help from anyone, but regardless of that, I’m going to have to do this!”
With that, she stood up, pressed her button and showered the performers with the coveted golden confetti, signaling they’ll be headed directly to the final rounds of the competition.
“You deserve this!” she exclaimed.
Speaking to NBC Insider after their performance, the ecstatic group was already looking ahead to the Finals.
"We were prepared for the few routines in front of us," said group member Mohamed Pengo. "But now we have to go back to school and pick the best for the Final."
As for their performance, Pengo said the group was excited to make AGT history
"This means a lot. It’s history for Hakuna Matata Acrobats. It’s also history for AGT. It’s the first Golden Buzzer in a live show and it’s the first Golden Buzzer for us," he concluded.
On Wednesday we’ll see which other two Acts from the first round of the Season 19 Quarterfinals will join the Hakuna Matata Acrobats in the finals.
Catch up on America’s Got Talent on Peacock now.
